Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. [Philippians 3:15-16 NKJV]
I once had a teacher who loved to say, "When you see a 'therefore', find out what it is there for." Looking back over the chapter, we see that he is referring back to the first three verses;
Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, [Philippians 3:1-3 NKJV]
He is warning against legalism, and exhorting the believers to trust in Christ, and have no confidence in the flesh. (The verses in between are parenthetical.)
The mature Christian is to have this mind; that our trust is in Christ alone.
There are a lot of things that we tend to trust in. We trust rules. We have a personal code of conduct, so that we know right from wrong. The problem is that any time we make an effort to live by our own code, we place ourselves under the law. Paul says;
For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) [Romans 2:12-15 NKJV]
Any attempt to keep the law is an act of the flesh, and "those who are in the flesh cannot please God." [Romans 8:8 NKJV]
There are other things that we trust, such as experience, education, the opinion of others and such. They are all replacements for the pure faith that God, Himself, will teach us. We live under a New Covenant, which says;
“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. “None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” [Hebrews 8:10-12 NKJV]
God has placed His Holy Spirit in our hearts, and He writes His laws into our minds and hearts. It's not a set of rules. It is the Holy Spirit leading us moment by moment as we live and walk out our lives. It requires much more faith than following a code of conduct.
Maturity in Christ has less to do with years of experience than it does with pureness of your trust in Him. It's a given that some of us have different degrees of maturity. But regardless of how mature our faith is we are admonished to "keep living by that same standard to which we have attained." [Philippians 3:16 NASB]
No matter your level of maturity in Christ, set your mind on this; that you will not trust in your own will, or experience, or any law; but will place your trust entirely on the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you. This is walking in the Spirit. "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NASB]
This is how you live a life of holiness.
Lord, I thank You that You teach us, and that we don't have to rely on a set of rules, or a code of conduct, but only on Your Spirit. Please fill us with Your Spirit, and lead us in all things.
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