Think the Same Thing -- 11/29/09

Sunday, November 29, 2009

THINK THE SAME THING
Phil. 2:2

Brothers and sisters, “If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded. Do it for the Christ who has come alongside to help and has spoken to you with gentle counsel. Do it for the Spirit, with whom you have fellowship, the Spirit who has blessed you with tender affection and compassion. And do it for us, your leaders who watch over your souls.” That is the message of Phil. 2:1-2 for us. Paul spoke those words to the Philippians, and now through Paul the Holy Spirit is speaking that same message to us.

Last week we looked at the motivation for being likeminded, but this morning we must look at the basic question: “So what does it mean to be likeminded?” Yes, it is possible. If not, the Lord wouldn’t tell us to be likeminded. But what does it mean?

Let me pause right there. I must confess to you that at the beginning of the week I was feeling a great deal of pressure. A dear brother told me last Sunday, “Ron, I’m praying for you, especially as you prepare to preach Sunday.” He was speaking of how important it is that we come to understand what is the nature of this likemindedness. The simple truth is that we have a lot of trouble getting hold of this concept. So like I say, I was feeling pressure. However, I did remember what I told my brother. I reminded him that this isn’t a matter of me preaching some earth-shattering sermon that is going to give us the answers. As the body of Christ, we are all in this together. We are praying together and seeking the Lord together in His Word. Surely He will answer.

Some time early in the week the Lord gave me grace to get out from under the pressure. Oh yes, I recognize responsibility, but not pressure. Such pressure comes from fear, and that fear isn’t from God. It is the fear that says, “Ron, what if you can’t provide the answers.” I might as well just be honest and admit it up front – I can’t provide the answers. But here is the good news – we serve a God who has all the answers. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things” (Rom. 8:32). "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God" (I Cor. 2:12). The Lord will show us what He desires to show us. I was feeling this pressure to take us through this passage today with definitive answers. That pressure is gone. I am excited to lead us in studying the Word together, that we might learn what our loving heavenly Father has for us.

We may be in this passage for a while. Joe Myers has been a bit amazed that we have been moving right through Philippians at a pretty good pace. Well, the pace has just slowed. I don’t see us getting bogged down in Phil. 2:1-11, but I do see us being blessed with the weight of treasure we find in this passage. I want to give you an assignment. If you haven’t done so, I want to challenge you to memorize Phil. 2:1-11. I am challenging all of us to memorize it. You say, “Well, I’m not even a Christian.” Memorize this passage and meditate on it, and you will likely be a step closer. This is one of the most magnificent passages in the whole Bible. Let’s commit it to memory before the end of the year. I am not asking you to do this for any reason except the knowledge that you will be richly blessed by doing so.

This morning we are going to do three things. First of all, we are going to set this passage before us. We are going to read it. We might even read it more than once. I want everyone here to be familiar with this precious portion of scripture. Then I want to help you unravel the structure of verses 2-4. At first, it may seem a little bit difficult, but it is important that we give our best thought to the Word of God. And then we are going to spend some time with that little command, “Think the same thing.”

Setting the Passage Before Us

So let’s begin by setting the passage before us. Let’s stand and read together. Because we have different translations, we have to choose one, if we are going to read together. This morning we will read it out of the King James. Perhaps in the future we will read it out of a different translation. Read Phil. 2:1-11…
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. 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. 9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Pray

Unraveling the Structure of 2:2-4

“Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 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.” We read it, and it sounds like there are three or four commands. Besides the command to fulfill Paul’s joy by being likeminded, there is the command to let nothing be done through strife or vainglory and the command to look not every man on his own things. What I want to do is take verses 2-4 apart and show you that there is only one command in these three verses.

So what is the command? The command is this: “Fulfill my joy, that you be likeminded.” We talked about it some last week. Technically, the command is to fulfill Paul’s joy, but the fulfilling of his joy is accomplished when they are likeminded. So practically, the command is for them to be likeminded. We are going to reduce it to simply: “Be likeminded.” That is the command.

So what do we do with the rest of verses 2-4? There are four things that fall under that command. If you are into grammar, there are four participial phrases that modify that command. Maybe it will help if we see it…

Be likeminded….

