A Call for Christian Unity with Humility
Notes
Transcript
Proposition: God wants us to have unity with humility.
Proposition: God wants us to have unity with humility.
The Big Idea: God wants us to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being consistent in our Christian Living in spite of our circumstances, and by coming together in unity with humility and unselfishness.
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
A Call for Unity
A Call for Unity
Paul finished talking about the suffering of the saints at Philippi and gave them a reason why they were going through the suffering – the Christocentric reason.
They are called to stand firm in one mind and one accord (unity), contending to advance the Gospel.
With this call for unity, we see the basis for the call (2:1)
The Basis for the Call (2:1-2)
The Basis for the Call (2:1-2)
Look with me at Phil. 2:1
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
The first thing we must notice is the term “therefore.” This conjunction is used for the first time in the letter.
This tells us that Paul is linking the following statements he is making with the previous ones.
So here, it is used in a “resumptive” manner, meaning that he is picking up where he left off previously.
Now, we must also notice that this is a theological appeal.
Paul talked about what God has done for them; their suffering is not without purpose or reason.
In the first verse, Paul uses conditional clauses to make his point. These conditional clauses are not causing us or them any doubt – as if there is “no” comfort or encouragement in Christ.
It is assumed that they have the experience already. He is not causing any confusion by these statements but only affirming them.
And these are affirming statements because these Philippians experienced them.
Why is Paul making these statements? Despite your suffering, in the midst of your struggle, there is also encouragement in Christ; there is comfort of love.
Paul and the believers of Philippi are the recipients of God’s love and encouragement in Christ in the midst of their sufferings.
“If there is any fellowship of the Spirit.” – With this statement, Paul now ties 1:27 to 2:1. He returns to the “one spirit” phrase, in whom they were to stand as one and contend for the furtherance of the Gospel.
Spirit unites us all. Spirit brings us all together. Spirit places us all in Christ and as ONE body (Do you sense the call for unity?).
The Spirit not only puts us in Christ and the body of Christ but also causes us to unite as one.
He also appeals to the last part of verse 1 – “if any bowels and mercies.” This refers to sympathy. If all these are true, then “fulfill my joy” (v. 2).
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
What is the point of this imperative? This is, in fact, the only verb in this whole passage of 1-4 verses. What does he mean by “fulfill my joy?” This, in fact, sounds self-centered. Why would anyone want to make Paul joyful?
If we think that Paul sounds self-serving, then we are thinking in the wrong way. The whole point of Paul uttering these words is not for selfish reasons.
What we must see here is Paul’s heart toward the believers that he ministered to and led to the Lord.
We should also see a pastoral heart in these words. If the Church is growing in God’s Word and maturity, if Church is standing firm in the Lord no matter what the circumstances are, what else would a pastor need? That ought to bring him joy in the Lord.
In Chapter 1 verse 4, Paul said, “Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy.”
He now urges them to complete that joy by adjusting their behavior, attitudes, and lifestyle, and understanding why they (including Paul) suffer for the advancement of the Gospel.
How are they and us to fulfill this joy? By being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind. What is he saying here? One writer says:
Paul is concerned about what they think because he assumes that their right thinking will affect their living. He also assumes that their thinking is done in the community.
One cannot “think the same thing” in isolation from others. He does not impose on them an obligation to agree on everything but wants them to be intent on one purpose, and to have the same priorities.
Unity depends on a distinct mindset. When we have the right mind (one mind) then we will all work towards unity. This is important for a Church to survive this temporal world.
Will you and I commit towards unity for the furtherance of the Gospel by understanding the basis of the call for unity? We are to have one mind, have the same love, and contend together for the advancement of the Gospel.
Application:
Don’t let people rob your joy and peace. Don’t let circumstances discourage you!
Look at Paul’s statements: You have been going through persecution; you have been discouraged; you were not as you used to be because of your circumstances; because of the threats you face.
BUT, you have and are experiencing the same struggle that I have been through. You can come out of this, do not panic; keep on walking the walk – the walk that honors the Lord (1:6)
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
And so Paul says, “Fulfill my joy” in 2:2. It is as if he was saying, “Let us all work together!”
The Elaboration for the Call (2:3-4)
The Elaboration for the Call (2:3-4)
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Within this elaboration of the call, Paul points out two important things.
The Key to Unity (v. 3-4)
The Obstacle to Unity (3-4).
The Key to Unity (3-4)
The Key to Unity (3-4)
What is the key to unity? Humility.
The attitude of humility is the key to having unity in the Church. If a Church doesn’t show the attitude of humility, there will not be any spiritual growth both for the individual and for the congregation.
Illustration:
The Gospel Enthrones Humility
R. C. Trench in his Synonyms of the New Testament writes that since the gospel of Christ came into the world “to put down the mighty from their seat, and to exalt the humble and meek,” it is not surprising that “it should dethrone the heathen virtue megalopsuchia and set up the despised Christian grace tapeinophrosuné in its room.”
The very word tapeinophrosuné “is itself a birth of the gospel,” since no Greek writer used it before Christ, nor after Christ apart from Christian influence, although it occurs in [the] lxx.
Source: R. C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, 8th revised ed. (Macmillan, 1876), 142–43.
And so 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit but in humility (tapeinophrosuné).
The call here is to not (negatively) do anything for our own; that is, to fulfill our self-centered desires, or be mindful of us, but to have others in mind.
However, we should note that Paul is not saying that we should NOT take care of ourselves. We have to take care of ourselves, and also take care of others.
The construction of this verse, that is, do not do this, but do this … gives us the idea that we are not to abandon or forsake ourselves and take care of others. We have to do both.
On a practical note: we know our hearts are desperately wicked and we only want to take care of ourselves; we only want to focus on “me” rather than “them.” In fact, we have a tendency to exclude anyone from our lives.
But we ought to be doing the opposite of what we “naturally” want to do. Showing some care and compassion towards others is what Scripture calls us to do.
The Obstacle to Unity (3-4)
The Obstacle to Unity (3-4)
The second point Paul talks about in verses 3-4 is the issue is “selfish ambitions.” This is what tears the Church apart.
Instead of selfish ambitions, we should be taking care of others. We have to be others-minded. But, we can only come to this stage in our lives, when we put on that “attitude of humility.”
In conclusion, the text is teaching us that we need to do what wasn’t in the mind of the ancient people – that is, being humble. Humility was not accepted properly in the ancient world.
One writer says, “The ancient world did not prize humility, but despised it, so this teaching runs counter to the culture of the day.”
We as believers then should have unity, but this unity comes by having proper attitude with humility.
God wants us to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by being consistent in our Christian Living in spite of our circumstances, and by coming together in unity with humility and unselfishness.