Starting with his own pilgrimage on the path of knowing Christ more intimately, Hunt begins with the reasons we should explore the mind of Christ and apply those lessons to our lives. He is a man of order, and tackles this subject with chapter and verse. Interweaving the scripture references with anecdotes from his own spiritual journey, he is like a scientist probing and experimenting, not satisfied just to accept, but keen to prove how the words of the Bible really work in his own life.
Years of study and spiritual seeking are reflected in The Mind of Christ. Though this book can be used as a curriculum for individual or group study, it is warm enough in its approach for a less structured reading.
Hunt currently leads conferences for the Baptist Sunday School Board. He is an eloquent speaker and is especially passionate when it comes to prayer and making faith a reality in every facet of life. One of the most moving seminars he gives is on the death of Christ, and much of that material is included in this book. But his insights also cover many other aspects of the life and person of Jesus Christ, with a practical emphasis on ways we too can become like Christ by transforming our conscious thoughts and feeding our spiritual life through meditating on the Word of God.
Take for instance his chapter on the lifestyle of Christ. Hunt starts the chapter with his own dilemma as he tries to draw closer to God, to become the man he knows God wants him to be. As he moves into a deeper walk with Christ he is brought face to face with some of his own shortcomings. So he begins to delve further into the Bible to see what he can learn about the characteristics of the Savior and how he can apply them to his own life. Then Hunt offers us nuggets of wisdom from what he's learned in his fervent study.
He says, "It is not enough to know what the Bible says about purity; we must know how Jesus lived out the virtue. He came to show us what the Creator really had in mind when He made us. On the basis of what the Bible records, we must discern how He expresses His righteousness." Hunt then talks about the virtues and how Christ lived each of them perfectly. And finally he offers a chart that contrasts Christ-like virtues with their opposites and perversions. The rest of the book then takes us into the life of Christ, showing how the virtues of purity, peaceableness, mercy, honesty, etc. were modeled by Christ, and how we can discover principles from Christ's life that apply to the way we live our own lives.
The Mind of Christ is an uncompromising challenge to take the words of Christ seriously, to make our own lives a reflection of God's higher standards. Yet the author acknowledges that it is God's work in us that transforms us, not our own efforts. Our initial "yes" to learning about God's will becomes a door that opens and allows God inside to make real, deep-down changes in mind, body, and spirit.
Written by a man who constantly seeks to know God better, The Mind of Christ is like an explorer's map of a vast and wonderful territory. In many ways it is only a starting point for the greatest journey of your life. Enjoy the stories of this spiritual leader, meditate on the insights he shares, and then launch out and chart your own course into a deeper understanding of the mind of Jesus Christ.
Candy Paull is a freelance writer specializing in book marketing. She lives in Nashville, TN.
Copyright ©1996, ProMotion, inc.
www@acloserlook.com