THINKING ONE THING
Verse 15 says, "Let us therefore, as many as are full-grown, think this: and if anything otherwise ye think, God shall reveal also this unto you" (Gk.). In chapter two Paul charged the Philippians to think the one thing. The one thing we need to think is forgetting everything of the past and stretching forth to pursue the goal of the best experience of Christ that we may receive the prize. Let us all think this one thing. We need to be occupied with how to be filled with Christ and how to take the lead in the experience of Christ.
In this verse Paul says also, "If anything otherwise ye think, God shall reveal also this unto you." This indicates that it is quite possible for us to think something else. If we do, God will reveal even this to us. We may be willing to let go of the one thing, but God is not willing. We may forget about the experience of Christ and become occupied with things such as shouting and releasing the spirit. We may even compete with others in these matters. However, we need to be like Paul to pursue the goal of the experience of Christ and the enjoyment of Christ. We do not want to talk about Christ without having the experience of Christ. However, we may turn from pursuing Christ and seek to have our own way regarding certain things in the church life. When we do this, we have no joy within us. When we are like this, we are in the flesh, and we are not experiencing Christ. The mysterious Christ seems to disappear.
If we exercise our mentality instead of our spirit, we shall not experience Christ. If we argue with one another and compete with one another, we do not experience Christ because we are not in our spirit. We need to have Christ not in terminology, but as a reality. We need to be centered not on things, but on Christ Himself. We all need to see the vision that what the Lord desires today is Christ. If we learn this lesson, we shall not care for our way or our success. Rather, we shall say, "Lord, we are here to gain You. Show us the way to gain You more. We don’t want to simply have meetings. We want to have You. We have been obtained by You so that we may obtain You. Lord, what is the way for the saints in this locality to experience and enjoy You more?" This is the right attitude to have before the Lord.
What the Lord desires today is not simply meetings, work, or activities. Furthermore, He does not desire any practices. What He wants is for us to be living and full of Christ. Then whatever we do and are will be the living testimony of Jesus Christ. This is what the Lord needs today.
(The Experience of Christ, Chapter 9, by Witness Lee)
