Philippians 2:1-4 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
“1Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
United in Christ?
If we are in Christ, by biblical faith in Jesus, having died
with Him to sin so we might now live to Him and to His righteousness in walks
of obedience to His commands, by the Spirit, in the power of God, and so we are
being encouraged of God/Christ in our walks of faith, and we are being comforted
by His love and affection and compassion for us, and so we are enjoying
fellowship with Him in the Spirit, then we who are followers of Christ are to
be like-minded with other followers of Christ who have the mind of Christ.
We are NOT, however, to be like-minded with worldly “Christianity,”
or with the worldly “church,” or with the worldly “gospel,” which is not the
gospel of Christ. You may hear much about “unity” within the gatherings of
these institutional “churches” which are partnered with the world and with the
government in unholy unions, which God forbids, but we are not to be united
with them. God says we are to come out from among them, and He will be our God,
and we will be His people, and so we don’t share in their sins.
See[Matthew
21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians
3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29;
Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]
Human Philosophy?
For these modern-day
organizations and businesses of human origin which are being called “churches”
are mostly being led by human philosophy and marketing schemes and tricks on
how to grow their numbers and on how to attract the ungodly of the world to
their gatherings. Most of them have altered the gospel message to make it less
offensive to the people of the world who they are trying to attract to their “churches.”
And many of them are pushing “unity” but not in unity with God’s will and
purpose for us.
So, we need to be guarded
in heart and mind against falling into the wrong crowd and into joining in with
what is clearly not of God and is not in agreement with the teachings of the
Scriptures, as a whole. We need to be careful that we are not being united in
heart and mind and love with those who are not united with Christ but who are
teaching lies to the people. So we need to be serious students of the
Scriptures who are listening to the Spirit’s voice so we become like-minded
with those like-minded with Christ.
Selfish Ambition?
So many of these
organizations which are partnered with the world and with the government in
unholy unions, which are called “churches,” are being led by people whose
ambitions are of human flesh and not of God. And so they focus on what is
worldly, and on what will draw in large crowds of people from the world, and
thus so many of them are not teaching the gospel of Christ, in truth and in
righteousness, but they are teaching a man-made version of “the gospel” which
is intended to not offend the ungodly.
We who are followers
of Christ are not to follow that role model. We should be about the Lord’s
business in getting the biblical message of the gospel to the people of the
world. For this is not about gaining followers for ourselves or so people will
like us and so they will not think badly of us. We must speak the truth of God’s
word to the people even if they hate us and reject us and speak evil of us in
return. We should care more about other people and their salvation and their
walk with the Lord than we care about if we are liked or not, or if people hate
us. And some people will hate and reject us.
See: [Matthew
5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-25,34-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 12:49-53;
Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; John 16:33; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; 2
Corinthians 1:3-11; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 3:7-11; 1 Thessalonians
3:1-5; Hebrews 12:3-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-7; 1 Peter 4:12-17; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation
11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18;
Revelation 14:1-13]
For Jesus
Christ taught that to come to Him we must deny self, take up our cross daily
(die daily to sin), and follow (obey) Him. For if we hold on to living in sin
and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die
daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to His
commands, in His power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone
who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING
(obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
If Any Fellowship
with The Spirit
An Original Work / September 15, 2026
Christ’s
Free Servant, Sue J Love
Remain in Him
Based off of John 15:1-17
An Original Work /
September 23, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Walk in fellowship
with Jesus, Savior and friend.
He’s invited you to
be His servant again.
Obey all His
commands and do all that He says.
Sit at His feet each
day. Worship Him for always.
Call Him master and
King. Obey Him in all things.
Turn from all of
your sins. Live in vict’ry again.
He’ll restore you
today if you call Him and pray;
Forsake all of your
ways; take up your cross today;
Follow Him for
always.
Follow Jesus your
friend where He leads you today.
Abide always in Him.
Let His words dwell within.
If you remain in
Him, bearing fruit from within,
God will answer your
prayers, because for you He cares.
Be His followers
now. Remain in Jesus’ love.
You will know peace
within; comes from heaven above.
Love your neighbors
and friends, and your enemies, too.
God will call you
His friend. He will ne’er forsake you.
He has appointed
you.
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