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Was —

I. SELF-ABNEGATING. If Christ, being God, for our sakes became man, may we not learn to forego, for the sake of each other, our own private advantages?

1. The rich may give to the poor, just as Christ for our sakes became poor.

2. The poor, themselves, should be helpful, just as Christ being poor was able to make many rich.

II. CONDESCENDING. He stooped from highest glory to our low estate, thereby teaching those who have the advantage of ability and attainments to condescend to the ignorance and incapacity of their less favoured brethren.

III. NON-COMPLAINING. Hence, the poor and ignorant should learn to cease from murmuring against those who have become better off by diligence, frugality, and sobriety, and to wear with cheerfulness the garb of poverty He wore, and receive with thankfulness the hardships He bore before them.

IV. NON-CONTENTIOUS. All, whatever their condition, should learn to contend less for their ownselves in the pursuit of this world's advantages, and leave more room for their neighbours' advancement and more cordially promote it. Industry is commendable, but grasping and jealousy are alien to the mind of Christ. We should let live as well as live.

V. ABHORRENT OF SIN. So much so that He humbled Himself to the death of the cross to destroy it. The Christian, therefore, should mortify the affections of the flesh.

VI. FEARLESS OF DEATH. He encountered it with joy that He might deliver us from bondage unto the fear of death.

(C. Girdlestone, M. A.)Christ's was —

I. A FEARLESS mind. He braved —

1. Public opinion.

2. Persecution.

3. Death.

II. A SELF-DENYING mind: and such in us will enable us, like Him, to forego —

1. Present advantage for the good of others.

2. Popularity for the sake of principle.

3. Personal claims, profit and pleasure for usefulness.

III. A LABORIOUS mind. Christ was ever thinking, planning, devising for others.

IV. A BROADLY SYMPATHETIC mind. Helpfulness should be united with tenderness.

V. A PATIENT mind. How He waited those thirty years; how He bore with the ignorance of His disciples, and the malignity of His murderers.

VI. A HOPEFUL mind. He saw beyond the cross. "He saw of the travail of His soul and was satisfied."

(H. B. Rawnsley.)

I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE MIND OF CHRIST? His view of things, and to have that mind is to think and feel about things as He did. He came down from heaven to study matters on the spot, and we can never have right views unless we take His point of view. But He came down not only to have right views but to rectify what was wrong. Hence, His standpoint was benevolent. He came not to judge but to save the world.

II. WHAT WAS CHRIST'S MIND WHEN HE BECAME INCARNATE?

1. His view of man. This is seen sufficiently in the fact that He took man's nature. Creation gives us a high estimate of manhood. The Incarnation one far higher. God made it: God wore it.

2. His view of the soul. He thought it was worth shedding His blood for. How much are we willing to give to save a soul? We do so little because our estimate is so low.

3. His view of sin. He deemed it an evil so terrible that He must give His life to atone for it Ought not this to produce in us a due sense of its enormity.

4. His view of the world and its glory. He treated the offer of Satan with contempt, and told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. How contrary our own view.

5. His view of the use of time. "I must work the works of Him that sent me," etc. What a lesson to the indolent and procrastinating.

6. His view of the obligations of religion. In childhood, while obedient to His parents, He recognized a higher authority than theirs. "Wist ye not," etc. Later on, "If any man love father and mother more than Me."

7. His view of wealth and poverty — "The foxes have holes," etc.

8. His view of God's Word — "Man shall not live by bread alone."

9. His view in regard to His enemies — "Father, forgive them," is the practical commentary on "Love your enemies."

III. HOW ARE WE TO ATTAIN THIS MIND?

1. Only by union with Him through faith.

2. This mind is to be cultivated by a diligent study of His precepts and example with the help of His Spirit.

(J. W. Reeve, M. A.)

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KJV: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

WEB: Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,