Day 3...Philippians 2:3 "be of one mind"

Philippians 2:1-2
(So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy…)
Verse two
…make my joy the ultimate joy and bring it to completion! My joy is this, that on the day you stand in judgment you shall be deemed innocent of all charges of sin. How can you fulfill the purpose of my joy? By having a genuine common mind; sharing interests, ideals, goals, ambitions), having a mutual love and working in complete harmony. You must do this!

Paul is very clear today on the purpose of Christ’s love, comfort, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, sympathy and affection. Often we focus on what Christ did (putting aside the pre-existing glory He shared with the Father) and forget to ask the pressing issue why it was done.

I often ask followers of Christ why they think Jesus drank to the dregs the cup of wrath that He was given (Isa 51:22). As I am sure you would guess the common answer is “love” quoting John 3:16. True, but this is half the answer. It was for love, but not for ours alone. It was done to glorify His name. Christ died for us so that we might in turn die to ourselves so that we might, as Jesus did for us, live for others. We share in the sufferings of Christ in this mortal life, as did Paul, to bear witness to Jesus.

How can humans have the mind of Jesus and be as unified in purpose as the Holy Spirit is with the rest of the God Head? How can those who have all turned to their own desires and purposes (Isa 53:6) be of one mind? The key lies in Romans 12:2. In being transformed (the word that is used here is the one from which metamorphosis is derived), there is a “great reversal” in that the heart/mind that was bent inward to the self for fulfillment and desire is pointed outward to God. The word used in Romans 12:2 is a passive imperative, giving the weight of “it must be done to you”. It is a work that we cannot accomplish ourselves.

So, Paul is telling us in verse two that the fulfilled joy of Christ in him is to see His people unified in Spirit living as an organic body, which will bear witness to the world that with Christ, nothing is impossible. Living in such harmony without being transformed is impossible.

Are you living in harmony with God, with your family, with your community? Paul urges us here to not to change the other, but to examine and change yourself. We are to love when hated, sacrifice when taken advantage of, forgive when assailed….for this is exactly what Christ did for each and every one of us.