Every believer has received encouragement, exhortation, and comfort from Christ. That common experience ought to unite the Philippians. The Philippian believers had comfort from his love. The common experience of Christ’s love should unite them. In turn, their common love for Christ should cause them to love one another.Because of their common experience in Christ and their common fellowship with the Holy Spirit, they should be agreeing wholeheartedly with each other. This does not mean that the believers have to agree on everything; instead, each believer should have the mind (or attitude) of Christ, which Paul describes at length in.
As they stand firm in the Spirit, they overcome small differences and work forcefully toward one purpose—a common goal. The church’s goal was to spread the gospel. A unified church is a formidable fortress against any enemy. While selfish ambition and conceit can ruin unity, genuine humility can build it.
And like in all other things, Christ set the example for us. Christ voluntarily gave of himself, making himself nothing. The Incarnation was the act of the preexistent Son of God voluntarily assuming a human body and human nature. He did not give up his deity to become human. Yet upon his birth as a human being, he took the humble position of a slave.
He died a criminal’s death, but he was not a criminal. He took on that humiliation so that we might be saved. He died by the worst possible torture—death by crucifixion. Death on a cross was the form of capital punishment that Romans used for notorious criminals. It was excruciatingly painful and humiliating.
Because Christ willingly set aside his glory to totally obey the Father’s will, God raised him up to the heights of heaven. That Jesus’ name is above every other name refers not to Jesus’ title, but instead to his name that signifies his person. In keeping with Jesus’ exaltation and power, one day every knee will bow before him. Every tongue will confess the basic truth of Christianity: Jesus Christ is Lord. This does not mean that eventually everyone will be saved. Every tongue in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will recognize Jesus as Lord, either because of belief or because of mere acknowledgment of the undisputable fact. No tongue will be silent; no knee will remain unbowed. All of creation will recognize Jesus Christ as Lord.
Paul had advice for how they could go about acting out their faith—they should stay away from complaining and arguing. Complaining and arguing are completely opposite to Christ’s attitude, which believers are to emulate. They also give people a bad impression of the church, and no one should be able to speak a word of blame against the believers.
If all that people know about a church is that its members constantly argue, complain, and gossip, they get a bad impression of Christ and the gospel. Unbelievers then feel justified in criticizing the Christians. Probably more churches have split from causes related to arguing and complaining than from heresy.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Lord, protect our people and protect our church from arguing, complaining and grumbling. Lord, severely rebuke anybody who would seek to break the unity of Your church.
Lord, teach our people, grow our people, mature our people, so that we will be sold out to Christ and the things of Christ and the purposes of Christ.
Continue to pour out Your Holy Spirit at COV. Draw people and reach people and change people. Lord, give us the same attitude that Jesus had.
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