The Mind of Christ: Overcoming Selfishness Through Humility

In the church at Philippi, Paul addressed a critical issue that still plagues churches today - the problem of selfishness and self-centered living. Through the powerful Hymn of Christ, or as it has been known in church history with its Latin name, the Carmen Christi, Paul teaches us how to overcome our natural tendency toward self-interest and embrace Christ-like humility.

Why Do We Struggle with Selfishness?

Our common struggle is that when we have the mind of self, we push others down so we can go up. This selfish mindset was infiltrating the Philippian church and remains a universal challenge today. “The DNA of sin is selfishness,” as the author Paul Tripp has poignantly said. It puts ourselves at the center of our universe and reduces our concern to our own wants, our needs, and our feelings.

What Was Paul's Solution?

Paul offered a revolutionary solution - humility. In the Roman world, humility was seen as shameful and weak. New Testament scholar, Lynn Cohick says, “Today Christians and many others, praise humility as a virtue. This was not the case in the Roman World; there was virtually no difference between humility and humiliation—both ended with the reality of low status. Paul’s call for humility is unprecedented in the ethics of his day.”

Yet Paul invites and challenges believers to "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus" who exemplified perfect humility by:

·  Not using his divine status for personal advantage

·  Making himself nothing and taking the form of a servant

·  Humbling himself to death on a cross

How Does the Hymn of Christ Show Us the Way?

The Carmen Christi (demonstrates a beautiful pattern:

·  Christ's descent - voluntarily leaving his status to become human

·  Christ's humility - lowering himself to death on a cross

·  Christ's exaltation - being raised to the highest place

This V-shaped pattern shows us that the path to true greatness comes through humility and service to others.

Life Application

To live out the mind of Christ in our daily lives:

First, take seriously your role as a needed church member

·  Actively invest in others through the "one another" commands

·  Intentionally look for ways to serve and encourage others

·  Shift focus from self onto building up fellow believers

Secondly, take seriously your role as a needy church member

·  Admit your own brokenness and need for Christ

·  Approach communion with humility, not pride

·  Depend on Christ's finished work rather than self-sufficiency

Questions to Consider:

·  How often do I intentionally put others' interests before my own?

·  In what areas of my life am I still operating with a self-centered mindset?

·  What practical steps can I take this week to embrace Christ-like humility?

·  How can I better serve and build up others in my church community?

The good news is that when we are united with Christ, his mind is freely given to us. We don't have to work for it - we need to embrace it and let it transform how we relate to others.