Preserving the Fellowship From Within

Philippians 2:1-16

Satan has two avenues of attack upon Christian fellowships, either of which may prove fatal. He may attack from within through strife and self-seeking, or he may attack from without through false teaching. In this study we take up a consideration of the first avenue of attack and in our fifth study we will take up the other. Both of these studies are vital ones in this lovely book.

The opening words of chapter two bring this question to mind: Is the fellowship worth saving? What are its benefits? The answer of our heart is, "Who would even want to live in this world if there were no Chrisitian fellowships?"

"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Sprit it, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being in one accord, of one mind" (2:1-2).

Look at that list of benefits! What I sweetness there is in Christian fellowship!

Consolation in Christ

Comfort of love

Fellowship of the Spirit

Heart-felt sympathies and mercies

The writer read the following illustration in one of Dr. J. C. Massee's sermons. "There is a story of a man who had stolen bread to feed his hungry children. He was hailed ] into court. Unable to employ counsel to defend himself, the judge appointed counsel. The man had no excuse. He could not deny nor extenuate his crime. He had broken the law. But his lawyer, one of those rare spirits who entered into every case as if it were his own experience, investigated, and asked for a postponement. He left the offender in prison while he himself went and for three weeks lived in the home of his client, sharing their poverty, heard the cry of the children for bread, saw the desperation of the helpless mother, absorbed into his very soul the atmosphere out of which the man had gone forth to violate the law. Then he went into court, and out of his experience made a plea to which every juror responded, and to which an instant verdict of 'not guilty' was returned." He understood! Yes, Jesus understands! The consolation in Christ makes the fellowship worth preserving.

Next, how shall we meet this attack? There is only one way — SINGLENESS of mind, of love, being of one accord, of one mind. The key words here are "of one accord, of one mind." The word "mind" in the phrase "of one mind" is the word used in Romans 8:5: "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit." The word "mind" as used here means "to pay attention to" or "to be occupied with" — the natural disposition of the mind. Those who are after the flesh pay attention to the things of the flesh, but those who are after the Spirit pay attention to the things of the Spirit.

Verses three and four call for a beautiful working together in humility and harmony. "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."

This can only be done as we are "minded" as Christ was "minded." The apostle says in verse five, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." Again he uses the same word for mind. He is not referring to the intellect but rather to the occupation or disposition of the mind. It is the same word translated "set your affections on" in Colossians 3:2. We repeat, to preserve the fellowship we must be "minded" as Christ was "minded."

Now how was He "minded"? What was His attitude toward God's will for Him? This is of paramount importance. Calvary is God's glorious example. How did Christ face the Cross — God's will for Him? Did He shrink from it through a cowardly attitude? Or did He face it as though it were the supreme desire of His life? The latter was His attitude! "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb. 12:2). He was not "minded" to grasp after His own greatness but was "minded" to do God's will for Him by setting His affection on it and taking His affection from all things of self (Phil. 2:6-8).

He made Himself of no reputation

He took upon Him the form of a servant

He was made like sinful man

He humbled Himself

He became obedient unto death

He made every sacrifice necessary to redeem a sinful race and to bring many sons unto glory.

He set His heart upon His task. All rival desires were excluded from His mind.

He was "minded to go to the cross at all costs and to go joyfully, yea, passionately.

He desired the will of God and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

He took care to walk in the Father's will, and the Father took care of Him.

He highly exalted Him

He gave Him a name above every name

He will yet cause every tongue to confess that He is Lord

Notice that in verse five He does not say "Let us imitate Christ." There is a vast difference. To imitate would mean to copy His humility, a humility which every Spirit-filled Christian has already, but to be "minded" as He was "minded" means that each of us would have the attitude toward God's will for us which Christ had toward God's will for Him. This is the exact meaning of verse twelve, where we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. When we were saved from sin, we were given a place in the fellowship. Then began the salvation of the life. God's will for our lives must be preserved. Now when folk are "minded" as Christ was "minded," this is done. Moreover, there is a sweet and blessed fellowship without self-seeking.

Now a word about the phrase "with fear and trembling." These words are so important. If Christ worked out God's will for Him with fear and trembling, how much more shall I who am but clay. Perhaps someone questions, "But did Christ do God's will with fear and trembling?" Turn to Hebrews 5:7-8. This is the record of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane when Satan tried to take His life to keep Him from preaching the cross. Jesus prayed "unto Him Who was able to say Him from DEATH and was heardt in that He FEARED." If some of our readers should question this interpretation of Gethsemane, let us remind you that the "cup" was not the cross, but rather "the hour" (Mark 14:35); and Jesus said that His spirit was willing (He was "minded" to go) but the flesh was weak (He had a human body which could be put to death; in fact, great drops of blood were falling down to the ground, and when that happens death is very near). He went with fear and trembling; so must I face God's will for me with fear and trembling, but God be praised "He works in me." God sent an angel to Jesus to strengthen Him, and He works in me to strengthen me. Arthur S. Way translates verse thirteen: "You have not to do it in your unaided strength: it is God who is all the while supplying the impulse giving you the power to resolve the strength to perform, the execution of His good-pleasure."

Oh, Christian, make a lifetime resolve right now that you are going to find God's will for your life and allow nothing to turn you from it. Do it for the sake of a Christian witness to a "crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world." This is the apostle's closing appeal in this section of the book. What blessed words of encouragement, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke." The man who is "minded" as Christ was and is engaged in God's will for him is blameless; moreover he will be harmless both to the fellowship and to the unsaved. He will receive praise of God and not rebuke. What rejoicing in the day of Christ that we too have not run in vain! We have found His blessed will and have performed it!