Same Mind, Same Love
Philippians 2:1-2 ESV
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
There is a lot of talk these days about unity, both within
the gatherings of the church and within the nations. But most of those conversations
are not referring to unity with Christ, but unity with the philosophies,
business plans, and teachings of man (of the flesh).
So, we need to be those who discern the difference. For, the
unity being spoken of here is unity with the love, heart, mind, and attitude of
Christ. And, it is unity with other brothers and sisters in Christ who also are
united with the love, heart, mind, and attitude of Jesus Christ.
We are NOT to be united with one another with the same love,
and the same mind, in full accord with one another, if it is not first and
foremost unity with the mind, love, heart and attitude of Christ who humbled
himself and became obedient to death on a cross.
Our unity must be IN CHRIST. Therefore, it needs to be OF
CHRIST, and not of humans. For, it stems from the encouragement we have in
Christ, and from the comfort of his love, and from our participation in the Spirit
of God, not from marketing 101 books.
But in Humility
Philippians 2:3-4 ESV
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
There can be many different ways of looking at this, well
really two: We can view this from the thinking of our flesh and/or of the world,
or we can view this from the mind of Christ, which is revealed to us in the
teachings of the Word of God and via the Holy Spirit.
The worldly mind would translate this as making compromises
of our beliefs and morals to show others that we don’t think we are better than
them, or so that they will feel at home with us and not feel uncomfortable. So,
it will involve joining in with the ungodly in doing worldly things so that we
show that we are interested in the things that they are interested in.
But that isn’t what this is talking about. This is talking about
not just thinking of ourselves and what we have going on in our own lives, but
thinking of others and their needs and what is best for them, for their welfare
(for their good), and for their spiritual wholeness in Christ.
This is about showing love and concern to others, showing
them sympathy and mercy, although mercy is never to compromise or appease sin.
So, this is not about coddling people in their sin nor is this a rebuke against
speaking the truth in love to others for their wholeness.
Have this Mind
Philippians 2:5-8 ESV
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
We are not to be proud people. And, we are not to think too
highly of ourselves or too lowly, but we are to think of ourselves with sober
(serious) judgment, in accordance with the faith God has given to us (Rom
12:3).
We are also not to be selfish people who think solely of
ourselves and of what we want, and of what we want to do, on our own timetable,
and in accord only with what suits our own purposes and plans. But we need to
be those who empty ourselves of ourselves so that we can reach out and meet
others’ needs.
But let me say this here. Being unselfish doesn’t mean we
compromise with the world. It doesn’t mean we back down on sharing the gospel
so that we don’t offend people. Having a servant’s heart towards others doesn’t
mean we serve them in ways which are worldly.
Jesus laid down his life for us on that cross, not just to
forgive us our sins, and not just so we can escape hell and so we can go to
heaven when we die. But he died on that cross to deliver us out of our slavery
to sin so that we can now, in his power, live godly and holy lives, pleasing to
God.
When Jesus walked the face of this earth, he didn’t go
around saying “nice” things to everyone to make them feel good about themselves
in their sin so that they would like him and so that they would think he was a “nice
guy.”
He never compromised truth or morals or beliefs or his
messages so that people would think he was loving and kind, and so that they
would see him as someone who was unselfish. He taught the hard truths of
Scripture, which is why so many deserted him, and why they put him to death.
So, humility is not refusing to say things to people which
might offend them. Humility is being willing to have people think evil of you
and to hate and reject and persecute you because you stand on the Word of God,
and you teach the hard truths Jesus’ taught, so that others might be delivered
from their bondage to sin and find true freedom in Christ, their Savior.
And, what are those hard truths Jesus taught? They are that
we must die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness if we want
to be delivered from our bondage to sin and to have the hope of eternal life
with God (Lu 9:23-26; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 1:5-9).
Every Knee Should Bow
Philippians 2:9-11 ESV
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus died for us that we might be crucified with him in
death to sin and that we might be resurrected with him to newness of life in
him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Rom 6:1-23; Eph
4:17-24).
He said if we want to come after him, we must deny self,
take up our cross daily, and follow (obey) him. For, if we hold on to our old
lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity, but if we lose our old lives for
the sake of Jesus, we will have eternal life with God (Lu 9:23-26; cf Rom
8:1-17; 1 Jn 1:5-9).
Faith in Jesus Christ is submission to Christ as Lord
(owner-master) of our lives, it is dying with him to sin, and it is living to
him and to his righteousness for the glory of God (Rom 6:1-23; Eph 4:17-24; Lu
9:23-26).
Near
the Cross
Hymn
lyrics by Fanny J. Crosby, 1869
Music
by William H. Doane, 1869
Jesus, keep me near the cross;
There a precious fountain,
Free to all, a healing stream,
Flows from Calvary's mountain.
Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.
Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day
With its shadow o'er me.
Near the cross I'll watch and wait,
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand
Just beyond the river.
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever,
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.
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