The Path of Spiritual Progress (Philippians 2:1-4)

In the previous set of verses, Paul had reminded the Philippians of the importance of living in a manner suitable for representatives of the heavenly city as they contact those outside the church. Now, in the next section, he challenges them as to how they live within the church and how they should interact with one another and bring him great joy.

The beauty of unity 

What does one say to a healthy church? We may imagine it would be easier to say nothing apart from commending them for what they had. Or maybe we could do what Paul does here, which is to list the features he would like to see.  

What ideas come to our mind as we look at the four items listed by Paul? We could suggest that Paul was looking for balance in the way they lived, that he wanted them to be a blessing to others, that he wanted them to engage in expressions of brotherly love, and that overall he wanted them to be marked by spiritual beauty. Because we should agree that a church with those features is very attractive. 

From another point of view, we can see that the four features are what every Christian needs to receive as well as give. It was important for the Philippians to give out those features through what they did, and it was important for Paul to receive the encouragement, the comfort, the sharing, the affection and the sympathy. When he would be informed about the progress they were continuing to make, it would bring great joy to him. 

Needless to say, the quality of spiritual life that Paul describes here can only occur in a person or in persons after they have become Christians. Paul’s words illustrate what a sanctified person looks like, what a progressing church looks like, what imitation of Jesus looks like, what righteousness looks like, what a testimony should look like.  

Areas of common interest

Christian unity is both different from and similar to other forms of union. Within society there are various ways in which people unite together. There are political parties, sports clubs, hobby groups. It is possible for Christians to be members of these various bodies, although the reason for membership involves more than their Christianity. What is basic to all such groups is a common interest. The common interest of the church is Jesus Christ, and this common interest overrides all differences, be they distinctions of class, age, gender, or interests. 

In verse 1, Paul mentions four ways of common interest by which Christian progress can be developed. Of course, he is not suggesting that the Philippians select which of the four they are good at and focus on it. Instead he is detailing four aspects of Christian living that should be present at all times in the life of the members of a church.

The apostle, in using the word ‘if,’ is not suggesting that he has any doubts about the motives for unity that he mentions in verse 1. Later in the chapter he gives three example of lives that possessed these motives: the Lord Jesus, Timothy and Epaphroditus. Obviously the Lord Jesus had them in perfect balance at all times whereas the other two were saved sinners. Yet, although they were sinners, they were sanctified sinners who were concerned about the unity of believers.

It is possible that there is a focus on the Trinity in this fourfold encouragement. We see the Son in the phrase ‘in Christ’, we see the Spirit in the phrase ‘participation of the Spirit’, and it may that the Father is intended by the reference to love. The difficulty with this suggestion is that Paul mentions four features, and I think it is a bit inventive to imagine that we should see the Trinity here.

Another interpretation that is made about the four details is that they should be regarded as the ‘four solid legs for Christian unity’ (Boice). Without engaging in such features, a church cannot be united. The obvious deduction from having four ways is that there is sufficient grace available for our needs. It may be best to regard the four ways as four channels through which grace is conveyed among believers in order to maintain the unity that Paul prized so highly.

The first means is encouragement in Christ.‘In Christ’ is a common way of describing spiritual unity between Jesus and his people. The encouragement comes from thinking about the blessings Jesus had given to his people. Through Jesus, they have access to God and from Jesus they receive guidance as he directs his kingdom. One way to think about the encouragement available from Jesus is to consider the various word pictures used in the Bible to describe his relationship with his people. He is the Shepherd of the flock, he is the Vine and they are the branches, he is the cornerstone and they are the living stones in the temple. There is a great deal to encourage believers when they think about Jesus. After all, it is impossible for any true believer to be separated from Christ and his benefits.

The second blessing or means that Paul mentions is comfort arising from love.He does not say that he is referring to God’s love or to the love of his readers, so probably he is referring to both. One only has to read 1 Corinthians 13 to see the importance of love and the description given there by Paul makes it very clear that true love always leads to involvement in the lives of other people. When a Christian ceases to practice those basic activities of love, he or she is already a backslider. The church in Philippi had already expressed love for Paul by sending him a gift. But he wanted them to have other expressions of love as well from one another.  

