The Building Blocks of Christian Unity
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Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Introduction:
The names of Gilbert and Sullivan are well known by all lovers of music. They produced 14 operas together in the period from 1871 to 1896. Gilbert’s words allied to Sullivan’s music produced magic.
The tragedy, however, is that the two men detested each other. The problem arose because Sullivan ordered some carpet for the theater they had bought, and when Gilbert saw the bill he hit the roof. Neither could control his temper, and the two battled it out in court. They never spoke to one another again as long as they lived.
When Sullivan wrote the music for a new production, he mailed it to Gilbert. When Gilbert wrote the words, he mailed it back to Sullivan.
Once they were forced to be together during a curtain call, but they stood on opposite sides of the stage and bowed in different directions so they wouldn’t see each other.
They knew how to make beautiful music, but they knew nothing about harmony.
These great musicians had talent but their thinking and emotions were out of kilter. They were not in their right mind. Sure, they were brilliant, but they were not united. When it comes to relating to people within the Body of Christ, are you in your right mind? It is possible for you to know doctrine, Bible verses, and even every stanza of Hymn # 169, but not be in your right mind in relation to your treatment of others.
As we continue our study of Romans 12: “What is Reasonable?” we continue to discover that the only logical response believers can have to the Saving Grace of God is personal and sacrificial service to God. We have discovered that we are to serve Him in the Power of the Holy Spirit. We are to serve Him with the Gifts of the Spirit. We are to serve Him within the Body of Christ, which is the local church. We have discovered that the fire that will heat our passion as we serve Him is love. We have discovered that love is an action. It is a decision we make on purpose. This morning we will see that pure love is dependent upon thought control. We must decide to be united in our deference to each other, humbled in the presence of each other, and taught by the influence of each other. We will discover that in order to love each other with Christ like love, we must be in our right mind.
A Quest for Similarity
A Quest for Similarity
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
A. Not thinking the same thing among each other.
1. This command does not stifle diversity, it embraces it.
2. It is not about voting the same, or having the same political views.
3. It is not about liking the same music, art, or form of entertainment.
4. It is not even about agreeing in a Church business meeting.
B. It is thinking the same thing toward each other.
C. It is everyone uniting behind a selfless love and placing the needs and the desires of the other above the needs and desire of self.
1. Same love
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
2. Same peace
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
3. Same compassion
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
A Quest For Humility
A Quest For Humility
“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Romans 12:16)
A. Mind not high things
1. Things like honor, wealth, reputation, and influence.
2. The barrier to unity is pride.
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.
3. Love and pride cannot co-exist
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
B. Submit to lowly things
1. Allow yourself to be carried away by lowly things or people.
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
2. Associate with the lowly
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)
3. Some have a great deal to offer you, but you will miss it because you refuse to get close enough to find out what they have.
4. A conceited person never gets anywhere because he things he is already there.
A Desire to be Teachable
A Desire to be Teachable
“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.”
(Romans 12:16)
A. Blind “wisdom” reveals your own ignorance.
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
B. Wise in your own estimation = you are your own standard of truth and need no other.
Be not wise in thine own eyes:
Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.
“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.” (Proverbs 26:12)
C. “Trust your heart” = foolish advice.
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: But whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)
D. Take the wise counsel you are given.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
Quintilian, a brilliant Roman speaker and intellectual, c. 35-100 AD, said this of some in his time: “They might have become excellent scholars has they not been so persuaded of their scholarship already.”
Conclusion:
Are you in your right mind? Perhaps you have trusted Jesus as Savior, but are you in your right mind? Perhaps you believe that the Bible is the Word of God and you are well versed in your theology, but are you in your right mind? Have you learned to view all of the people in the Body of Christ with the same selfless deference? Have you learned to turn from the pursuit of your own reputation and fame in order to promote the passions and feelings of others? Have you genuinely rejected that tendency to think that your way, your preferences, and your taste is the right way – the only way? It takes humility to be teachable, selflessness to be humble, and pure love to be selfless and put you in your right mind.