It is a great thing for any soul when it has learned to value and delight in the thoughts of God. All those thoughts came out in Christ, and in Him we learn them. The apostle Paul had deeply drunk into the Spirit of Christ, and gives us this exhortation, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God” ― what could be greater? ― “made Himself of no reputation.” Is this the thought of mankind? Do not men seek reputation? The Lord Jesus took the downward path of obedience that led to a death of degradation ― the death of the cross. His obedience was not the obedience of duty, but of LOVE. The mind in Him was ― “Lo I come to do Thy will”, and He did it out of the depths of love that eternally subsisted in His own blessed heart. The delight that was in the heart of God toward His Son, went out through that Son of His love towards the sons of men. He found them lost to God, and to the outgoings of His heart, but the compassion of love sought them in that condition. Such were the thoughts of God.
Now, listen to one who followed closely in the steps of his Master. Hear him detailing that which commended him as the servant of such a Saviour. He had to withstand false teachers; and speaking of them he said, “Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool)”. Why so? Because Paul felt it was folly to speak of himself. True wisdom would hide behind Christ, but the Corinthians had compelled him. Hence he continued: “I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watching’s often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting’s often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:23-2823Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:23‑28)).
And did Paul go through all those things that in the fervency of love to souls, he might carry to them hither and thither the ministry of Christ? To the lost and perishing he carried the message of the Saviour’s love, and of the work wrought by Him for sinners. The love of Christ in him surmounted all obstacles and difficulties. How urgent then was the message of the Gospel of the grace of God! Think, unsaved reader, of what love went through ― the love of Christ ― in order to reach you!
But further, my believing brother, see how Paul regarded these who had received the ministry of Christ through him. He had assembled them together as members of the body of Christ. He had no thought of their belonging to anyone but to Christ. Hear him speaking to them. “I am jealous over you with a jealousy which is of God, for I have espoused you to one Husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Paul stood in the likeness of John, as the friend of the Bridegroom, and jealous for His sake as to the unspotted character of the Assembly for Christ. The love of Christ completely had hold of him. He lived only to commend Christ, and he was jealous that Christ should possess the love of those believers to whom he had ministered the fullness of Christ’s love, Paul had learned to think God’s thoughts revealed in Christ, and Paul’s joy was in the anticipation of those thoughts being realized in the saints. How deeply in the coming day of presentation will he enter into the joy of his Lord.
T. H. R.