Philippians 2:1-2; Cause and Effect

“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in 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 of one mind.”

Do you ever consider your responsibility to act according to the grace you have been given?  You should, because God’s grace ought to affect the way we live our lives.  In this passage, Paul gives us an insight into his expectations for the Philippians and all Christians.

Paul says in light of the encouragement and love we receive from Christ and the sharing of His Spirit that leads to tenderness and compassion, we should live like this:

Then make my joy complete by (1) being like-minded, (2) having the same love, (3) being in one spirit and of one mind.

First, Paul calls the Philippians to be like-minded, which means to have the same goal, strive harmoniously for the same outcome, or to be unified.  As we discussed in chapter one, the church desperately needs to be unified to accomplish God’s work on earth.  If you are ever at a loss for something to pray for, pray for unity among God’s people. 

Second, Paul calls them to have the same love.  First and foremost, their first love should be Jesus Christ.  After that, they should love what Jesus loves: people.  Having the same love looks a lot like the greatest commandment:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:37-40

Third, Paul says they should be in one spirit and one mind.  This sounds pretty similar to his first exhortation, is he repeating himself for emphasis?  Possibly.  But I think being like-minded focuses on unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ while being one in spirit and mind is aligning your mind and spirit with Christ.  One emphasizes the horizontal relationships within the church and the other the vertical relationship with God.  Of course, it is the love of Christ that binds it all together.

So, Paul has given us a three point description of what every Christian should look like.  We should be like-minded with our brethren (and sistren for that matter), we should love Christ and others, and we should be of one mind and spirit with God.  Followers of Christ may differ in theology, worship styles, and many other things – but these three ideals should be evident in the life of every follower of Christ.

Unity, love, and spirit.  How are you doing with these three areas?