The third means was participation in the Spirit.Every Christian shares in the Spirit: ‘You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him’ (Rom. 8:9). The Spirit performs many activities within a believer and a church. He mortifies their sins, he witnesses to their salvation, he strengthens their prayers, he gives them spiritual gifts, and many more. Yet Paul is aware that it is possible to grieve the Spirit: ‘And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption’ (Eph. 4:30). Every sin has the potential to grieve the Spirit.

The fourth means is any affection and sympathy.By these two attitudes, Paul is referring to graces that reveal fellow-feeling between believers. Obviously, he is not doubting that they have shown such feelings towards him in the past. Elsewhere in this letter he mentions their concern for him that had been expressed in practical ways more than once. The same degree of affection and sympathy that they had shown to him should also be shown to one another. It is often the case that a church can find it easy to help those at a distance and at the same time be disagreeing with those that are nearby. 

We should notice the stress that the apostle lays on how his readers think about themselves and one another in verse 2. He divided the process of thinking into three outlooks: mutual love, harmony of spirit and shared purpose. It can help us in understanding what Paul has in mind if we ask what the shared purpose is, and the context indicates that it is to serve one another. Therefore, he wants the church in Philippi to love one another, agree with one another, and serve one another.

The reality is that when people think of one another, each of them must either think that he is more important than them or that they are more important than him. It is not a question of rank, but of attitude and of service. A person can live to help only himself or to help others, but he cannot do both in the church of Christ. And if he does the first, he is preventing the unity of the church developing as it should. The person who keeps a low opinion of himself will consider the needs of others.

The blessing of humility 

Humility is evidence that a person’s mind is aware constantly of the greatness of God. Such a person wants God to be glorified in all that occurs in his own life and in the life of others. He is content to leave his circumstances to the God of providence, knowing that God can open and close doors as he sees fit. In his book Knowing God, J.I. Packer refers to an acquaintance who was denied promotion because of his faith. When Packer commiserated with his friend, he replied, ‘It doesn’t matter. I know God.’ The thought of God was obviously providing comfort for that man, but in addition he had also realised what his greatest privilege in life was, to know God.

Humility is evidence that a person is spending time with Jesus Christ as his disciple. In Matthew 11:29, the Saviour says to his disciples: ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ The teaching of Jesus is effective because it changes the pupils into the likeness of their Master. Unlike school or university, the Christian college of which Jesus is the teacher is a never-ending process. The longer a person spends with Jesus, the more that person will become like him. And Paul stresses here that the characteristic of Christ that he wants his friends to have is humility.

Humility considers the good of others. This is what Paul stresses in verse 3: ‘Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.’ The obvious contrast is that between the devil and Jesus. Satan was marked by pride and self-interest whereas Jesus was marked by humility and interest in others, especially their needs. Perhaps we can put it this way: a humble person does not ask, ‘What is in it for me?’ Neither does he ask, ‘What is in it for others?’ Instead he asks, ‘What is in it for us?’ The humble person approaches each situation from the perspective of the unity of the body of Christ.

Humility is an attractive dress to wear to church. We are used to people putting on better attire when they come to worship God. The best suit that we can put on is humility. ‘Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”’ (1 Pet. 5:5). It is safe to say that a humble person never caused a problem in a church.

Paul desires that his readers make progress in the Christian life. The evidence of progress is seen in a united church and in humble members. The way to maintain unity is by humbleness of mind. In another letter he wrote around the same time as Philippians, Paul said: ‘I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).

Application

Here are three brief comments to think about. First, the gospel takes us from the world of disunity into the place of real unity. Second, the devil will work to destroy unity in a congregation. Third, the degree of unity reveals the spiritual health of a church. Fourth, there can only be unity when people have servant hearts.