Reconcile Differences

Philippians 2:1-4

Reconcile Differences 

Paul was happy with the salvation and spiritual growth of the Philippians but says he would be overjoyed or jump for joy when he heard and saw the Philippian Church had true unity.

God is pleased with a church where there is harmony, love, and fellowship among the Christians. This can happen irrespective of the size of the church.

when there is encouragement, comfort, fellowship, tenderness, and compassion, we are in a spiritual union with Jesus Christ.

Our treatment of others is always a measure of our sense of having been blessed by God.  The more we understand God’s love towards us in Christ, the more we will show love to others.

The local church which pleases God must have a spirit of oneness, unity, and harmony. This is a oneness around the gospel or the work of Jesus Christ.  

If all are submitted to Christ, there will be submission to one another.  Paul is calling for unity of thought, unity of feeling, unity of Spirit, and unity of purpose.

 The church's focus must be the propagation of the gospel, by each and every member reaching to the local community and to the ends of the earth.

Christians soaking in God’s Word and not giving it out will become the Devil’s tool, for they will develop a stagnate and become critical in their attitude.  

Christians should be very active in spiritual works such as praying studying the Bible, teaching, visiting, witnessing, and evangelizing.  

Today, Christians are too busy doing everything but the Lord’s work.  Being too busy for selfish ambitions and ignoring God’s work is a sin.

All selfish interests and human pride must be subjected to the interests and welfare of another Christian.

A mind of humility is giving up personal rights, your positions to others.  

Many times, we hear Christians say, I have my rights and I’m going to cling to my rights no matter what any other Christian does or says. That is not a mind of humility.

The recipe to harmony and unity is not found in pursuing our own interests, but in looking out for the interests of others.  

Unity is only possible through humility as we deal with our pride and our desire to pursue our own selfish advantage.

If we are looking after the interests of others, we would have very few conflicts.

Each Christian has the same position before God, each is loved equally by God and each is equally precious to God.  

Our personality is continuously refined and toned down by the Holy Spirit every day of our life when we understand God`

We differ in spiritual gifts and we need the gift of each other Christian. Paul concludes, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ.

Paul urges us not to act with the harsh, caustic, critical, negative attitude that tears someone apart. Such attitudes also become Satan's best weapons for dividing Christians. 

 

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, help us to comfort, fellowship with tenderness, and compassion to our fellow believers. Help us to be an encouragement for all our church members helping each other to grow in humility and oneness. Holy Spirit we ask you to guide us.
In Jesus Name. Amen.