Thinking the One Thing: Christ!

[Vine Abider]

I read two devotionals this morning which essentially were saying the same thing - our Christian life is just Christ!  It is very clear that the whole book of Philippians is focused on this one thing --> CHRIST!  Again and again, I'm thankful that the Lord reminds me that it is just about Him!  It's only His life in us that will build His church and produce what He's after.  (One day maybe He'll actually get it through my thick head!)

Thinking the One Thing

"Fill full my joy by thinking the same thing, by having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing." Philippians 2:2 (Wuest)

At the end of this verse, Paul says something very unique: "thinking the one thing." Although some versions translate this phrase as "having the same mind," the Greek construction is properly translated as "thinking the one thing." Thus, from the supply of the encouragement in Christ in verse 1, something happens to us. There is the harmony of the Spirit between us to the extent that we think the same thing, have the same love, are joined in soul, and think the one thing. We are thinking the one thing. It does not simply say, "thinking one thing." There is a definite article before the word "one." Thus, it is translated properly "thinking the one thing." That means there is one unique thing to think. This is the burden Paul opens up in Philippians. It is that in the supply of the Spirit we are reduced to being saints who have a common factor between us--we think the one thing.

What is this one thing that we are thinking? To answer this we must understand something about the Greek word for "thinking," phroneo. This word, used primarily in Philippians and Romans, is one of the most spiritually rich words in the New Testament. First, this word means a supplied kind of thinking. It is not something we come up with on our own. It is a thinking supplied to us by the Spirit (Rom. 8:5-6). To think the one thing is something that God enables us to do. He dispenses into our being an inclination to think the one thing.

Second, phroneo is a word that includes the thought of direction, tendency, and being focused on an object. Thinking the one thing means focusing the mind, emotion, and will on one object with one direction. In the book of Philippians that one thing is Christ! The one object being focused on is Christ! It is being supplied by Christ (1:19), magnifying Christ (1:20), living Christ (1:21), having the mind of Christ (2:5), confessing Jesus Christ as Lord (2:11), boasting in Christ (3:3), counting all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ (3:8), gaining Christ (3:8), being found in Christ (3:9), knowing Christ (3:10), having a mind to pursue Christ (3:12-14), and more. Thinking the one thing is thinking Christ. It is to be a person always interacting with Christ to experience something more of the riches of Him (4:19). This is the one thing.

Above from The Supplied Life by B. Freeman

We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The word 'beholding' is a strong word; it is not just taking a look, it is 'fixing our gaze.' That is what the New Testament means by beholding, behold. We all, fixing our gaze upon Christ, as He mirrors in His own Person the glory of God, the satisfaction of God, the mind of God in perfection. The point is that you and I must contemplate the Lord Jesus in spirit, and be much occupied with Him. We must have our Holy of Holies where we retire with Him. We must have a secret place where we spend time with Him. And not only in certain special seasons, but we must seek, as we move about, ever to keep Him before us. Looking at the Lord Jesus, contemplating Him, we shall be changed into the same image. The Holy Spirit will operate upon our occupation.

You become like that which obsesses you, which occupies you. Is that not true? You see what people are occupied with, and you can see their character changing by their obsessions. They are becoming like the thing which is obsessing them; they are changing; they are becoming different. Something has got a grip on them; they can never think about anything else, talk about anything else; and it is changing their character. Now Paul said, "For me to live is Christ – being occupied with Him." It is the wrong word to use, but nevertheless it would be a good thing if He became our "obsession," our continuous occupation. As we steadfastly fix our gaze upon Him, the Spirit changes us into the same image.

By T. Austin-Sparks from: Men Whose Eyes Have Seen The King - Chapter 4

[Marilyn C]

8 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I read two devotionals this morning which essentially were saying the same thing - our Christian life is just Christ!  It is very clear that the whole book of Philippians is focused on this one thing --> CHRIST!  Again and again, I'm thankful that the Lord reminds me that it is just about Him!  It's only His life in us that will build His church and produce what He's after.  (One day maybe He'll actually get it through my thick head!)

