The Important Stuff

Philippians 2:1 - 2 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.”

Being like-minded. What exactly does that mean? Does it mean we have to agree on everything? If so, then we will have a hard time finding any two people, much less any group of people, who are like-minded.

Paul was probably addressing the issue of a petty dispute which had arisen between two women in the Philippian church - Euodia and Synteche (Phil. 4:2). He never mentions the reason for the dispute, possibly because it wasn’t important. Instead, he wanted his readers to focus on the important issues of Christianity.

Many of you reading this are Christians. And as Christians, we have a fellowship, a unity with one another because we are joined in Christ. Yet, some of you are Baptist, some Lutheran, some Methodist, some Church of Christ, some Pentecostal, some Catholic, some charismatic . . .

As Christians, we don’t always agree on everything, do we? Yet, we are still in fellowship with one another. We are still united in our belief that Jesus is the one and only Son of God, and that He died on the cross in our place, to take the punishment for our sin. He rose again on the third day, and was victorious over death! It is only because He paid a price that we could never pay ourselves that we can have a relationship with God, and can spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Because we believe those things, we are like-minded, and we have fellowship with one another. We don’t have to agree on everything - just the important stuff. And disagreement doesn’t have to mean division! We can choose to disagree on minor issues, as long as we do so in a Christ-like way. We are already united in Christ. No matter what, for all of eternity, we are brothers and sisters. Now, we must act in unity, and treat one another with the same love, compassion, tenderness, encouragement and comfort that Christ has shown each of us.

Dear Father, Thank you for generously giving me your love, compassion, comfort, tenderness, and encouragement. Please help me to show that same generosity to other people. Please help me not to focus on silly, petty things, but instead, help me to concentrate on sharing Your love with the world.

Amen