… having the same love
… thinking the one thing (=being of one accord, of one mind)
… esteeming others better than themselves
… looking also on the things of others

Notice the words in bold italics. These are the participles, the –ing words, that carry the rest of the paragraph. None of them are commands. They all fall under the one command, “Be likeminded.” They tell us something about what it means to be likeminded. Or perhaps we could say they tell us something about how to be likeminded. But at this point, what we need to understand is the fact that there is only once command and the rest falls under that one command. We will be coming back to this structure again and again, as we look at this passage.

If you would like to begin to look at a very close parallel, take a look at Eph. 5:18-21. In that passage, we find one command and then four participles that modify that command. I will let you try to work through and see that. We will probably look at it later as well.

Now the Command: "Think the Same Thing"

Now that we have taken apart the structure of the passage, let’s come back to that command, “Be likeminded.” I want to give you the literal translation and repeat it again and again until you cannot forget it. I believe that will help us to understand its meaning. Think the same thing. You might translate it, “Have the same attitude,” but for now let’s stick with “Think the same thing.”

Please allow me to bore you for just a minute. If you were to look at it in the original language, it would look like this… to (the) auto (same) phroneo (think). Think the same. The “thing” is understood. Paul literally says to the Philippian believers, “Think the same thing.” Take that word “phroneo” (fronew). Thayer’s Greek lexicon gives the following definitions: to have understanding, be wise; to feel, to think; to direct one’s mind to a thing. It speaks of setting your mind on something. Paul longs for them to set their minds on the same thing. Think the same thing. Are you getting it?

One of the reasons I want you to get that literal translation down is because that word “phroneo” is used in other places in the New Testament. As a matter of fact, it is used 26 times in the New Testament. 23 of those 26 occur in Paul’s letters, and no less than 10 of them are in the letter to the Philippians. In some of these occurrences, the meaning is exactly like what we find here. We will find that idea of setting the mind on something.

Now we are going to leave Philippians for a while in order to look at some other places where this word is used. Don’t think we are wasting our time. I believe we will benefit greatly from looking at some other passages. Let’s begin with that familiar passage in Matthew 16. Jesus asked His apostles, “Whom do men say that I am?” After they gave him some opinions they had heard, He then asked, “But whom do you say that I am?” That’s when Peter said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then reminded him, “Blessed are you, Simon, son of John, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father which is in heaven.” Then Jesus went on to speak about the rock upon which He would build His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Now let’s pick it up in verse 21 and read Matt. 16:21-23…
From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

In Mark’s account, he notes that Jesus rebuked Peter. And it is no wonder. Peter had the audacity to listen to Jesus say what was going to happen and then tell Jesus He was dead wrong. He bluntly told Jesus that this would not happen.

Now let me ask you a question: How could Peter be so bold as to say such a thing? How could he have the nerve to contradict the Lord Jesus? What was wrong with Peter? What was he thinking? Let’s take time to ponder on it a bit. Peter had said, “You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.” What do you think Peter had in mind, when he said that? We must remember that the Jews were expecting a mighty, triumphant, conquering Messiah. They were looking for a Messiah who would turn the world upside down and make everything right, a Messiah who would punish the wicked and give justice to those who had been mistreated. And surely He would begin by overthrowing the Romans and giving the Jews their independence. Peter believed that Jesus filled the bill. After all, He had seen Jesus calm a vicious storm on the Sea of Galilee. He had watched Him heal the sick and even raise the dead (son of the widow of Nain). Peter had never heard a teacher like Jesus, for He taught with authority, not as the scribes and Pharisees. Surely this was the Messiah who would accomplish all that Peter and his fellow apostles had dreamed about.

Then Jesus says, “Guys, we are headed for Jerusalem. And when we get there, I am going to suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes. Yes, I will be killed by them, but I will be raised on the third day.” Can you imagine how that struck Peter? He was not able to reconcile Jesus being the Messiah, the Son of God, with being killed. He could not put the two together. To Peter’s credit, he did not say, “Then Jesus, you cannot be the Messiah.” He was so sure that Jesus was the Messiah, he concluded that the other factor could not be true. Jesus could not die. Being the cautious man that he was, Peter just blurted out what he thought, “No, Lord, this cannot be. This will never happen to you.” When we look at it that way, maybe we won’t be quite so hard on Peter. By the way, Peter said it, but all of them were thinking it. Peter just beat them to it, as always.

