Have you ever known that guy (or girl) that just says whatever comes to their mind? The no filter type. They just let it pour out and there's no holding back. That sums up the Apostle Paul. Paul is not one for beating around the bush. He certainly doesn't here. Paul is trying to impress a point. It's one that I try to miss. It's an uncomfortable one that he pressed yesterday. He won't let up today. Again with the unity. To rub it in, he states, "IF you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, IF any comfort from His love...fellowship with the Spirit...tenderness...compassion, then be united with each other! Come on! Make us feel guilty, why don't ya? It is a valid point isn't it? He reminds a bunch of blood bought, grace saved sinners that they had a debt they could not pay and yet they were set free. We need that same reminder. Of course we have been encouraged by our life in Christ, we definitely have been comforted by His love. No doubt we've experienced fellowship that can only happen through the Spirit. So then, do we have a unified mind with other Christians?
Do we treat our church family like family or are they just casual acquaintances? Do we tolerate them for a couple of hours a week or do we cherish them, warts and all? We put up with a lot from our blood family and overlook quite a bit. But truly our Christian family is blood! In many ways we can be closer to the church than our natural family!
How do we become like-minded? We have to be on the same page! Actually the same book. We must be grounded in the Word together. A church will always be at odds if the standard is not God's Word. If we all have our own opinions, we'll never agree. If we study the Word together, we'll grow together.
If we study together, we will begin to love who and how God loves. Something I pray quite a bit, is for God to help me see people the same way He does. To love them like He does. The more we see how lost we are without Jesus, the more it helps us see the great need of others. Our purpose becomes His. We begin to be about the most important thing in the world. Introducing people to their Savior.
Then the toughest part comes. Putting ourselves last. Even more difficult is putting others first. They aren't as good as us. Do you know their personality? How about what they used to do? Or still do? But God never graded on a curve. All are unworthy and all are still loved. Then Paul pours a little salt in the wound. Act like Jesus. If you think you don't have to humble yourself, are you better than Jesus? We wouldn't say that out loud, but we often act that way. I know I do. He is God, but he emptied himself of power for a while. All to be like us; to become one of us, to die for us.
If Jesus could do that for you, don't you think others deserve to know that good news? If we can humble ourselves and try to love our brothers and sisters and the lost people we come in contact with everyday, the world would be much better. Not only would we change eternity, but we would even improve this life! So, have you gotten anything from being in Jesus' family? Then start acting like family! Let's stop going to church and start being the church! The world is watching, let's show them how family acts!
Read Philippians 2:1-11
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