"Details of Likemindedness" -- 12/13/09

Sunday, December 13, 2009

THE DETAILS OF LIKEMINDEDNESS
Phil. 2:2-4

How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity (Ps. 133:1). I remind you again that it is not only good for brothers and sisters to dwell together in unity, but it is pleasant. When the body of Christ is operating as it should, we find joy in our fellowship with one another. Let me give you an example. [Have two brothers come in through the door. They are patting one another on the back and having a great time. Ask one of them, “What do you think of all the snow?” He looks at the other man and says, “I think whatever he thinks.” “And what do you think of the snow?” He answers immediately, “I think whatever he thinks.” “So the two of you are really together in your thinking?” One replies, “If he thinks we are.” “Do you ever disagree?” One them turns to the other, “Not unless he thinks we disagree.” Please sit down before you drive us crazy.] That is not an example of dwelling together in unity. Paul tells the Philippians to think the same thing. That was not an example of what he meant.

So what did he mean? To get our minds together and back to our text let’s read again Phil. 2:1-4…
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.

Technically, the command of verses 2-4 is, “Fulfill my joy by being likeminded, by thinking the same thing.” Nevertheless, it is obvious that the focus is not so much on Paul’s joy as upon the importance of them thinking the same thing. Paul’s joy will be a desirable by-product of their likemindedness. Last week we took a look at the phrase “think the same thing.” How can we think in such a way that we will think the same thing? Last week we looked at some other passages that use the same word (phroneo) that is used here in Phil. 2:3. After Peter confessed truthfully that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus reminded Peter that he didn’t come up with that on his own, but it was the Father in heaven who revealed it to them. But then when Jesus told His apostles that He would be mocked and even killed at Jerusalem, Peter rebuked him and said it would never be so. That’s when Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan; you are an offense to me, because you do not mind the things of God but the things of men.” Jesus rebuked Peter because he was now thinking as a man and not thinking the thoughts of God. In Colossians 3:1-4, Paul told the Colossian Christians to set their mind on things above. And what is the significance of that? That’s where Christ is sitting. We were raised with Christ. We died, and our life is hid with Christ in God. Christ is our very life. We are to think like Christ. And then we read in Rom. 8:4 that we who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit fulfill the righteous requirement of the law. How can it be? It is because “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” (Rom. 8:5). We are to think like the Holy Spirit. It is as we think like God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit that we will think the same thing.

The key is not for us to try to think alike, but to think like God. His thoughts are much higher than our thoughts. For that reason, we must set our minds on Him until we think like He thinks. This is that renewing of our minds that we read about in Rom. 12:2.

This morning we are going to look at this idea of thinking the same thing from another angle, as we come back to our text here in Phil. 2:2-4. Let me remind you again of the structure of this passage. There is only one command in verse 2-4, and that is, “Think the same thing” in verse 2. Regardless of which translation you are reading, it probably reads as if there were at least three commands. If you ask me why English translations don’t preserve the original structure of the language, I can’t give you a good answer. If you need me to show you, I would be happy to do so. If you want to read a translation that does preserve the structure, read “Young’s Literal Translation.” Because it is old, it uses King James language, and it doesn’t supply words to make it smooth, but you will see that there is only one command.

After the command, the rest of verses 2-4 is carried on the weight of four participial phrases. We looked at it on the screen last week; let’s look at it again…

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

All of these phrases either describe what it is to be likeminded or show how to become likeminded. In other words, “Think the same thing… that is, having the same love, thinking the one thing, esteeming others better than self, looking also on the things of others.” Or, “Think the same thing by having the same love, thinking the one thing, esteeming others better than self, looking also on the things of others.”

Now we are going to begin to look at each one of these phrases in order to learn more about what it means to think the same thing, to be likeminded, to dwell together in unity.

I. Having the Same Love

Notice that when Paul begins to give the details of likemindedness, he begins with the concept of love. Paul is a man after the heart of our Lord. When the scribe came to Jesus and asked, “Master, what is the great commandment in the law?” what did Jesus tell him? “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:37-40). And Jesus Himself was following the lead of what is written in Deuteronomy 6: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Dt. 6:4-5). Love is at the heart of everything, and Paul recognizes that truth. The very first thing he says in detailing likemindedness is, “having the same love.” If you are truly thinking the same thing, you will have the same love.

