Hello everyone – I hope you are as excited as I am to enter into a whole new set of scriptures. Yes, we have completed the series of simple rules and we are ready to delve into another passage: how about Philippians 2?
Oftentimes when I begin to read and study something new, I just become enveloped in it. This is the case for this passage. I just love it, and I continue to learn something new from it every time I look to it. I pray that you are blessed by it too.
I greatly encourage each of you to read the entire chapter as it will be so helpful in strengthening your walks with God; however today, we will focus on a few specific verses.
This chapter, Philippians 2, focuses on having humility, being humble just like Christ. In a nutshell, it says we must live to Christ’s example. Philippians 2:1-2 says: “If there be therefore 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, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” As Christ is so encouraging to us and we are so much because of our relationships with God, so can our friendships and relationships be with others – friends, family, loved ones, church family, neighbors, co-workers, and even strangers we pass every day. We are so very blessed that we know how much God loves us. We are wonderfully benefited simply because we know that we can go to our Lord with our praise as well as our concerns. So many people don’t know Christ and do not realize the value of having such a close, personal relationship with God.
But for those of us who do, we are ever grateful. Knowing this, we must be constant encouragers and friends to others in our lives. This is exactly how Christ was when He walked on earth, and it is exactly how we should be right now. That is what this verse says to me.
Along those same lines, verses 14 and 15 speak about the way in which we ought to conduct ourselves: “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” I know how difficult this is to do in every situation we face, but we should strive to act as blamelessly as possible. Christ was never found complaining or talking behind another’s back, and as such, we should not either – ever.
Let’s skip back to verse 13: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” This verse answers why we need to encourage and befriend our peers. While we know that God lives inside our hearts, how can others know this when we live our lives just like everyone else every day and in every situation? God works in us, and it is His will that we live. I urge us all to realize this and to ensure that others are sure that each of us is a friend of God; each of us has invited Him into our lives.
Lastly, the bottom line to this chapter is such a simple statement found in verse 5. It says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Basically, our attitudes should be just like Jesus’ attitudes! Wow, right? Again, I realize how tough this task is for us; however, it is so vitally important that we strive to live this way.
Again, I encourage you to read this entire chapter. I really, really have learned so much from it and I pray that you do as well.