Quest for the
Philippian Love |
|
Brother David Green |
Philippians 2:1-8
1)If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and
mercies, 2)fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having
the same love, being of on accord, of one mind. 3)Let
nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves. 4)Look not every man on his own things, but
every man also on the things of others. 5)Let this mind be
in you which was also in Christ Jesus: 6)Who, being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7)But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the
form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: 8)And
being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Dear Christian, can there be
any imaginable blessings while in our natural state better
than these described by Paul (vs.1-4)? To know and feel the
comfort of Christ and the passion of his love for us in all
things without doubt; to embrace a personal communion of the
Spirit of God in our prayers and meditations; to feelingly
rejoice in new mercies each day of our lives whose heights
cannot be scaled! These blessings are not notional rhetoric
by Paul. They are fully attainable or else they have no use
to be spoken. Now, carefully and reflectively read the
following verses 2-5. These are the divinely appointed
means, as also exampled in Christ (vs.6-8), to procure these
blessings: that ye be likeminded, having the same love, etc.
In addition to being a means, these requirements of the Lord
test the true condition of the soul and exposes its real
development of character. This beautiful and yet searching
that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own
belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the
hearts of the exhortation of Paul strikes at the very center
of the greatest trophy of practical godliness within the
saint and the church: The unity of love. Christ’s love.
Supreme love. Not in word, but in practice. Without which
there is no genuine spiritual unity.
Paul’s epistle to the
Philippians is the only church epistle that bears no form of
chastisement or reprimand. After having commended and
encouraged the church in the first chapter with much
thanksgiving and prayer, he begins in the second chapter to
introduce a powerful compendium of the portrait of true
Christian character. In addressing this need, the apostle
exhibits just how profoundly he desired to see the love of
Christ practiced among the saints at Philippi evidencing a
very special benevolence towards this particular church (see
also chapter 1:3-8). But, we might observe no matter how
pungent Paul’s affection is for the saints in Philippi, it
only served to represent the love and desire he had for all
the churches of Christ. While writing to one, Paul often
appears to have them all consciously in his heart (2Cor.
11:28; 2Thess.1:4; Rom.16:4). And it cannot be over
emphasized that regardless of the problems within any one
church and the consequential harshness and severity of his
letter, Paul’s love never wanes toward them. It is this very
attitude that provides the dynamics of the lesson taught in
our passages under consideration. In these passages, Paul
applies the same principle of His master’s earlier
exhortation to His disciples in Luke 9:23, “if any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow me.” How difficult it is
for the soul of saint and sinner alike to prefer not the
preeminence of themselves, their pride, their opinions,
their accomplishments. However, our Lord instructed this to
be done first before the daily service of bearing the load
of our cross can be achieved. To truly be of the same mind
and love to others as prescribed requires this same denial
of self. Earnestly desiring to more highly extol each
brother and sister more than self and present ourselves as
their servant out of genuine Godly love are the values for
the equation to Christian unity. The difficulty is not found
in the mental acquiescing that it should be so, but the
conviction to practice it in every occasion especially
amidst bitter conflict. Paul told the Ephesians they must
never allow the sun to go down upon their anger (Eph.4:26).
No doubt saints will become angered or upset and engage in
differences towards one another. This can be a disagreement
of scriptural understanding and practice, practical
nonessential differences, or just personality conflict. But
no matter what these differences and contentions might be,
true Christian love will not allow the sun to set on this
anger and turn to sin. That is, it must have an ending
before the daylight of peace turns into the darkness of
division. Paul and Barnabas disagreed on whether, or not, to
allow John Mark to accompany with them to visit the brethren
in different cities. This difference was so great between
these two godly men, that they were unable to resolve it as
follows, “And the contention was so sharp between them,
that they departed asunder one from the other…” (Acts
15:39). Most indubitably, each man was extremely angry
toward the other. But so great was their love for the
Savior, His people AND one another, that rather than allow
the anger to develop into hatred and then foolishly bar one
another from future fellowship and love, they did the right
thing and departed. Note, and this is very important,
“departing” was not the sole solution. Both men turned
themselves away from the contention and toward the work of
God. They “put off the old man with his deeds; and…put on
the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image
of him that created him” (Col.3:8-10). They needed not only
to turn away from sin, but, turn towards righteousness. They
were angry, but they sinned not. The sun did not go down on
their anger. That is, it was not allowed to continue and
transition into anything worse. No festering or continuing
to think and speak with bitter contempt of the conflict
privately or publicly. Paul kept to his own instruction he
gave the saints at Philippi. He removed the danger of
“strife and vain glory” (vs. 3), and he looked not only on
his own things, but that of Barnabas’s as well (vs.4) and
did not continue to drive the contention to a dissolution of
unity between them. And so, their unity in Christ was
preserved even though they went their different ways. They
both still did the Lord’s work alike. Both men were
convicted that their own decision was right, and
consequently the other to be wrong. However, even in that
they did not suppose themselves in thought or deed to be
superior and the other lesser, but did humbly “esteem other
better than themselves” as is evidenced by Paul who speaks
of Barnabas in Colossians 4:10, 11 with great respect and as
one of his fellow-workers and one who had been a comfort to
him.