Now comes the logical question: “What love is that?” What is the love we just read about in the scriptures? Love for God and love for neighbor. While Jesus said that all the law hangs on those two commandments, Paul sometimes boiled all the law down to just one of these commandments. Which was it – love for God, or love for neighbor? While we might think it would be love for God, because that is where love for neighbor comes from, we find it is just the opposite. We read in Gal. 5:14, "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (We find the same thing in Rom. 13:9-10). Surely Paul did not believe that a person can come to love his neighbor as himself before he comes to love God supremely. Rather, it seems most likely that Paul was assuming love for God, for no one can love his neighbor if he has not first come to love God. On the other hand, it is love for neighbor that gives practical evidence of love for God. It is easy to say, “I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, and strength.” “Then show me by loving your neighbor as yourself.”

We must pause at this point to insert that other great truth about love. It may not exactly fit into our focus this morning, but it is important that we never talk about loving God without this. Why do we love God? There is only one reason, and it is found in I John 4:19. Let’s quote it together: “We love him, because he first loved us.” Again in I John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Praise God that He first loved us!

Now come back to Phil. 2:2, “Having the same love.” What love? Love for God and love for neighbor. So was Paul talking about both love for God and love for neighbor? Or is does he have in mind one or the other? I don’t believe we have to choose between the two, because they can’t be separated. If you truly love God, you will love your neighbor. If you love your neighbor, it is the proof that you love God. The two are like Siamese twins, like two peas in a pod. Brothers and sisters, when we are likeminded, we will have this same love. We will be loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves.

We could read large portions of scripture that emphasize the importance of this love. We have already read that God first loved us before we could love Him. We not only find that truth in I John, but we also find it in Ephesians. There was a time when we were all spiritually dead. We were not capable of this kind of love. Dead people don’t love. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, has made us alive with Christ (Eph. 2:4-5). It was out of His great love that He gave us life in the first place. We need to remember that. We were born in the cradle of His love. No wonder we then read in I John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

Jesus further defines this love in John 15. You remember what He said to His disciples: “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Not only are we to love one another, but we are to love one another even as He loved us. Probably next week we will begin to look at how Jesus loved us. As we do, remember that we are commanded to love one another in the same way.

Can you see how true unity has this common love as its foundation? Do you see why Paul begins with love? When we truly love one another with His love, thinking the same thing will not be difficult. Oh that God might fill us with His love. We already have this love, “because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” May we long to let that love flow through us unhindered.

II. Thinking the One Thing

Phil. 2:2, “Fulfill my joy by thinking the same thing – having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Now we are dealing with the words, “being of one accord, of one mind.” Literally it reads: “one-minded (one-souled), thinking the one thing.” We might read it, “with one soul thinking the same thing.” This word I am translating “one-minded” is made up of two words: “together with” and “soul” (life). Paul is talking about soul mates who together set their minds on the one thing. You can see that this is very similar to the command, “Think the same thing,” but now it is “the one thing” rather than “the same thing.” When we are truly likeminded, we will together be thinking the one thing.

What is Paul trying to say? I gave it a lot of thought. Finally, I thought of what I call the “one thing” passages. If you have been around here very long, you have heard them. I refer to them quite a bit. I suppose it is because of my own life. I have a great tendency to be a divided person. I am the kind of person who can take up a hobby on a whim. Some of you know some of the time wasters I have taken up in my past history. David says in Ps. 86:11, “Unite my heart to fear thy name.” Too often I don’t have a united heart. I don’t think the one thing. Now if that can be a problem for an individual, how much more for a group of people?

Let me mention two of these “one thing” passages. The first is Ps. 27:4, "One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple." The verses before this speak of war conditions. Nevertheless, David’s great prayer is not for safety, but rather that he might be in the presence of the Lord forever. Notice the first words – one thing. That was his focus. Above all else, he desired the presence of the Lord.

Then come to that familiar passage in Luke 10. Let’s read it again… (Lk. 10:38-42)
Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Martha was doing something very important, but she was also very troubled by the fact that her sister Mary wouldn’t help her. With regard to that troubled, anxious attitude, Jesus said to Martha, “One thing is needful.” Martha was serving. She was working hard to serve her Lord. Nevertheless, Jesus said that one thing was needful. And what was that one thing? To bring her attention to the one thing needed, Jesus pointed to the sister at which Martha was upset. Jesus said that Mary had chosen that good part, that one thing that was needful. And what was it that Mary was doing? The only thing we read about Mary is this: “Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard his word.” That’s it. Though serving a meal for Jesus was very important, Mary chose the one thing that was of even greater importance. She sat and listened to Jesus. Mary wasn’t neglecting anything; she was riveted on the words of Jesus.

