June 30, 2021
Author: Pastor Bernard Ibrahim
June 30, 2021
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. 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. 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. 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.
Philippians 2:1-11
This directive from Paul is first introduced in chapter 1:27, “Only
let our manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” I thought
that is interesting. What does this mean to be worthy of the gospel of
Christ? “So that whether or I come and see you or am absent, I may hear
of you that…” so this is the manner of life worthy of the gospel of
Christ. “…you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving
side by side for the faith of the gospel.” I thought, “The gospel is
central, what he is saying is, ‘to be worthy, to have the life, a church
life, a group life with one mind striving side by side; standing firm
in one spirit.’” There is a unity of mind and a unity of spirit that is
expected and foundational to being a Christian in a church and living a
life that is worthy of the gospel. He appeals again with the same words
in chapter 2:2. The break is not well placed. It is the same idea, same
command and he is saying something very similar that I didn’t expect and
similar to the same language that we find in 1 Corinthians 1:10, “…that
there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same
mind and the same judgment.”
In the Philippian church I never
thought of anything other than encouragements for rejoicing,
encouragements for peace, encouragements in tribulation, encouragements
to do good works. But you never think of them. He opens this first
directive after commending them the same way he opens 1 Corinthians
after commending them in chapter 1.
This is nothing I ever really
noticed about the church in Philippians, but it was encouraging to see
that he saw this as important enough to make it his first point in
addressing them after he commended them for their partnership in the
gospel.
In Philippians 2:2,3 he gives them a picture of what to
do and then what not to do, “not from ambition, not from conceit, but
with humility, counting others more significant than yourselves.”
Essentially summarizing, “Put others interests also in your view and not
only your own interests.” Then again the same word “mind” in verse 5,
“Have this mind among you.” So have a common mind, have a common
thinking, a common way of motive and passion. We saw this word mind has a
lot of potential connotations and different definitions. But this is
really the thinking, the kind of thinking that we share together. Not
that we are going to be the same, but this kind of thinking is the kind
of thinking that we see in Christ who humbled himself and obeyed God to
come and sacrifice himself for us.
I encourage you like I was
encouraged. This, if we talk about foundational for being worthy of the
gospel, living a life as a church body; this kind of mind, this
humility, this taking the interests of our brothers and sisters is
foundational for us to have peace and joy in this life, in the church
and also to live a life that is worthy of the gospel.
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