One In Christ

“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, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:1-4).

Yesterday, Pastor Michael talked about living as those who have died and risen with Christ, those whose witness to Christ is without fear. In today’s verses, we have a practical example of what such fearless living looks like: unity, like-mindedness, humility, and self-sacrifice. 

In the context of Philippi, these virtues required a sort of fearlessness. Philippi was a highly stratified and diverse city, as were many that Paul visited in his ministry. The ruling class was Latin in language, culturally Italian, and politically Roman. However, on the margins, including the outskirts of the city and in the lower classes, many were Macedonian or Thracian (which are culturally and linguistically Greek) or immigrants coming from places like Egypt, Asia Minor, and Judea. There were as many as 35 different local deities worshipped in the city, alongside the Roman emperor worship. In a context of such diversity, to seek unity, like-mindedness, humility, and self-sacrifice required the courage that we discussed yesterday. It involved dying to self.

Such division and diversity, although in a different cultural context, likely feels familiar to many of us as well. We too live in a context where divisions along political, ideological, and ethical lines are common. In such a context, unflinching conviction is often perceived as the most effective way to advance any cause.

However, Paul seems to suggest something more nuanced in this passage. Initially, it does seem that Paul expects the whole community to think the same way. He begins by saying that the Philippian church will make his joy complete by being like-minded, and one in spirit and mind. However, he quickly follows this with commands about humility, valuing others above oneself, and looking to the interests of others. If these are his next commands, then perhaps like-mindedness is a bit more complicated than his first statement would suggest. The need for humility and sacrifice for the sake of others’ interests implies that this community is not, in fact, like-minded in the sense that they all agree. The kind of like-mindedness that Paul advocates for is the kind that comes, not from uniformity, but from the willingness to give priority to the needs of others and sacrifice one's own.

This, I think, is rather good news for the western church in a context of deep division. We actually are not all expected to think the exact same way on every subject. What is expected of us is finding a way to live together, with humility, in spite of that. 

This seems awfully easy to say and awfully hard to do, you might say. And you’d be right. But we have to remember that Paul isn’t viewing diversity of thought through rose-coloured glasses. He doesn’t think it’s going to be easy. He is working with a church in a deeply divided context. It’s simply that for him, the fact that the church has, as he begins, been united with Christ, comforted by his love, and given a common sharing in the Spirit, was actually meant to make enough of a difference that other differences could be viewed only in that context. And that, complex though it is, is something for us to strive for too.

So as you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you. May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.