Hi everyone,
Sharing a devotional with you from Philippians 2:1-4 – Union with One Another
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
Paul in Philippians 2 is talking about our attitudes towards each other as Christians and how we should treat each other when we have Christ in us. Earlier in Philippian, Paul talks about the conflicts that people have outside of the church and here Paul is talking about the conflicts and how we should act with other believers. Paul wants to give clear instructions on how Christians should be doing life together if we are in Christ. There may have been diversity of opinions and thoughts back then as there are now, however Paul gives us a clear picture of what we are to do with fellow believers and how we should be treating them. Paul wants us to be unified by Christ and put others first as Scripture says.
How many times do we disagree on an issue or differing thoughts and have arguments with those people and end up hurting that relationship? It goes even deeper than on a personal level it can be a difference of denominations and how people cannot get along because of their denomination of Christianity or even in different Faiths. Paul urges us to be of one mind and of one Spirit as we are in Christ. We are to live in unity with each other as Jesus would want us to live and to Love one another even if we disagree with one another on different issues. When we put our interests of others before our own it causes us to have more unity as people of God. May we live in unity with one another as we are in union with Christ and looking for the interest of others rather than ourselves as we reflect our union with Christ.
Blessings,
Esther