Thinking the One Thing

"Fill full my joy by thinking the same thing, by having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing." Philippians 2:2 (Wuest)

At the end of this verse, Paul says something very unique: "thinking the one thing." Although some versions translate this phrase as "having the same mind," the Greek construction is properly translated as "thinking the one thing." Thus, from the supply of the encouragement in Christ in verse 1, something happens to us. There is the harmony of the Spirit between us to the extent that we think the same thing, have the same love, are joined in soul, and think the one thing. We are thinking the one thing. It does not simply say, "thinking one thing." There is a definite article before the word "one." Thus, it is translated properly "thinking the one thing." That means there is one unique thing to think. This is the burden Paul opens up in Philippians. It is that in the supply of the Spirit we are reduced to being saints who have a common factor between us--we think the one thing.

What is this one thing that we are thinking? To answer this we must understand something about the Greek word for "thinking," phroneo. This word, used primarily in Philippians and Romans, is one of the most spiritually rich words in the New Testament. First, this word means a supplied kind of thinking. It is not something we come up with on our own. It is a thinking supplied to us by the Spirit (Rom. 8:5-6). To think the one thing is something that God enables us to do. He dispenses into our being an inclination to think the one thing.

Second, phroneo is a word that includes the thought of direction, tendency, and being focused on an object. Thinking the one thing means focusing the mind, emotion, and will on one object with one direction. In the book of Philippians that one thing is Christ! The one object being focused on is Christ! It is being supplied by Christ (1:19), magnifying Christ (1:20), living Christ (1:21), having the mind of Christ (2:5), confessing Jesus Christ as Lord (2:11), boasting in Christ (3:3), counting all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ (3:8), gaining Christ (3:8), being found in Christ (3:9), knowing Christ (3:10), having a mind to pursue Christ (3:12-14), and more. Thinking the one thing is thinking Christ. It is to be a person always interacting with Christ to experience something more of the riches of Him (4:19). This is the one thing.

Above from The Supplied Life by B. Freeman

We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The word 'beholding' is a strong word; it is not just taking a look, it is 'fixing our gaze.' That is what the New Testament means by beholding, behold. We all, fixing our gaze upon Christ, as He mirrors in His own Person the glory of God, the satisfaction of God, the mind of God in perfection. The point is that you and I must contemplate the Lord Jesus in spirit, and be much occupied with Him. We must have our Holy of Holies where we retire with Him. We must have a secret place where we spend time with Him. And not only in certain special seasons, but we must seek, as we move about, ever to keep Him before us. Looking at the Lord Jesus, contemplating Him, we shall be changed into the same image. The Holy Spirit will operate upon our occupation.

You become like that which obsesses you, which occupies you. Is that not true? You see what people are occupied with, and you can see their character changing by their obsessions. They are becoming like the thing which is obsessing them; they are changing; they are becoming different. Something has got a grip on them; they can never think about anything else, talk about anything else; and it is changing their character. Now Paul said, "For me to live is Christ – being occupied with Him." It is the wrong word to use, but nevertheless it would be a good thing if He became our "obsession," our continuous occupation. As we steadfastly fix our gaze upon Him, the Spirit changes us into the same image.

By T. Austin-Sparks from: Men Whose Eyes Have Seen The King - Chapter 4

Hi VA,

That is my one song, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, thank you for again helping us all to focus on Him. And that means to meditate on His character, His titles and names, that tell us so much about Him. I try to write about that in my blogs.

Now, why people often have difficulty there is for a number of reasons -

1. Sermons are mostly about people,  `what you can do better,` or `How to find God`s plan for your life....` Always like a carrot with people thinking they have to find some activity to do, whereas God`s one plan is to make us like Christ. The rest is service to others.

2. Also, there is a wrong focus on trying to extend God`s kingdom, (as if He gave it away) instead of building up the Body of Christ through relationships around us. A misunderstanding there of Kingdom and Body of Christ.

3. Finally, sermons are rarely about Jesus, His character, titles, names and purpose. And that is what we need to grow and to worship Him with more and more understanding and appreciation. 

Marilyn.

[Vine Abider]

On 4/8/2024 at 5:14 PM, Marilyn C said:

That is my one song, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, thank you for again helping us all to focus on Him. And that means to meditate on His character, His titles and names, that tell us so much about Him. I try to write about that in my blogs.

Now, why people often have difficulty there is for a number of reasons -

1. Sermons are mostly about people,  `what you can do better,` or `How to find God`s plan for your life....` Always like a carrot with people thinking they have to find some activity to do, whereas God`s one plan is to make us like Christ. The rest is service to others.

