Philippians 2:1-4 says, "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."
Paul begins his discussion with the Philippians on unity by appealing to the their relationship “in Christ.” Biblical unity is not dependent upon natural oneness but upon supernatural bonding.
Paul identifies 4 blessings that stem from being in Christ:
· Encouragement. Our union with Christ gives us encouragement. In the midst of suffering, we need encouragement. The word “encouragement” refers to one who comes along side us, directs us, and encourages us to press on. This is the same word Jesus used when He spoke of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter. Have you ever wanted to give up spiritually? The reason you haven’t given up is because God refuses to give up on you. He gives you “staying power” and preserves you through His encouragement. When you don’t think you can go on, recognize the Lord as your encouragement.
· Comfort. Our union with Christ gives us comfort. Since we have received the work of the Holy Spirit who comforts us, then unity should follow. Since we all share God’s love, that love should produce unity. When you are hurting and discouraged, God will bring you comfort. God the Father gave up His Son to die on the cross for the sins of humankind. Jesus’ own family didn’t believe in Him until after His resurrection. He was betrayed by His disciples. The Jewish people that He came to save rejected Him and had Him crucified. The Holy Spirit experiences continual suffering from believers who grieve and quench Him through sin. The Godhead can empathize with you in the midst of your suffering like no one can.
· Fellowship. Our union with Christ gives us fellowship which results from the Spirit indwelling all believers, individually and corporately. When you feel alone, God wants you to know that He is present with you at all times.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. He continues to cultivate his very life in you. He grants you eternal fellowship, and also offers you temporal fellowship in your Christian experience.
· Affection & Compassion. Our union with Christ gives us affection and compassion. God is the one who has modeled for us perfect affection and compassion. He never disappoints. He always meets our deepest needs. He knows just how to express His great love for us. Others will fail you and disappoint you. There will be times when people aren't even aware of the suffering and persecution that you are going through. Fortunately, God is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. God knows everything that you have endured and will endure. He is there to show you the affection and compassion that you need.
Paul didn't get excited about money, possessions, acclaim, or ministry success. He received joy from the unity of God’s people. I ask if this is true for us as well? What brings us joy and a sense of ultimate fulfillment? We may seek joy in things that don’t really matter in this life. Yet, God urges us to seek our fulfillment and chief joy in that which matters in time and in eternity—the unity of the body of Christ.
Paul follows his command with 4 responses:
· Be of the same mind. The phrase “be of the same mind” doesn’t mean we should have the same opinions or agree about everything. Paul’s desire is for unity, not uniformity. Uniformity is gained by pressure from without. Unity comes from deep within. It is the inner desire to conduct oneself in a cooperative manner…to be on the same team, to go for the same objectives for the benefit of one another.
· Maintain the same love. There may be some Christians that you just don’t like. Some Christians can be like porcupines. They have many good points, but they are hard to get close to. The main reason is their prickly personalities keep needling each other. That’s okay. The Bible doesn’t command you to “like” each other; the Bible commands you to “love” believers. As you learn to maintain agape love for other believers, in time, you may find feelings of fondness follow.
· Unite in spirit. We are to be soul brothers and sisters, in harmony with all of God’s people. Christians will always disagree on doctrine; however, we should unite around Jesus. We need to ensure that we are majoring on the major doctrines that center around the Lord Jesus (e.g., the Trinity, the inerrancy of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Christ, salvation by faith alone, and the personal return of Christ). These things are non-negotiable. When we disagree: (a) We should major on what we have in common. (b) We should respect the right of others to disagree. (c) We should hold our convictions in love. True unity is not an absence of conflict (doctrinal or otherwise), but a commitment to reconciliation.
· Be intent on one purpose. That one purpose is centered on making disciples of all nations.
Paul says in Phil. 2:3-4 Dismiss what sin has caused in you. In these verses, Paul gives the means by which to fulfill 2:2. Paul writes, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” In 2:3, he says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.” Most of us would like to think of ourselves as unselfish creatures. Yet, if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that we are usually selfish.
So how do we overcome selfishness? God challenges us daily to be selfless as we interact with our children, or at work or even in church, we can be tempted to be selfish.
John Wooden, former coach of UCLA said this, “Talent is God given—be humble. Fame is man given—be thankful. Conceit is self given—be careful.”
