There is one attitude that is at the root of everything godly in every Christian. The tree that grows from this root is large and complex. And many books and articles have been written about the behavior, belief, lifestyles, and actions that are the result of this attitude. But it is even more important to go back to the very beginning and look at the attitude that is the root of all these things.
Read these verses over and over several times. And keep returning to them several times throughout this study. What attitude should we have?
- You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Php 2:5 NLT)
- Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, (Php 2:5 NASB)
- You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had, (Php 2:5 NET)
Several other translations use the word “mind” which misses full weight of the original Greek. And there are some false doctrines that say you don’t need to strive for any good works. But this verse puts the requirement on you. This is something you need to learn. This is something you need to do.
What is this attitude?
5426 phronéō (from 5424 /phrḗn, “the midriff or diaphragm; the parts around the heart,” J. Thayer) – properly, regulate (moderate) from within, as inner-perspective (insight) shows itself in corresponding, outward behavior. 5426 (phronéō) essentially equates to personal opinion fleshing itself out in action (see J. Thayer). This idea is difficult to translate into English because it combines the visceral and cognitive aspects of thinking. –HELPS Word-studies Copyright © 2021 by Discovery Bible
Let this mind — The same humble, condescending, benevolent, disinterested, self-denying disposition; be in you which was also in Christ Jesus — The original expression, τουτο φρονεισθω εν υμιν ο και εν Χριστω Ιησου, is, literally, Be ye minded, or disposed, as Jesus was. The word includes both the mind and heart, the understanding, will, and affections. Let your judgment and estimation of things, your choice, desire, intention, determination, and subsequent practice, be like those in him; –Benson Commentary
Following Christ means adopting a certain attitude or mind-set. The English word attitude translates the Greek term phroneo, a theme-word in the book, appearing ten times (1:7; 2:2 [twice]; 3:15 [twice], 19; 4:2, 10 [twice]). Usually the word means “to employ one’s faculty for thoughtful planning, with emphasis upon the underlying disposition or attitude.” Philippians 2:5 –Moody Bible Commentary
- 10 differences between team Jesus Christ and team Antichrist
- 101 Verses on Walking With One Another
- The judgment seat of Christ
What does this attitude do?
How can you recognize this attitude in others? How can you check yourself? What kinds of things does this attitude do?
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT)
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 NLT)
Do you think you have divine privileges that keep you from being a humble slave? You need to give them up to serve one another. And if you think this only applies when things are going well or everything is fair, you have forgotten that Jesus Christ died in the most horribly unfair torture in the history of the world.
Why is this important?
I have lived long enough to see many lives self-destructed by ungodly attitudes. Marriages destroyed by adultery and selfishness. Churches torn apart by men and women. And my family has lived through several awful church splits. I always told my children, you don’t have to spend hours digging through all the technical minutia of the different arguments and theological doctrines on both sides, you just have to watch the attitudes.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23 NKJV)
The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings out that which is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out that which is evil, for out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45 WEB)
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. (James 3:13-16 NLT)
Good attitudes
Jesus Christ was manifest for the express purpose of dying for the sins of the world. Even though he is the king of Israel, he did not come to rule and reign. But he learned obedience by the things he suffered. How about you? Do you have to have your way? Or is there something more important than you?
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 WEB)
But Jesus summoned them, and said, “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you shall be your bondservant, even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 WEB)
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” or whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. (Romans 15:1-7 WEB)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. Let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. (Galatians 5:22-26 WEB)
Bad attitudes
Satan is the ultimate example of the opposite kind of attitude. He wasn’t content to be the most beautiful angel. He wanted to ascend above the tops of the clouds and make himself like the Most High. How about you? Do you have to have your way? Or is there something more important than you?
Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 WEB)
He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:20-23 WEB)
How is the attitude of your inner being springing into action in your life? Are the results good? Or are the results bad? If the results are not what you want, you can confess your sins to God and received restoration.
This is the message which we have heard from him and announce to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don’t tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven’t sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:5-10 WEB)
- Add to your faith (2 Peter 1:5)
- Work out your salvation versus work for salvation
- Examine yourselves test your faith (2 Cor 13:5)
Dig deeper
Earlier we learned that the Greek word phroneō was the theme of Philippians because it is used ten times in this small book. Here are those verses…
- It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. (Philippians 1:7 WEB)
- make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; (Philippians 2:2 WEB)
- Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5 WEB)
- Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you thinkG5426 otherwise, God will also reveal that to you. Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind. (Philippians 3:15-16 WEB)
- whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things. (Philippians 3:19 WEB)
- I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same way in the Lord. (Philippians 4:2 WEB)
- But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity. (Philippians 4:10 WEB)