The key question is this: “What was Peter thinking?” We just went over what he was thinking, but that isn’t the end of the story. Jesus interpreted what Peter was thinking. Jesus turned and rebuked Peter, saying to him, “Get behind me, Satan; you are an offense to me.” Those were very strong words. The man who had uttered what we sometimes call “the great confession” was now speaking on behalf of Satan and had become an offensive thing to Jesus. But the key is in those last words that Jesus said to Peter, “For you savor not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” That word translated “savor” is our little word phroneo. More literally, it reads, “For you do not mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

We must think about that. Peter’s problem was that his mind was set on the things of men. In other words, he was thinking like men think. His thinking wasn’t like God’s thinking, but like man’s thinking. Thinking like a man, it was perfectly natural for him to conclude that since the Messiah must be a powerful ruler, then Jesus cannot die, must not die. He was bound to man’s thinking, and as a result He could not receive what Jesus said.

At this point someone might object and say, “But we can’t think like God. Doesn’t God say somewhere, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways?’” Does God say that? Indeed, He does. Let’s read it in Is. 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." There it is in black and white – God’ thoughts are not our thoughts, for His thoughts are much higher than ours. Surely that means that we can’t think like God thinks. Then why did Jesus rebuke Peter for setting his mind on the things of men rather than the things of God?

Let’s look at the context of Is. 55:8-9. Let’s simply read verses 6 and 7 along with 8 and 9. Read Is. 55:6-9…
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

That gives us a whole different perspective, doesn’t it? Seek the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let such a man return unto the Lord. And when he does, the Lord will have mercy upon him. When he comes to God, he will find that God abundantly pardons him. But someone might argue with that. “God can’t pardon wicked sinners. Doesn’t the Bible say that every man will be rewarded according to his works. If a person is wicked, God will not pardon him.” But then the Lord Himself speaks and says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. No, you wouldn’t pardon a wicked man. You would make sure he gets what he deserves. But my ways are higher than that. Don’t judge me by the way you think and act. I think differently. Don’t you remember the way my character is described in my Word? “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy” (Ps. 103:8).

Brothers and sisters, aren’t you glad that His thoughts are higher than your thoughts and His ways higher than your ways? Aren’t you glad? If they weren’t, you would be doomed. If God acted like men, you would be the recipient of His vengeance and wrath. That brings us back to the objection that we can’t think like God, because His thoughts are so much higher than ours. Listen to me carefully. Have you ever exercised mercy? When you did, you thought and acted like God. Just because God tells us that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, that doesn’t mean that we cannot attain to His thoughts and ways. It is impossible for man, but “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17). Just study the life of Peter. On this occasion Jesus rebuked him for thinking like men, but the time would come when Peter would beautifully demonstrate that a man can set his mind on the things of God and act as God’s representative. Those of us who are new creations in Christ can and should set our mind on the things of God. We are to increasingly think the thoughts of God Himself.

Now come to that familiar passage in Colossians 3. We quote this passage again and again because it is so foundational for every believer. Read Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

This is another one of those “if’s” that carries the idea of “since.” “Since you have been raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” “Set your affection” is the translation of a single Greek word. Guess which word it is? That’s right – phroneo. Set your mind on things above. Think in a heavenly manner. And who is it that dominates Col. 3:1-4? It is Christ. We have been raised with Him. It is Christ who is sitting at the right hand of God. We died, and our life is hid with Christ in God. When we are told to seek those things which are above, that means we are to set our minds on Christ. Because He is our very life (vs. 4), we are to think like Him. Like Peter, we are to think the thoughts of God. And now we see that we are to think like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now come to Romans 8. In order to get the flavor of this passage, let’s just begin in verse 1. Read Rom. 8:1-7…
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4. That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

In verse 4 Paul speaks of believers fulfilling the law. But how can that possibly be? Surely that is impossible. It is impossible for those who are after the flesh, because they set their mind on the things of the flesh. But those who are after the Spirit, set their mind on the things of the Spirit. The mind which is set on the flesh is not subject to God’s law and cannot be, but it is a different story for the one who sets his mind on the things of the Spirit. For that person there is life and peace. Brothers and sisters, we must not think like mere man thinks, but as the Spirit thinks. But can we do that? Everyone who is after the Spirit can think that way. In verse 9 we see that if the Spirit of God dwells in us, then we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. And if the Spirit does not dwell in us, then we do not belong to Christ.

