04 - The Cure For Strife 2012 By Pastor Jeff Wickwire Notes

Last time we saw in Chapter 1:15-30 that the cure for jealousy and envy is to pray for the person we’re jealous of, blessing them and rejoicing over their success. To spur them on and speak positively of them is the key to removing the flaming barb of jealousy and gain emotional victory. Paul refused to be trapped in the snare of jealousy.

We also saw that we are to be unyielding, undivided, and unafraid in our battle over evil forces in Jesus’ name.

Now in Chapter 2 we see that Paul approaches the problem that was marring the fellowship at Philippi more directly. He tells them to put away the spirit of strife from their midst once and for all.

He introduces three examples of the kind of spirit every Christian should display—the spirit displayed by Christ, Timothy, and Epaphroditus. Paul’s first timeless example is the spirit of Christ:

First we see Paul’s distress as he presents the basis of his appeal for peace:

2:1 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,”

First, there is a supreme basis: “Consolation in Christ…comfort of love.” The word “consolation” reminds us of both Jesus and the Holy Spirit. It means “to comfort or console.” He might also have been thinking of Barnabas, who was called, “The son of consolation” by the Apostles in Jerusalem.

The idea is to “come up alongside” someone that is hurting and comfort them, just like Jesus did and just like the Holy Spirit responds to us when we are hurting.

Second, there is the supernatural basis for harmony in the church: “Fellowship of the Spirit”—that is, shared participation in the blessing of the Holy Spirit’s presence. In other words, we in the church all enjoy the peace and joy of the same Spirit. This should result in harmony rather than strife.

BOTTOM LINE TRUTH: Some conflicts are too violent to be resolved by natural means. The work of the Holy Spirit is needed to bring peace, forgiveness, and unity. He is always there to help us.

So there is the supreme basis for harmony—the consolation and comfort of Christ. And there is the supernatural basis for harmony—the fellowship of the Spirit. And finally there is:

The supporting basis: “Affection and mercy…” This means “heart and compassion.” Paul was appealing to his friends’ natural sympathy, tenderness, and feeling. They of all people would not want to add to his bonds by giving him cause for grief.

“If you can’t get along for your sake,” he says, “get along for my sake.”

Following the BASIS for his appeal for harmony, Paul next interjects the BURDEN of his appeal.

2:2 “…fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love,”

This is the third time the Apostle has mentioned joy in his letter to the Philippians. Paul’s cup of joy was quite full as it was. He had already learned the secret of maintaining “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Pet.1:8).

Let’s keep in mind at this point in our study that Jesus prayed in John 17:13, “Now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world, that they (My disciples) might have joy in themselves.” Joy is found in knowing Jesus better and better.

But Paul admits that there was still room for a few more drops. “Fulfill my joy” by stopping your quarreling. Settle it at the foot of the cross.”

“…being of one accord, of one mind.”

Paul also wanted the Philippians to be “likeminded.” Likeminded means “to mind or think the same thing.” They were to be likeminded in what they thought. A meeting of the minds would bring the petty squabbles to an end.

They were to be likeminded in what they wrought—that is, he wanted them to have the same love worked into them that he had had worked into him. You can’t give what you don’t have. Paul had this love, so he could prescribe it for them.

Next, he focuses on the cause of their discord starting with their need for lowliness:

2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

Strife pulls the other person down; vainglory puts oneself up. Both produce discord in the local church. A tiny smidgeon of unchecked contentiousness and conceit can ruin a gathering of God’s people.

The Children of Israel were destroyed by a spirit of criticism and chronic complaining, both of which produced strife. Paul warns the church in 1 Cor. 10:5-11,

“But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

David talked about the safety God can bring from the strife of tongues: Ps. 31:20 “You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

The Bible teaches that the cure for strife in church, in the home, at the workplace, wherever it is found, is “lowliness of mind.” Let’s look at what this does not mean. “Lowliness of mind” does not mean the exercise of false humility where we depreciate any acknowledgement of one’s gifts.

To pretend not to have abilities we know we do have is not humility, but phony pretentiousness. To “esteem others better than ourselves,” does not mean that we consider everyone else to be superior to ourselves.

But it does mean that we want others to have preferential treatment. Stop a moment and think before reacting to that statement. Is this not the way Jesus Christ was? Did He not first and always place others before Himself? Otherwise, He would never have gone to the cross!

Humility, says Paul, is the opposite of conceit and selfish ambition. Humility is concern for the advancement of others. The person who reigns in the affections of God’s people is not the bossy, pushy person, but is the quiet, godly, unassuming one who is always seeking the good of other people.

On the other hand, unchecked selfish ambition and conceit in the body of Christ is damaging and deadly. James wrote, “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:16).

This outlook of unselfishness and humility flies in the face of our current twisted culture which places ourselves as “number one,” above all others. We are taught to “take care of number one,” and “It’s all about me.” But it’s not. Paul goes on:

2:4 “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Notice, Paul is not advising the Christian to totally neglect himself. He says, “Not only for his own interests…” He’s simply stating that we ought also to look out for the interests, needs, and aspirations of others. Help others to be all they can be. Invest in the success also of others.

It has been said that “To seek one’s own advancement is worldly. To seek the prosperity, good, and promotion of others is divine.” Philippians 2:4 perfectly expresses the essence of the spirit of the Lord Jesus.

Those who heed these words of Paul have the larger view of life. The person that seeks only one’s own things tends toward narrowness, selfishness, bigotry, smallness, and meanness of soul. It is a sad state of being to arrive at.

Think of Jesus. When He first called the disciples, He always spoke to them of what they would become as the result of following Him. He was ever mindful of shaping them to become strong, influential men. “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).

To seek to make others successful, healed, and whole leads to largeness of life. Think of Abraham and Lot. The day came when there was strife between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s. They needed to part ways. Abraham said to Lot:

“Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.”

Lot, who would have yet been in pagan Ur of the Chaldees but for Abraham’s leadership, chose the well-watered plains of Jordan. All the land of Canaan had been deeded by God to Abraham, yet this great man stood there saying, “We be brethren.”

Though the lesser of the two, Lot chose what appeared to be the best land and took it all for himself. Which of the two men was marked by “largeness of heart?” Who was the bigger man? As the story unfolds, Lot journeyed east. As he went, God spoke to Abraham.

“Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15 for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever….Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you” (Genesis 13).

The day would come when Abraham would intercede for Lot’s very life because the place he chose to dwell in was Sodom and Gomorrah—places of great wickedness. What he thought was a winning decision for himself and his family was in fact a horrible decision made out of selfishness.

Because of his selfish decision, Lot would lose his reputation, sons-in-law, wife, home, and his daughters to corruption. But Abraham, whose largeness of heart permitted his nephew first choice over all the land, lost nothing at all. “For all the land which you see—northward, southward, eastward, and westward—I will give to you.”