“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” Phil 2:12-16 (accents mine)
This is preceded by Paul urging the church at Philippi to consider the nature of Jesus as being equal with God but intentionally taking that mantle off and putting on the posture of a servant and the trappings of humanity with all the joys and weaknesses thereof. This was all in obedience to God’s plan, ending in Jesus’ death and resurrection to His full glory.
It is this humbling of self, and obedience to God, that Paul is asking us to consider when he talks of:
- being like-minded
- having the same love
- being one in spirit
- being in one mind (v2)
- not doing things stemming from selfish ambition or vain conceit
- valuing others above ourselves
- not looking just to our own interests but to the interests of others
This should not be difficult, Paul says, but should naturally stem from the fact that we are united with Christ, and that we are able to be comforted by his love and to share in His Spirit.
A couple of notes: by our esteem of others, by holding on to God’s word and in taking on the mindset of Christ, we will naturally be led to complain less, and in doing so, stand out amongst others in an increasingly depraved world.
Out With The Old 