In short, believers are told to think like God, like Christ, and like the Spirit. This is what makes all the difference in the world. Peter had walked with Jesus, seen the miracles of Jesus, and heard the teachings of Jesus, and yet he was still thinking like a man. But when the Holy Spirit invaded his life, so did a new way of thinking. He no longer set his mind on the things of man, but he began to set his mind on the things of God. As a result, instead of denying the Lord Jesus, He boldly stood before thousands and told them that they had crucified their Messiah and Lord. He didn’t stop there, but went on to tell them how they could receive God’s mercy and pardon.

Now come back with me to the words of Phil. 2:2, “Think the same thing.” That is not an isolated command. Let’s read 2 Cor. 13:11, "Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." Paul tells them to be of one mind. Literally, it reads, “Think the same thing.” Look at Rom. 12:16, "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." Paul tells them to be of the same mind. Guess how it reads literally. “Think the same thing” (toward one another). Then come to Rom. 15:5, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:" Now Paul prays that God will give them the grace to be likeminded. Literally, “to think the same thing” (toward one another). The God who commands us to think the same thing will give us the grace to think the same thing.

Conclusion

So how do we think the same thing? Think about it. A brief study of that little word phroneo gives us a powerful place from which to start. If we are going to think the same thing, we start by thinking like God thinks rather than the way man thinks. We set our minds on things above and not on things on the earth. We can come to the same building, sing the same songs, listen to the same sermons and still not think the same thing. Why is that? Because if we are thinking like man thinks, we will not be thinking the same thing. There is no likemindedness in such thinking. But when we are all thinking like God thinks, we will be likeminded. Let me put it this way: To the extent that we are truly setting our mind on things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God, to that extent we will be likeminded.

Let me try to illustrate that truth. Let’s suppose we are all part of a huge family. Norman and Rita, why don’t you come stand right here with me. We are the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of this blessed union. We love them dearly and we want to help them celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary. (Use your imagination; they will be there in a while, if the Lord tarries). We want this to be a really big deal. Besides all the family, we have invited another 150 people. The day finally arrives and everyone is present. Our mom and dad, our grandparents, may be old, but they are still sharp. They are taking it all in with delight. You suddenly notice that Rachel has entered the back door with the punch bowl. It is that ugly thing you thought was thrown away years ago. She must have rescued it out of the trash and tucked it away somewhere… until now. How you wish she had left it tucked away! Your first reaction is to intercept it before it can be placed on the table. You think you could do it quickly and quietly, replacing it with something decent, after taking Rachel out with one blow or perhaps distracting her in some deceptive way. But then you look at them, the guests of honor. You realize that it is far more important to them that their family live with love toward one another than that the punch bowl be just right. You realize that they aren’t going to notice the punch bowl. And besides, in her heart, Rachel probably thought that ugly punch bowl was appropriate. So you ease over toward Rachel, put your arm around her and say, “Isn’t this a wonderful occasion, Rachel. Hasn’t God been good to us by giving us such loving parents!” Your taste and Rachel’s taste are totally the opposite, but both of you have your minds set on honoring your parents. That is more important than anything else. Tastes in punch bowls do not enter into that equation.

I realize that isn’t a perfect illustration, but do you get the point? You and Rachel were not thinking about yourselves; that is the way man thinks. You were thinking about your parents and what they would want. When we set our minds on the Lord and let Him train us to think like He thinks, we are on our way to likemindedness, to thinking the same thing.

You may not like the way I continue to talk about thinking the way God thinks and the way Christ thinks. You may think that language is too strong. Let me give you a little preview. Phil. 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Guess what little word appears there? That’s right, phroneo. Let me read it to you as literally as I can: “Think this in you which also in Christ Jesus.” “Think this in you which also in Christ Jesus.” Brothers and sisters, Paul is telling us to think like Jesus thinks. Yes, you can translate it, “Have this attitude in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Nevertheless, literally, he is telling us to think like Jesus thought. We will be exploring that more fully before too long.