In Phil. 2:3 Paul calls for “humility of mind.” Humility means seeing yourself realistically—as God sees you. Not higher than you are—but not lower, either. Humility doesn’t mean that you put yourself down, but that you lift others up. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. The goal is that Jesus Christ increase and that we decrease. One word of caution though: The more we make humility our aim, the more we’re tempted to become proud of our motives. Humility is like a slippery slope. Once you get it under your finger and you think you have it, it slips away from your grasp. Our focus is not to be on pursuing humility but pursuing Jesus and seeking to be Christlike. As we seek Christ and become like Him, humility will naturally and inevitably follow.
Paul says it like this: “regard one another as more important than yourselves." Practically speaking this means when you go home to your family, you must deliberately regard your spouse as important. When you go to work you must consciously regard your co-workers as important. Before you pick up the phone you must regard that person on the other end as important. Before you reply to that email you must regard that person as important. This will require supernatural responses throughout the day. It's been said that, “Greatness is not measured by how many people serve you, but by how many people you serve."
But this raises the question, How can I consider someone better than me when I know they’re not? I can sing solos better than they can; my voice is better. Or I can lead a meeting better. I can organize an activity better. How can I consider someone better when I know realistically that they’re not? The word “better” doesn’t quite capture what Paul is saying. There will always be people who are better or worse than you are. Regarding others as more important than yourself has nothing to do with gifting, skill, personality, or ministry responsibility. It has to do with understanding the value, dignity, and worth of other believers. Whenever you look into the eyes of another believer, regard that brother or sister as important to yourself. This is not only beneficial to the individual, but it will also teach you humility.
Paul’s final word is especially relevant: “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (2:4). The verb “look” in that verse means “to pay careful attention to, look out for, notice.” If you have ever collected coins, stamps, or baseball cards, you know what it’s like to look closely at objects you care about. You may even take out a magnifying glass and spend long quantities of time discerning the quality of your collectible. Similarly, God wants you to study believers to an even greater extent. He wants you to prioritize their interests.
However, a word of caution is needed here. Many Christians assume that we are to pursue the interests of others with all that is within us. ‘No rest for the righteous; there will be plenty of time for rest in heaven! While we’re on earth, we must minister to the death.’ However, this can often lead to the neglect of one’s marriage, family, and personal walk with Christ. Sadly, this is done in the name of ministry! Many well-intentioned people lose their children, end in divorce, and burn out on ministry and the church. Others remain intact, but develop a root of bitterness and resentment toward the church and other believers. This festers until it destroys them and those around them. Far better to care for your own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs so that you can care for others. Paul is simply saying: There’s nothing wrong with looking out for your own personal interests; however, if that is all that you look out for, beware. Do you look out for the interests of others? When you talk to others, do you talk about yourself or them? God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. He expects you to listen twice as much as you talk. The goal should be to ask them questions such as: How are you doing spiritually? How is your marriage and family? Is work going well? What has God been teaching you? How can I be praying for you?
I ask you, do you pray more for others than you do yourself? Are you seeking to ask certain mature Christians to pray for you so that you can pray for others? Do you genuinely long for the success of others more than yourself? Do you get as excited about what God is doing in and through others as you do about what He is doing in and through you? Do you find satisfaction in seeing your spiritual students surpass you in the work they are called to do? Do you want other life-giving churches in your county to succeed as much as your church? Do you study the persecuted church and lift these brothers and sisters in Christ up in prayer? If so, you’re applying this verse. It is said, "Good people do for themselves; great people do for others."
On the TV show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, communities work together to provide a new home for a family in need. My son Drew laughs at me when I watch that show because I always cry when they "move that bus" to show the needy family their new home. It is amazing to watch the cast and crew of the show as they rally the town, the builders, and each other in order to complete the project within seven days. When it’s time to bring the family home, all those people get the chance to celebrate their accomplishment together. Even the viewers like me feel they can participate in the celebration.
Now, imagine the excitement and joy we would experience as a community of believers if we banded together in the name of God to effect change in our homes, communities, states, nation, and world! It would be remarkable to see what would happen if we all worked together for God’s purpose. So, if you're facing a challenge in your life, don't try to go it alone. Surround yourself with those who love the Lord such as those of us in RTCA; and ask them to work with you to accomplish God's will. Then you will find you are stronger in your efforts, and when it comes time to give thanks for what God has done, there will be a sense of joy for everyone involved!
Sincerely blessed by you,
Diana Elam
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