Think about Mary for just a moment. Some people might think she was lazy, but that was not the case. The New Testament knows no servant of the Lord more highly regarded than Mary. Mary is the one who took the expensive perfume and anointed Jesus, even though His apostles disapproved of her action. They thought it was a waste. That perfume could have been sold for a year’s wages and given to the poor. But Jesus commended Mary for what she did, for she had anointed his body for burial. How did Mary know to do such a thing? If even Jesus’ own apostles chastised her for it, how could she have the wisdom and the courage to anoint Jesus at this time? Surely it is no accident that she had sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His Word. Her insistence upon remaining in Jesus’ presence prepared her to serve Him in a way that has been memorialized for ages to come.

What would happen if we all were captivated and dominated by that same attitude? What if each one of us just couldn’t get enough of God’s Word? What if each and every one of us let the Word of Christ dwell richly within (Col. 3:16)? Do you see how this is a key to unity, to thinking the same thing?

I once saw a video of a couple of cats that were in perfect sync. They were sitting there together. When one cat looked to the right, the other looked to the right. When one looked to the left, the other looked to the left. Sometimes one of them would suddenly move his head one way or the other, and the second cat would do exactly the same thing. It seemed that someone had gone to great length to train the two of them for an Olympic cat event called “synchronized movement of the neck and head.” It was incredible. But when they moved the camera back, the picture became clear. No one had trained the cats at all. They were watching two guys playing ping pong. The secret to the synchronization of the cats’ movements was the fact that they were watching the same ball. Because they had their entire focus on the same thing, they were in perfect sync. So it is when we focus on the one thing, when we set our minds on the one thing, upon the Lord Jesus and His Word for us.

III. Esteeming Others Better than Self

Now come to verse 3. Please allow me to read it very literally. “Nothing according to strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind regarding one another better than self.” So what does Paul mean, when he speaks of regarding others better than self? First of all, remember the context, which is the body of Christ. Paul is not talking about all people, but brothers and sisters in Christ. But even then, how can we esteem other Christians better than self?

I don’t know that I have the complete answer to that question, but perhaps it begins with how we view ourselves and others. Not one of us knows himself or herself perfectly. Ultimately, it is the Lord who tries the hearts and minds. “The Lord has searched me and known me” (Ps. 139:1). Although I don’t know myself perfectly, I know myself much better than I know you. I can see your outward actions and hear your words, but I can’t know your thoughts and motives. On the other hand, I do know something of my own thoughts and motives. Though the Lord has redeemed me and given me a new heart, I run across things in me that are not pleasing to the Lord. I discover impure motives and attitudes. Even though I tend to assume that you too have some of these impure motives and attitudes, I don’t know that. In me I see them in living color, but not in you. Therefore there is a sense in which I must regard you as better than myself.

I want to show you that such thinking is not just a piece of logic, but we find it in the scriptures. Consider the prophet Isaiah. In chapter 5 he pronounces woes on wicked people. Is. 5:8, "Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!" 11, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" 18, "Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope:" 20-22, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:" But then come to chapter 6 and read 6:1-5…
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Isaiah saw the faults in those around him, and rightly so. He prophesied against them in the name of the Lord. There was not a thing wrong with that; he was being obedient to God. He could have been tempted (and probably was) to think that he was better than they. But then when he himself came into the presence of God, everything changed. Now he sees the seraphim, angelic beings who had never sinned. And what are they doing? They cover their face before a holy God. He hears them cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.” It was then that Isaiah cried out in anguish, “Woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. For mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Now there is no temptation to see himself as better than others. Surely he saw even those upon whom he had pronounced the woes as better than himself. Oh yes, he saw their wickedness, but now he has caught a glimpse of his own inner self.

