[Editor's Note: The following article by brother Phillips was first published in the December 1964 issue of Searching the Scriptures. It is as timely and needed today as it was then.]
In this day of compromise and lack of conviction (and there is plenty of both in and out of the church), we hear a great deal about "the spirit of Christ." I have no desire to reflect upon the real spirit of Christ as revealed in the New Testament, but I do want to show the false and cowardly dodges often made under the guise of "the spirit of Christ" in an effort to keep from "standing" for the truth.
"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9). The subject is the power or force by which one lives. By the "flesh" we mind the things of the flesh; by the "Spirit" we mind the things of the Spirit. Verse 5 says: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." To have the Spirit of Christ in this passage is to be dead to sin and alive to the things of the Spirit, to follow or obey what the Spirit sent from Christ teaches. This is in contrast to obeying "the things of the flesh."
In speaking of the attitude of Christ, which is generally meant by "the Christ-like spirit," Paul wrote: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5). This "mind" (state of thought; what one has in mind; attitude) is shown to mean obedience even unto death in the case of Christ. The "spirit of Christ" and the "mind" of Christ have to do with obedience to the word of God. But this is not what denominational people and liberal minded people in the church mean by the "Christ-like spirit."
The "Christ-like spirit" to some means to be tolerant of everything; to allow almost any situation to remain without opposing it. Is this the attitude the Lord had toward sin? He drove out the moneychangers from the temple and overthrew their tables (Mark 11:15). He condemned the Pharisees in the strongest possible terms (Matt. 23). This was the mind of Christ toward evil. One is most unlike Christ to tolerate sin and error without rebuke. "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). Would it be a "Christ-like spirit" to obey this statement of inspiration?
To some the "Christ-like spirit" means to "let me have my way about every thing." This has become the predominate attitude of denominationalism today. They DO NOT WANT TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE! They do not want to have to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3). They prefer to live by the "live and let live" rule. They are content to oppose nothing and promote everything on God's green earth that satisfies the lust and vanity of man. I have confidently said publicly and in print that the day of religious debates is about over. The false teachers who have engaged in one or more debates have lost their taste for it. They want to profess the "Christ-like spirit" and disassociate themselves from battle. The few who believe they are right will engage in one debate and then they lose their taste for it. But a greater controversialist never lived than Christ. He opposed spiritual wickedness in all forms and in all places. We are taught to "fight the good fight of faith."
Perhaps the greatest charge of not having the spirit of Christ comes from those who dare expose sin in all forms. This opposition comes from within the church as well as from outside. Some brethren who have no conviction except that one ought to be baptized and be a "member of the church of Christ" cry to high heaven when someone stands for New Testament truth. When sin and wickedness in high places are exposed, we are "fanatics"; when the one way of Christ is taught, we are "narrowminded"; when the religious errors of denominationalism are exposed, we are "bigots"; when complete obedience to the gospel of Christ is taught, we are "legalists."
The spirit that desires to compromise truth with error stands for nothing in doctrine, agrees with all plans and doctrines of men, and promotes all sorts of unauthorized projects in the name of religion. This is the "antichrist spirit" rather than the "Christ-like spirit." The spirit of Christ requires complete obedience to all that the Spirit requires. The mind of Christ requires complete submission to all that Christ commands of us, even unto death. It means to oppose error with the same force that Christ used. It means to stand for something and against something -- stand for all truth and against all error. It means to regard the New Testament as the final and complete will of Christ, and to presume to do nothing without his authority. If you want the "Christ-like spirit," go to the New Testament and there you will find it. Eternal happiness depends upon "walking in the Spirit" (Rom. 8:6).
On the mount of transfiguration, with Moses, Elijah, Peter, James, and John present, God said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5).
That statement both identifies and sanctifies Jesus as the only true prophet of God for this age. In the past, at various times, and in different ways, God spoke "unto the fathers, by the prophets," but, now, he "hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he hath made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1, 2).
God, through Moses, had spoken of a prophet who would come out of the Jewish nation. This prophet, said he, will be like Moses; that is, he will be a lawgiver-he will bring God's law; he will speak God's law. He will speak, God said, what I command and commission him to speak, nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. Everyone who hears him will be accepted and everyone who refuses to hear him shall be cut off-he will cease to be recognized as one of God's people (Deut 18:15-19; Acts 3:22, 23).
There will be no tabernacle of worship and service built for Moses. His law is past. There will be no tabernacle built for Elijah. The blood of animals has been replaced by the blood of Jesus; the prophets have been superceded by the prophet. The word of Moses, the law of Moses and the prophets, is dead (Rom. 7:4; Col. 2:14-16). The law of Christ prevails; "hear ye him."
What does that say of Mohammed and Islam? It leaves him no room. It gives him no voice at all. What does that say of the laws and rituals of Catholicism and the trappings and traditions of Protestantism? It washes them all away. It blots them out and abolishes them completely. Salvation is in Christ and in him alone (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12). Revelation is from Christ and him alone-"Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God" (2 Jn. 9).
But what of the Muslim's book, the Koran? What of the Mormons and their Book of Mormon? "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8, 9). The apostles were guided into "all truth" by the Spirit who gave to them the words of Christ (Jn. 14:26; 16:13, 14). Since "all truth" was given and since we have it in the faith which has been given one time for all time, all other doctrines and traditions, even if they came from the tongues of angels, are to be rejected and repudiated (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Jude 3).
In other words, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" (Matt. 17:5). Are you hearing him?