Thursday, March 24, 2005

Philippians – Being "Right-minded"

Phil 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

Whose “one mind” do we centralize on? Mine? The preacher's?

2:1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, (and there is), if any comfort of love,
(and there is), if any fellowship of the Spirit, (and there is), if any affection and mercy, (and there is), 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Being “right-minded”: Full joy comes in us being like-minded, one-minded, of one accord, but this does not mean being cookie-cutter copies of each other. Looking out for others' interests does not have anything to do with embracing others' affinities, as in affinity-based groupings in the church. It has to do with seeking the well-being of others, as in “love your neighbor as yourself”. It involves lowliness of mind in regard to yourself and looking out for others.

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John and Cindy

John and Cindy
Kings Cross, London UK 2007