Or consider the apostle Paul, the man who tells the Philippians to consider others better than self. I want to remind you of three statements from the apostle Paul, and I want to give them to you in chronological order. Notice the statement Paul makes about himself in 1 Cor. 15:9, "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." He acknowledges himself to be an apostle, but he makes it clear that he considers himself to be the least of the apostles. But maybe Paul was simply being falsely modest in his immaturity. Well, let’s go forward about six years or so and see what he says in Eph. 3:7-8, "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. 8. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Now Paul does not only regard himself as the least of the apostles, but as the least of all saints. In short, he regards all other Christians as better than himself. And now let’s move forward in time another three or four years and listen to his statement in 1 Tim. 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." Now the apostle Paul proclaims himself to be the chief of sinners. When it comes to sin, Paul claims to be in first place. The more mature he became, the more pronounced this attitude of seeing himself as least of all. Surely this had something to do with Paul seeing himself more intimately than he could see others. Like Isaiah, Paul no doubt saw himself in light of God’s glory.

You will notice that here in Phil. 2:3 that this concept of esteeming others better than self is supported by two clauses. The negative clause comes first – “nothing according to strife or vainglory.” Then the positive – “but in lowliness of mind.” So let’s consider the negative. The word translated “strife” was used in secular society to describe the man who was running for office, especially the man who courted favor by less than honorable means. It speaks of putting one’s self forward. Basically, it is selfishness, which leads to factions. The NAS translates it “selfishness,” while the NIV renders it “selfish ambition.” If you just hang on to the idea of selfishness, you won’t be far off. The word translated “vainglory” literally means “empty glory.” The NAS reads “vain conceit.” It is a rather strong word for pride and conceit. Someone has said that the great enemies of unity are selfishness and pride, and that is what we find here.

Most every translation renders this as a command to do nothing out of selfishness and conceit. I remind you not only that this is not a command, but also that there is no word for “do.” That is why when the King James says, “Let nothing be done,” all the words are in italics except the word “nothing.” They are not in the text, but they are supplied to help it make sense. Literally, it is simply, “Nothing according to selfishness or empty conceit.” Paul is not talking just about doing. This includes action, words, and even thoughts. When we are likeminded, thinking the same thing, not even our thoughts are rooted in selfishness and pride. While actions and words are vitally important, this reaches down to the attitude out of which actions and words come.
Now to the positive soil out of which we esteem others better than self – “but in lowliness of mind.” That is a very literal translation of the Greek word, which is a compound made up of “low” and “mind.” This is the word that is often translated “humility.” You will recognize immediately that this humility is the opposite of pride or vainglory. Rather than being selfish and conceited, we are to be lowly in mind.

Can you see how it is this attitude that enables us to esteem others better than self? As long as we are selfish and proud, we can never do that. Pride always exalts itself. It may not do so outwardly, but when pride rules, I am always lord and master on the inside. The proud person may demonstrate what looks to be humility, but on the inside he is full of dead men’s bones. On the other hand, when we are clothed with humility (I Pet. 5:5), we aren’t threatened by the idea that others are better than us.

Conclusion

That is where we are going to pause this morning. When we come back to this passage, I want us to take some time to look more in depth at humility. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that humility is a close companion to unity. Pride, on the other hand, is a great enemy. I ask you to take some time to think that through. You would do well to spend some time in the Word, seeing what it says about humility.

As you look forward, thinking about humility, also look backward. Go back over verse 2. Think about “having the same love.” The truth is that you as an individual cannot make it happen. You are just one part of the body. On the other hand, it can’t happen unless you do your part. I must let the Lord search my heart, purifying me, that the love He has shed abroad in my heart might flow freely to those around me. As I do that, I am trusting the Lord to do the same in each of my brothers and sisters. Yes, as I pray for myself in this area, I am also praying for my brothers and sisters.

Nor can I make sure by my efforts that we are thinking the one thing, but I can ask the Lord to give me grace to think the one thing. I can ask Him to unite my heart to fear His name. And as I pray for myself concerning the thinking of the one thing, I can pray for you too. And you can pray for me and others.

You might say, “Well, this is a vicious circle. You are almost saying that we need unity to become unified. We need this sense of thinking and working together.” I can’t deny that. But brothers and sisters, don’t forget that we are one in Christ. Galatians 3:28 declares that we are all one in Christ Jesus. Paul doesn’t urge us to become united, but he urges us to guard the unity which the Spirit has already produced in us. We are studying, we are praying over, we are longing to demonstrate unity. The reason we have confidence is because the Lord Jesus died and rose to make us one, and we are one in Him.