Philippians 2:1-5 (Part 1)
2 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
The last two weeks we studied how the apostle Paul prayed for the Philippian congregation in Philippians 1:9-11. We saw that even though it was a very short prayer, it was deep in meaning an application concerning the agape love the Philippians had in their lives and how it was to be experienced in the life of each believer.
As was stated in our studies of the last two weeks, Paul did not have to go into detail explaining what agape love of Christ was because it was already happening in their lives.
In addition, as a result of the maturity of the Philippian believer’s relationship with Christ, Paul did not have to point out to them the contrast of a Christian’s life in Christ and the way they lived before Christ as he did with the Galatian congregation in 5:15 to 26, the Ephesian congregation in 4:17 to 5:21 and the congregation in the city of Colosse 3:1-17.
However, in his letter to the Philippian congregation, Paul does point out a harmful characteristic in the life of the congregation that needed to be corrected, which he addressed in chapter 2 verses 1 to 11. It is interesting to note that Paul simply could had stated what the cause was. However, Paul’s approach is a display of the Holy Spirit working through him with discernment – clearly recognizing what the issue or the cause was. With wisdom – knowing how to point out the symptoms using God’s precise approach. And with love – referring to and appealing to their relationship with him and most importantly with their relationship Christ.
What was the issue or harmful characteristic that Paul was addressing in these verses? It was pride, and the results of pride in the life and spiritual health of the church and their relationship with each other which was causing disunity. What was going on with the Philippian congregation that Paul is addressing in these verses serves as a good spiritual truth that every Christin needs to be mindful of and keep in check to insure that pride is not part nor the motivator in their relationship with other believers.
The Fire Bible commentary give us a good explanation of what Paul was addressing in verses one to five which clearly are the causes and symptoms of pride. “One of the primary enemies of unity among Christians is the natural tendency of individuals to promote their own interests and not give way regarding their own views and opinions. Part of our sinful, rebellious nature is self-centeredness (cf. Gal 5:20), which is encouraged because the world does not usually reward humility.” In this reference it refers to Galatians 5:19-21. Looking at just the twelve “acts of the sinful nature” that Paul specifically lists, we can easily point out at least eight of them that are direct causes or results of pride in the life of a Christian and of which causes disunity and conflict in the life of a congregation. Note what is underlined Galatians 5:19-21, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
As previously noted, Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, with discernment, wisdom and love refers to five positive characteristics that come from the agape love of the Philippians believers that he first points out they had in 1:9-10 of this letter, “…that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight”.
Understanding in depth each one of the five characteristics as it is expressed to others of the church, we see the contrast of what Paul wants to emphasize which is contrary to many attitudes and actions of pride.
First of all, in the New International Version, the four characteristics that Paul mentions begins with the word “if”. Paul is not being sarcastic by using the word “if” and or is not expressing doubt or uncertainty.
Paul’s use of the word “if” four times is saying, “in view of the fact” and meant to imply certainty, asserting that the characteristic to be true or evident in the Philippian church. The Faithlife Study Bible gives us the following explanation. “Paul is not questioning whether the Philippians have these things; he is using a rhetorical expression to say that, since the believers do in fact have these things, they should complete his joy by demonstrating unity.”
Philippians 2:1
- If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ,
- if any comfort from his love,
- if any fellowship with the Spirit
- if any tenderness
- and compassion
Please remember when we study each point it should be understood in the context of agape love and how it is experienced in the Christian and expressed to others, of which Paul gives us a great explanation in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. “4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
- a) “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ”
Encouragement in the context of agape love, always involves it being expressed to someone else.
Encouragement is a gift of the Spirit. Romans 12:6 and 8, “6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage”
Encouragement is a consistent and normal characteristic expressed to others in the church, Hebrews 3:13, But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 10:25, Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Paul states the source of our encouragement is “being united with Christ”. Why is this important? Godly encouragement will always be based in God’s Word and in many instances be God’s Word. Titus 1:9, He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
- b) “if any comfort from his love”
The source of “comfort” is clearly seen, which is Christ’s love. I cannot give to someone something from Christ that I have not first experienced in my relationship with Him. Here, comfort can also be translated as well-being which refers to our happiness, contentment and security.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 gives us a good example of the experience and application of comfort in our lives. 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
- c) “if any fellowship with the Spirit”
Fellowship or as it is commonly known koinonia, or any way this word is defined and or synonym used it always involves others. Fellowship was a common characteristic in the early church and Paul was saying it should be with the Philippians. As we see in the following references fellowship happens in many different contexts.
Acts 1:14
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
Acts 2:42-44
“42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.”
Acts 2:46
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…”
- d) “if any tenderness” and e) “compassion”
The tender inward “affections” always toward another. This is nonsexual but it is feeling and expressing sensitivity and or consideration like compassion, sympathy or empathy. Sympathy – feelings of pity and sorrow for someone else’s misfortune. Empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Philippians Verse 2 “then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” The Faithlife Study Bible explains this verse this way. “If believers cannot live in unity, the transformative power of the gospel comes into question. As a result, the gospel message may lose credibility among unbelievers.”
Paul appealing to his intimate relationship with the Philippian congregation, “make my joy complete”, gives four points of unity of the congregation 1) like-minded, 2) having the same love, 3) being one in spirit 4) and purpose. These four points are the four vital elements to unity in a congregation of believers in Christ. All of which can only be present in a congregation if they are present in the lives of the believers. We will see next week in Part 2, Philippians 2:4-5 how this looks in the lives of the believers and in the life of the Church.
Pastor John
