Philippians 2:1-4 (Part 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, 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.
In last week’s study (Part 1) Philippians 2:1, we began to study how the Holy Spirit helped the apostle Paul write to the Philippian church with the issue of disunity that was impairing the life of the congregation.
Reviewing a few important points from last week will help give us some perspective for this week’s study. First we saw “that Paul simply could had stated what the problem 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.
The second important point we studied was Paul’s use of the word “if”. 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.”
The Spirit filled life study Bible explains Paul’s use of the word “if” in verse 1 this way. “The basis of Christian unity is expressed in conditional clauses (if . . . if . . . if). In the Greek these clauses do not convey doubt, but rather are used for emphasis. Each “if” could be translated “since.”
With our understanding of these two points from last week, we can move on to verse 2. What Paul is continuing to say is that the four points of verse 2 are the results of the five points of verse 1. Of which all nine should be experienced and expressed in the lives of each believer and in the life of the congregation. Reading these verses from the New Living Translation will make the four results in verse 2 easer to see, of which the word “Then” is referring to. Philippians 2:1-2, 1 a) Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? b) Any comfort from his love? c) Any fellowship together in the Spirit? d) Are your hearts tender e) and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy a) by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, b) loving one another, c) and working together with one mind d) and purpose.
We must keep in mind the issue that Paul was dealing with was disunity in the congregation. Reemphasizing what was stated earlier. Paul could have stated what the issue was but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he takes a loving and wise approach and points out what are the results of unity in the life of the believer and in the life of the Church.
The Faithlife Study Bible states this important fact about verse 2. “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.”
The following point is an important characteristic of our maturity in our relationship with Christ which we should always practice when we have a difference of opinion or disagreement with someone. When we fail to do this, it will always cause disunity with others and in the church. We need to guard our heart. Anger opens the door to our heart; it makes us venerable to the enemy of our souls. Proverbs 4:23, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
We need to be careful when we hear about something or are in a discussion someone that we do not let what is being said or done cause us to sin because of our anger. Ephesians 4:26-27, 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. We always should ask ourselves and seek to recognize why is this getting me angry? What is it that I need to identify and correct in myself first?
We must first look at our hearts with the discernment of God’s Word and listen and obey to what the Holy Spirit is telling us before we can in God’s way with His Word and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, deal with what is upsetting us. Matthew 7:3-5, 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Warren Wiersbe makes this point about verse two which can be easily overlooked. “In a gracious way, Paul is saying to the church, “Your disagreements reveal that there is a spiritual problem in your fellowship. It isn’t going to be solved by rules or threats; it’s going to be solved when your hearts are right with Christ and with each other.”
Verse 2, “then make my joy complete by a) being like-minded, b) having the same love, c) being one in spirit d) and purpose.”
New Living Translation
Paul first appeals to his close relationship with the Philippians, it is the basis of what he is going to say which rests on the strength of this relationship, “…then make my joy complete…”.
Taking into consideration what was stated earlier about Paul’s use of the word “if” in verse 1, “Each “if” could be translated “since.”, this gives us clarification and ties into perfectly to the first word of verse 2, “then”. In other words, Paul is saying since this (what is stated in verse 1) is happening with all of you, “then” you Philippians should be and or have happening in your lives what is stated in verse 2.
With the four points that Paul states in verse 2, he is describing what are the four ingredients of unity.
- a) “by being like-minded” (NIV),
“by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other” (NLT)
We have already studied about what disunity, disagreement and anger can do and does to a believer and a congregation. Agreeing with another is not always having the same opinion and thoughts about and issue. However, we can always “agree to disagree” when we have a difference of opinion. The Fire Bible give us the following observation about the reality of “agreeing to disagree”. “This does not mean that God’s people must agree or have the same perspective on all issues, but they must maintain a unified and uncompromising commitment to honoring Christ, staying true to his Word.”
If our opinions are based on God’s Word and are expressed with an “undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of the other person, no matter what he (she) does.” (and or thinks), which is agape love; this will almost always result in “by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other”. This is not a matter of who is correct or incorrect but many times it is giving up the right to be right and understanding that our love in Christ for the other person does not condone their error of opinion or even sin, but we understand and display the same love that God showed to us. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 John 4:10, This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
- b) having the same love
One commentator says, “equally disposed to love and be loved.” What does the Word of God say about having the same love?
John 15:12, My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 1 John 4:19-21, 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
- c) being one in spirit d) and purpose.
When Paul tells the Philippians to be “one in spirit and purpose” he is referring to spiritual unity. The Fire Bible gives us this explanation concerning spiritual unity. “Spiritual unity is not a matter of intellectual agreement on all issues. It is a unity of love and purpose and is maintained by being loyal to the truth and moving in obedience to the leading of the Spirit. This unity is based on Christ’s love and purpose at work in and through our lives. It cannot be achieved “by human effort”. It will, however, express itself outwardly in good works.”
It is very important to realize being one in spirit and purpose does not mean every believer will see and treat an issue in the same way. How a believer sees and deals with a particular issue depends on their spiritual maturity, their relationship with Jesus, their experiential knowledge of the God’s word and how God has gifted them. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Paul continues to explain this in great detail in Corinthians 12:8-27.
Next week we will study Verses 3 and 4 which tells us how unity is manifested in the heart and life of the believer in Christ as it is expressed to others.
Pastor John
