PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 2:1-4

LIKE-MINDED THROUGH CHRIST’S LOVE

Philippians 2:1-2(NIV) 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.

SUSIE: Paul exhorted the Philippians that IF all the things listed in verse one were true, they should DO all the things in verse two. Paul rejoiced even while in prison, but he would be even more joyful if the church he began in Philippi displayed unity. They were to love all members whether “lovable” or not. They were to be in “one in spirit” or as ESV translates it, “full accord.” John MacArthur notes that “This is perhaps a term specially coined by Paul.  It literally means ‘one-souled’ and describes people who are knit together in harmony, having the same desires, passions and ambitions.” This can only happen as each person has the Holy Spirit indwelling them.

SUSAN: In order to live the reality of this kind of unity or “familyship,” the Holy Spirit must flow from believer to believer. Then we can truly be of one mind and heart, with the same ultimate goal or mission which is sharing Jesus with others and bringing glory to God the Father.

SUSIE: The old testament friendship between King Saul’s son, Jonathan, and the future king, David, is an example of this kind of love. In 1 Samuel 18:1 (ESV) we read, “…the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” When I first met Susan, I liked and enjoyed her company; but when she suggested being roommates someday in order to better serve Jesus by building a ministry, I bristled and said, “I could never do the full-time caregiver thing again.” 

SUSAN: My uncle Mark who I lovingly call my bruncle (brother-uncle) came in one day and said he thought that Susie and I were supposed to become roommates, and he felt it was something that the Lord wanted. I told him it would take a parting of the Red Sea miracle to cause this to happen because Susie had tunnel vision on the caregiving experience. Therefore, I told him to pray about it. 

SUSIE: I had taken care of my mom for about six years and much of the time had felt confined to the house even though I loved Mom and chose to be the one to care for her. She passed away April 30, 2014; and I met Susan on September 21, 2014. I just was not ready to consider taking care of another person’s needs again. However, as we began working together doing background work for our pastor’s sermons, the Lord gradually changed my mind. The Holy Spirit within me began to connect on a deeper level with the Holy Spirit in Susan. Now we can only describe our relationship as a female version of Jonathan and David. I am still not certain exactly when it occurred, but the Lord knit our souls together. It would be amazing if more brothers and sisters in Christ could experience this oneness of spirit or being in full accord. This does not mean we never disagree, because we do. But it means that we agree on the most important things, and work to see eye to eye on the lessor things. 

SUSAN: Or agree to respectfully disagree.

SUSIE: As we each individually grow closer to Jesus, we find ourselves growing closer together. Because we experience “encouragement from being united with Christ”, because we have found “comfort from His love,” because we  share the Holy Spirit in common, because that Spirit develops “tenderness and compassion” in each of us, we are able to have unity.

Q – Do you have an intense friendship with a brother or sister in Christ? How can we develop closer relationships and more unity of spirit in the local church?

SUSIE:  We found this to be a great explanation of the unity we can have in the Lord Jesus and the witness this is to others.

Philippians 2:2 — Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose—The joyful unity of believers in Christ offers a powerful testimony to the world that the gospel of love we preach is real, unique, powerful, and welcoming to whomever will believe in the Lord Jesus. It is only through the gospel that people from every nation, race, language group, and socioeconomic level find forgiveness and peace and can join together in harmony (Rev. 7:9, 10).

NASB Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes

Revelation 7:9-10 (NASB) After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;  and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

SUSAN: For me, the great multitude of people represent His multifaceted jewels of all nationalities that will be glorifying God forever together, in perfect unity. Hallelujah! Happy Dance!

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV) 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 the others.

Philippians 2:3-4 (Amplified) “Do nothing from factional motives – through contentiousness, strife, selfishness or for unworthy ends – or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself – thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves. Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.”

SUSIE: I wasn’t sure what to make of “selfish ambition,” so I looked it up in some other translations. The Amplified Bible made it a bit clearer.

SUSAN:  In other words, nothing from the place of being cliquish or to promote oneself. 

SUSIE: Cliques should not exist in the body of Christ! We should not spend our time contending against our brothers and sisters but should be working together to proclaim Christ and make disciples. Rather than promoting ourselves and our position, we should consider the needs of others and work together toward our common goal of exalting Jesus and glorifying the Father.

SUSAN: These actions and their underlying attitudes can only be accomplished when we are filled and infused with the Holy Spirit. Only as we surrender ourselves as instruments for God’s use and allow Him to work in and through us, can we be united to do Kingdom work. We cannot do this on our own, in our own strength.

Philippians 2:3 (NASB) Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves—As a believer, you’re not in competition with others to see who is the godliest or most influential Christian. If that’s your goal, then you’re not working for God, you’re serving your own ego. Rather, your purpose is to represent Christ to the lost so that they can be saved. As Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44, 45).

NASB Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Notes

SUSAN: In Christ, as you are looking after your own needs, it is required that you also come alongside brothers and sisters to build them up or nurture them in the faith as well as minister to their physical needs. This is not only a requirement but a privilege. The opportunity to serve others is granted to us by God’s grace. We can BE a difference in another believer’s life when we allow the Holy Spirit to connect us through service.

SUSIE: Exhibit concern; and, when possible, give aid to their physical needs as well. If the church were truly being the church, there would be much less need for Welfare from the state. 

SUSAN: When I needed a special mattress that cost several thousand dollars to protect my skin from pressure sores, the members of my local church came together to meet that need. It was the church being the church. For me, this was a true miracle, and God humbled and overwhelmingly blessed me through our “familyship.”

Q – Do you feel jealous of a friend at church or are you in a dispute with one? If you follow Paul’s instructions to the Philippians, how might your attitude and actions toward that fellow believer change? Are you able to serve another believer by ministering to them spiritually, emotionally, or physically in some way? What excuses do we tend to make as far as humbling ourselves to be there for others?

APPLY TO THIS TO YOUR LIFE: