Marks of the True Christian
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Rom 12:16
Be of the... Live in harmony and of one accord. Same mind means to be impartial.
Mind not high... Do not be unlawfully ambitious to be rich and powerful. Do not shun the poor, courting great men. Means not to be haughty with self-seeking pride.
condescend to men... Associate with humble and godly people going through life with as little show and parade as possible.
Be not wise... Do not be conceited and vain. Tell us that Christians are not to have conceit or feeling of superiority toward fellow believers.
1Pet. 3:8 “Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous:”
We see from (verses 15 and 16), that we are not to have someone as a friend just because they are wealthy or highly thought of in the community. In other words, we are not to have them for a friend because of what good they can do for us, but perhaps because we might be able to help them. If we think too highly of ourselves, we think the world and its entire people owe us something.
We need to be thinking how we can help, rather than always wanting to be helped. The best Scripture that comes to mind pertaining to this is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. In this chapter speaking of charity, it is speaking of great love for your fellow man.
1Cor. 13:1-4 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” “And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” “And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” “Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”
1Cor. 13:8 “Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
What I see in this is, if what you are doing is being done for the wrong reason, even if it is a good deed, it will do you no good. God is more interested in why you are doing something than how much you do. Your heart must be in it to please God.
The next command, Live in harmony with one another (lit., “having the same attitude toward one another”; cf. Rom. 15:5; Phlp. 2:2; 1Pet. 3:8). Being in harmony with other Christians is basic to being able to empathize with them. This idea is then presented in negative and positive details: Do not be proud (lit., “not thinking highly” of yourself; cf. Rom. 11:20; 12:3) and be willing to associate with people of low position (cf. Jas. 2:1-9). These orders are summarized in the command, Do not be conceited (lit., “Do not become wise concerning themselves”; cf. Pro. 3:7; Rom. 11:25), an attitude that makes empathy impossible.
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