Paul continues, “Let this
mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” How? By
harboring no reputation for ourselves, but rather lifting-up
others in our place. Christ had a reputation, indeed. But he
neither sought it nor desired it. And it should be the same
with us. This is a very delicate truth for within us all
lies the desire to be highly and favorably considered.
However, our prayer is always that Christ has the
preeminence and we are the servant of both Him and all men.
If we are praised, let another man praise us and not our or
own mouth or mind (Proverbs 27:2; Phil.2:2,4,7). May all our
accomplishments be done so that if we are approved of men it
is done to God’s glory and directed towards Christ (I Cor.
11:1). As Christians, we are followers of Christ Jesus, not
men, or organizations, or titles, or denominations. The
example of Christ in conduct of life and in imitation of Him
is humility and obedience in the form and attitude of a
servant…”and he took upon Him the form of a servant… humbled
himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross” (ref. vss. 6-8). Is it so with us dear reader?
Especially, in the moments when the flesh refuses it to be
so. In anger and conflict, in depression and sadness, in
pride and arrogance, or even in exhilarating joy, Paul’s
commandment is: be of like mind; be of one accord; let
nothing be done in strife or vain glory; in lowliness of
mind esteem others better than ourselves. In this, the
blessings of God are possessed by His people in like manner
as their Savior.
The purposed portion of any
doctrinal instruction is its personal and practical
application. What is it that the church must accomplish to
enjoy all the blessings described and assure the wonderful
effect of joy in the heart of Paul or any saint? The unity
of love, says Paul, “that ye be likeminded, having the same
love, being of one accord, of one mind”. This
“like-mindedness” is so imperative and deeply important to
the saints that the apostle repeats it in the same breath
four times using four different analogies of it for ultimate
emphasis: be likeminded, same love, one accord, one mind.
How much more important should it be then to us! How
visceral the meaning of this exhortation needs to be in our
own heart and minds! There has long been a vital need for
this lesson of Paul’s. For too many generations world over,
Christians and church bodies alike have debated and argued
and barred fellowship because of positions of doctrinal
controversy. Yes, doctrine, itself, is never to be
compromised and minimized of its importance. Paul warned the
Galatian church of being removed from the gospel of the
grace of Christ which was not a gospel because it was not
the true gospel of Grace (Gal.1:6-9) because it was not
preaching GRACE. The gospel is taught through doctrine.
Doctrine is vital! But not for leveraging one’s superiority
over another to prove who is right and who is wrong, but
rather for edification through a loving spirit (Eph.4:16, 1
Cor. 14:26, Rom.14:19). I Timothy 6:3 speaks of the
“doctrine which is according to godliness.” Without this the
teaching of Christ is not the scriptural image of Christ.
Godliness defines the nature and purpose of true doctrine.
True doctrine is pure and purifying. It effects a godly
temper of mind and manner of living. This is exactly what
Paul taught to the church at Philippi in the passages under
consideration. There is no doctrine in Scripture that was
inspired for merely speculative and intellectual thinking.
All scripture is given to influence the conduct of our lives
(II Tim.3:16,17). There is absolutely a vital connection
between doctrine and obedience. Godly doctrine does not
approve or induce carnal hatred and unkindness and speaking
with the bitterness of guile…for any reason (I Pet.2:22;
Psa.34:13). Those who have doctrine without also teaching
Godly character are “vainly puffed up” by the flesh (Col.
2:18). Note in I Tim.1:9-10, the things here registered as
“contrary to sound doctrine” are those same things that are
contrary to sound doctrinal conduct. In so many cases,
controversial points, right or wrong, are adopted more from
a traditional view-point rather than a conviction wrought
from personal study and fervent prayer hammered out on the
anvil of one’s own soul from thoroughly searching the
scriptures whether these things are so (Acts 17:11). The
child of God must ALWAYS have an open mind and heart to be
taught and instructed more perfectly about any and all
truths (Acts 18:26; Prov.3:5; Prov.5:1-13; Prov.1:5). |