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Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
Our call to sacrificially submit ourselves to others does not begin with our sacrifice, but with God’s blessings. The actual grammatical construction of this statement is more accurately translated when all the “if”s changed to “since”s! We are called to unity in spirit and purpose after having received all these blessings from being in Jesus! We are encouraged by being united with Christ. We are comforted by his love. We do share in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We have received tenderness and compassion. So how can we not share those with our Christian family and find a way to live together in his Kingdom in harmony?
My Prayer…
Holy and righteous Father, you have blessed me so richly in Jesus. Open my eyes to see how those around me in my spiritual family need to receive those same blessings from me. In the name of Jesus, and because of the grace he has lavished upon me, I pray with thanksgiving in my heart. Amen.
Bible References
2 If there be therefore 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 one accord, of one mind.
Philippians 2:1-2
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and in purpose.
The “if” in these verses is not the “if” of doubt but of argument. The apostle is in effect saying that these four attributes should draw believers together in harmony and cooperation with each other. It could well read:
“Since there is so much encouragement in Christ, since His love comforts us so, since the Holy Spirit brings us together in fellowship, and since there is much tenderness and compassion in Christianity, we should all be able to get along in harmony and unity with one another.”
Can you just imagine for a moment the great impact this would have if Christians would unite in the common goal that we should all have in seeing the gospel of Jesus Christ spread throughout our world? The bickering and fighting among God’s children does more harm to the name of Christ than I think any of us will ever know. Yes we should take a stand for the truth of the gospel always, but we can do so in love instead of treachery to each other! Satan is the victor when we suffer disunity among us, not God. Scripture speaks of how God hates those who sew discord among the brethren (Proverbs 6:19), since He takes it this seriously, we should as well.
That being said, no where in the Word of God does it suggest that all Christians are expected to think and act exactly alike. We are definitely expected to agree on the great fundamentals of the Christian faith. To be “like-minded” really means to have the mind of Christ. To speak as He would speak, and act as He would act…this is to be our goal. When we do this as a body of believers, we show the love of Jesus to the unsaved world around us and have a huge impact on our world for Christ.
Thank You Jesus for shedding Your precious blood for the forgiveness of my sins, I love You so my Redeemer Savior and give You praise this day! Amen