 

Indeed!  Any focus on anything apart from Christ Himself is profitless. It is basically some "ear candy" of self-help advice that doesn't help eternally and tends to either condemn or puff-up the hearer, as they think they need to be doing something to please God by . . . 

If we're not letting His life live through us, we are not building up the body of Christ one iota - only Christ can build the church.

[Marilyn C]

On 4/11/2024 at 2:27 PM, Vine Abider said:

Indeed!  Any focus on anything apart from Christ Himself is profitless. It is basically some "ear candy" of self-help advice that doesn't help eternally and tends to either condemn or puff-up the hearer, as they think they need to be doing something to please God by . . . 

If we're not letting His life live through us, we are not building up the body of Christ one iota - only Christ can build the church.

You know VA, this topic should be uttermost in our desire to talk of Him who gave His all. And yet I read of those who would rather talk of the symbol of the serpent as though it is real. I do wonder sometimes where people`s real desires are at.

 

[Neighbor]

On 4/8/2024 at 8:14 PM, Marilyn C said:

Hi VA,

That is my one song, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, thank you for again helping us all to focus on Him. And that means to meditate on His character, His titles and names, that tell us so much about Him. I try to write about that in my blogs.

Now, why people often have difficulty there is for a number of reasons -

1. Sermons are mostly about people,  `what you can do better,` or `How to find God`s plan for your life....` Always like a carrot with people thinking they have to find some activity to do, whereas God`s one plan is to make us like Christ. The rest is service to others.

2. Also, there is a wrong focus on trying to extend God`s kingdom, (as if He gave it away) instead of building up the Body of Christ through relationships around us. A misunderstanding there of Kingdom and Body of Christ.

3. Finally, sermons are rarely about Jesus, His character, titles, names and purpose. And that is what we need to grow and to worship Him with more and more understanding and appreciation. 

Marilyn.

Hi, I must object to , or differ from,  the three conclusions, based upon some 45 years now of exposure to local congregations my Lord has led me into. There are evidently plenty of local church bodies that go through the Bible word by word verse by verse, least that is what  the Holy Spirit leads me to, time and time again. 

[Marilyn C]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

Hi, I must object to , or differ from,  the three conclusions, based upon some 45 years now of exposure to local congregations my Lord has led me into. There are evidently plenty of local church bodies that go through the Bible word by word verse by verse, least that is what  the Holy Spirit leads me to, time and time again. 

Hi Neighbor,

That`s really good that your fellowship and others you know that are going through God`s word carefully.

all the best, Marilyn.

[Vine Abider]

19 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

You know VA, this topic should be uttermost in our desire to talk of Him who gave His all. And yet I read of those who would rather talk of the symbol of the serpent as though it is real. I do wonder sometimes where people`s real desires are at.

 

Well, all Christians still have the flesh, and the flesh would rather do ANYTHING than listen and obey and align with the Anointing  . . . it can even be things that outwardly appear to be very Christ-centric, yet the heart and reality is actually far off.  Yes, any of us can be deceived by this "having the form, but denying the power thereof."

Again, self will do ANYTHING to plot its own course . . .

[Marilyn C]

Just asking. Have you, VA or any others reading heard sermons just on the Lord Himself - His character, His Names, His Titles.

Like the devotional said, Focus on Christ. Yet how many talks and discussions do we have actually on Christ?

[D. Adrien]

3 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Just asking. Have you, VA or any others reading heard sermons just on the Lord Himself - His character, His Names, His Titles.

Like the devotional said, Focus on Christ. Yet how many talks and discussions do we have actually on Christ?

Yes, James Knox preaches Jesus. An Independent Baptist minister located in Florida. Can be found on YT.

Edited April 16 by D. Adrien
James, not John.

[Vine Abider]

12 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Just asking. Have you, VA or any others reading heard sermons just on the Lord Himself - His character, His Names, His Titles.

Like the devotional said, Focus on Christ. Yet how many talks and discussions do we have actually on Christ?

Yes to all the above . . . that is what has kept me in the fellowship flock I've been in for 25 years!  (that and the Lord keeps affirming in me that He has me where He wants me)

Baa Baa Baa Baa Baa we're lambs -- we're in His hands!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZKeBdYgD90