The Motives for Spiritual Unity

Why is it important for us to be of one mind?

Why is it important for us to maintain unity in our lives? So if you have your Bible handy, turn to the book of Philippians, and here's John. The Philippians had a special place in his heart and he in their hearts. The positive feelings are basically revealed in the text of the letter. For example, chapter 1 verse 3, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.

Every time I think about you, I'm thankful. Verse 4, every time I pray for you, it is with joy. Verse 5, grateful for your participation in the gospel.

From the first day until now, consistency, endurance. And then you'll notice also in verse 8, he says, I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. There was a genuine love bond between the apostle and this church. Chapter 1 verse 19, he says that I know your prayers shall result in my deliverance and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Commending them for their love and their prayers, their endurance, their consistency in the faith had joyous memories of them. In chapter 2 verse 12, he says, you have always obeyed and I want you to continue to obey. And he commends them for their obedience. They had a pattern of obedience. When he was there, they obeyed and he wanted them to continue doing it even in his absence. In chapter 3 verse 16, he says, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained. He says to them, just keep living by the same standard you're already living by. And again, he commends them for the high standard of spiritual commitment.

That was the pattern of their life. In verse 10 of chapter 4, he rejoices in the Lord greatly because they had shown their concern to him when given opportunity. They had sent him a very generous offering. Down in verse 16, he says, it isn't the first time you sent me an offering.

Even in Thessalonica, you sent a gift more than once for my needs. All of his thoughts about this church were positive. All of his feelings were warm and affirming. And the church had a very special place in his heart. It is also true that they very likely had quality leaders. Back in verse 1 of chapter 1, he addresses the letter to the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi. And he includes the overseers and the deacons who by such an introduction are certainly commended as noble servants of the Lord and the church. In verse 5, when he affirms their participation in the gospel, he is noting for us that they were genuine believers. Verse 7 speaks of their great courage because even in Paul's imprisonment and defense and confirmation of the gospel, they stood with him as partakers of grace. Verse 9 indicates that they had a real love which only needed to abound more and more.

It was already abounding. In verse 19, again, we remind ourselves that they were prayerful. And as I pointed out in chapter 4, they were very generous. There is a very obvious lack of doctrinal exhortation in this epistle because there was apparently no doctrinal deviation. They had not gone astray in terms of theology.

They didn't need to be corrected. There is no immorality in the congregation which is confronted in the epistle. So generally, this is a quality group of people. This is really a devoted, consistent, doctrinally true church. But in spite of all of that, there is lurking in that church a deadly snake with poisonous venom. And that deadly snake is the snake of disunity, discord and conflict which has poisoned so many, many churches. In all of Paul's expressions of joy, in all of his positive affirming characterizations of this Philippian church, there is still lurking in the shadows an issue that is of grave concern to him. And it is this issue of discord and disunity in the church.

And he frames the letter in a sense with that issue. For example, in the first chapter, he speaks of it, verse 27, when he says, I want you to stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. In chapter 4, the last chapter, he speaks of it in verses 1 and 2, when he says, stand firm in the Lord, my beloved, and I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.

Indeed, true comrade, I ask you also to help those women. So in chapter 1 is an urging toward one mind and one heart. In chapter 4, another urging toward one mind and one heart, harmony in the church.

And then in the middle is this second chapter. And the opening verses of chapter 2 also deal with the issue of unity in the church. This is a plea for unity.

In fact, it is the pattern of unity given. It is the formula for spiritual unity as we have entitled our sermon. My constant prayer for this blessed church of which we're all a part is that men will never tear asunder what God has joined together.

But that is a constant battle. And I would say to you that endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the church is easily the most pressing, difficult, and constant activity of spiritual oversight. Unquestionably, it is the major issue of spiritual leadership. You say, well, wouldn't it really not be a problem in a good church, in a doctrinally sound church where people were committed to ministry and committed to the Lord?

Not necessarily so. In fact, William Barclay had an interesting thought about just that kind of church. He said this, there is a sense in which this is the danger of every healthy church. You see, it is when people are really in earnest, when their beliefs really matter to them, when they are eager to carry out their own plans and their own schemes that they are most apt to get up against each other. The greater their enthusiasm, the greater the danger that they may collide, end quote. So the fact that a church has true doctrine and zealous people does not preclude the possibility of discord.

In fact, it may invite it in some ways because of the zeal of such people. Now let me go a step further and say to you that the unity of the church is inward, not outward. When the Bible talks about unity, it is not talking about some kind of outward unity. It is talking about an inward unity. It is talking about something that is internally compelling, not externally controlled. It is more heartfelt than credal.

It is not particularly verbal as much as it is emotional, spiritual. It is the union of hearts and minds and souls in common cause. It's not people just being united because they are in the same container. It's people who are literally attracted to each other because they are pulled by the same power.

Let me see if I can illustrate that. If you have a bag filled with marbles, you have a certain unity. You have one bag full of marbles.

And all those marbles are pushed against each other, packed together. But that which binds them into unity is the container. It's something on the outside that holds them. As soon as you tear the bag, the marbles are everywhere because there's nothing intrinsic or internal to keep them together.

It's purely the package they're in, the container. But on the other hand, if you have a magnet and you put that magnet into some metal shavings, the shavings will all adhere to the magnet. Not because there is an external container, but because there is an internal force. And they are all pulled to each other because they are all pulled by the same force, pulling through each other. And that's how the church is to be.

It is not a collection of marbles in the same bag. It is people who are pressed against each other because they're all magnetized by the same force, which is the power of Jesus Christ. That's the internal unity of the church. We are pulled to each other because we are pulled through each other by the power that pulls, which is Christ. And this is the inward magnetic unity that is essential to the church's joy and effectiveness. This is the true unity of the Spirit. And it's very fragile.

Oh, is it fragile. That's why in Ephesians 4-3, Paul says endeavor, and he uses the verb spudazzo, which means to make every constant effort. He says endeavor or make every constant effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

It takes tremendous effort. As I said, it is easily the greatest task of spiritual oversight and leadership. And so as Paul writes to the Philippian church, as good as it is, as zealous as it is, as loving as it is, as courageous as it is, as passionate as it is, as sympathetic as it is, prayerful as it is, there's still the lurking danger of discord. And discord is such a tragedy in the church, such a debilitation in the church that he pleads with them to do all they can to avoid it. In chapter 1 verse 27, he said, standing firm in one Spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. And there he introduces the subject of unity. Having introduced it in verses 27 to 30, he now goes on to give us clearer insight into the elements that make up this unity in chapter 2. In the first four verses of chapter 2, we have a tremendous section on the formula for spiritual unity. It flows out of what he has just pled for in chapter 1 verse 27. That's why, therefore, is there in verse 1 of chapter 2. It is based on that plea, therefore, having pled for you to have unity, I now instruct you how to have it.

This is very practical. And as we look at verses 1 to 4, we're going to notice three things. The motives for unity, the marks of unity, and the means of unity.

Those are the three points we're going to focus on. The motives for unity answer the question why. The marks of unity answer the question what. And the means of unity answers the question how. Why should we seek unity?

What is unity? And how do we experience unity? That's very simple, very direct, and very practical. Look with me at those four verses. If, therefore, there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love united in Spirit, intent on one purpose, do nothing from selfishness and empty conceit. But with humility of mind, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Now the heart of this passage is the phrase being of the same mind.

That's the main emphasis here. I want you to be like-minded. It's the same thing he said in chapter 1, one spirit, one mind striving together. And now he tells them why he wants them to be of one mind, what he means by one mind, and how they can be of one mind.

Very practical. Let's look, first of all, at the motives. Why? Why is it important for us to be of one mind? Why is it important for us to maintain unity in the church? Why is it important for us to have one spirit, to be striving together, to eliminate conflict, discord, disunity?

Why is it important? Here are four motives in verse 1 and then an additional one in verse 2. Four motives in verse 1 to start with.

Notice them. If, therefore, there is any encouragement in Christ. If, therefore, there is any consolation of love. If, there is any fellowship of the Spirit. If, any affection and compassion.

Now there are the four motives for spiritual unity. Now let me give you some insight into the technical aspects of this verse. The word if introduces in the Greek what is called a first-class conditional clause. The Greeks have different conditions in their if clauses. And based upon the construction of the Greek, you can tell what that if means. For example, if it's a first-class conditional, it means if and it is true. Or if, as the fact is. There is a conditional clause that means if and it might be true. There is one that means if and it is possibly true. But the first-class conditional form of the Greek means if and it is true. So you could substitute another word altogether for if and make it clear it would be the word since. Since there is encouragement in Christ.

Since there is consolation of love and so forth. Or better yet, let's use the word because. And that's exactly what it means. Because of all of these things, these are the driving motives. These are the truths that should compel you.

Now let me take it a step further. He is not speaking of doctrinal abstractions. He is speaking, now note this, of present spiritual experiences. Because you have received encouragement from Christ. Because you have received the consolation of love. Because you experienced the fellowship of the Spirit.

Because you receive affection and compassion. This is not abstraction. This is not distant theology. This is present spiritual experience that becomes the motive for unity. Now let's look at the first one.

And you're going to see how this unfolds and how it applies. Because there is encouragement in Christ. The first one is encouragement in Christ.

That should be our first motive. The word encouragement, paraklesis, means to come alongside and help somebody. The Holy Spirit is called the paraclete, the one who comes alongside and helps. It has the idea of coming alongside someone to encourage them, to counsel them, to help them, to exhort them. And what he is saying is, you who are in Christ have experienced his help.

He has come alongside you. You who are in Christ have benefited from the union with Christ through the attendant encouragement, exhortation, counsel, and help that you have received. And what he is saying here is because Christ has so consistently and faithfully helped you, this is how you ought to respond by being of the same mind. If the great blessing and encouragement of Christ, if the great blessing of his constant forgiveness and constant strength and constant wisdom and constant blessing and constant benediction in your life means anything, certainly you should respond by endeavoring to be of the same mind.

Why? Because that was Christ's great prayer. In John 17 he said, Father, I pray that they may be one, that the world may know that you and I are one. In John 13, 35 he said, By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one for another. The great passion of the heart of Christ was the unity of his people.

And so what is Paul saying? He's saying this, because you have received such continual, gentle encouragement, exhortation, counsel, and help from Christ since the moment of your salvation, since you have been given so much, does not that spur you on to give back to Christ that which is precious to his heart? Does the influence of Christ in your life move you to obedience?

Or are you so ungrateful that you will take, take, take, take but never give? That's the issue. By the way, this is a very powerful point and a very far-reaching spiritual principle, because it focuses, Mark it, it focuses on obedience, follow this, as a very personal response to a very personal relationship. You see, when you sin, it is not so much that you are violating a system of religion. It is not that you are violating a system of theology.

It is not that you are violating a credal structure. It is not that you are going against the organization of the church. When you sin, you are literally violating the intimacy of a relationship between yourself and Christ, if you have received and you have. Constant encouragement, counsel, exhortation, wisdom from Christ is not that motive that you should give back to him what is precious to his heart. He has constantly by grace given you everything precious to you. Can you not give him back what is precious to him? Mark it, when you bring discord into his church, you violate not so much the church and not so much the doctrine of unity as the relationship with Christ.

Look at the second principle. If there is any consolation of love, is the second one. What does he mean? Well, this is the second incentive and what he is saying is, since the loving tenderness of God in Christ has been all of our experience as Christians, since in salvation and sanctification we have known his love and the comfort of his love, we have known that comforting, loving forgiveness and mercy and grace and it has been so abundant to us, shouldn't we be constrained to seek that which is precious to his heart, namely the unity of his people.

That's the same idea. By the way, I believe the first two relate to Christ and the second two the Holy Spirit. The first one mentions Christ, the second one flows out of it, the third one mentions the Holy Spirit, the fourth one flows out of that. The word here for consolation is worthy of note. It's the word paramuthion. I like one translation of it in the lexicon, gentle cheering, gentle cheering. Some have translated it comfort. Basically it has the idea of tenderness, tender counsel. Literally what the word means if you just took the component parts is to speak to someone by coming close to his side, to come close to someone and whisper in his ear. And by the way, this word is never used in the New Testament in any other than a friendly way. It's a word about friendship. It's a word about intimate love.

And that's exactly what we intend to see here. The word agape has to do with the greatest love, the highest love, the supreme love. And so what Paul is saying is, look, because you have been so constantly encouraged in your relationship to Christ, because you have so frequently and so often had the gentle cheering of him coming alongside to speak words of friendship into your own ear, because of that intimate relationship in which he has poured his love and grace into your life, shouldn't you be compelled to give back to him that which his heart desires? And Paul speaks in such tender words because he feels such tenderness in his heart toward these people. There's no abusiveness here. He's not battering them. He's not hammering on them with judgment.

There are no threats here. He does not pound on them with the fear of punishment. He asks them to look at the love of Christ, to look at the constant gentle cheering encouragement of Christ in their life, the constant outpouring of grace. And remember that Jesus prayed for unity, and it was the plea of his heart. And then he asks the Philippian believers, can you take all of this from Christ and not at least give him back that which is most precious to his heart? Because if you can't, you have violated the relationship, the severest of all acts of treachery. You have turned your heel on your own familiar friend.

You have betrayed the one whom you have kissed. It is a form of Judas' treatment. This is Grace to You with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John's current look at how your church can be of the same mind, unwavering in its desire to bring glory to Christ, is titled A Plea for Unity. John, you made the point today that Christians should be unified because all of us as believers have experienced the loving tenderness of God in Christ. And it reminded me, you wrote a book on the love of God, which answers some very difficult questions, questions that all of us as Christians ask from time to time. It's hard, for example, to understand why a God who is love would condemn people to eternity and hell.

But thankfully, the Bible does have some answers to those difficult questions about why. Yeah, I remember when I was thinking about that book, it came about because we were in some controversy, which is not anything new, preaching the truth. But someone said to me, why don't you just write a book that everyone likes? Like, why don't you write a book on the love of God? So I said, great. So I wrote a book on the love of God, and not everybody liked it.

No, they didn't. Because the same realities that are in any other controversial doctrine show up when you start to look at the love of God, and you have to deal with it biblically. The book The God Who Loves will answer the question, how can God be loving and allow what happens in the world to go on? That is the big question that unbelievers ask.

It explores in detail the love of God that he has for humanity on a general sense and the unique love that he has for those who are believers who are his own. So it asks and answers questions like, in what sense is God's love universal? And would a loving God allow the world to be filled with corruption and tragedy and pain? And if God is both powerful and loving, why would he ever allow my life to be turned upside down? How can God be loving yet banish people to eternal hell? These are all compelling questions. And look, you may have some sense of an answer to these questions, but no doubt if you're dealing with non-Christians, they're throwing these questions at you.

A copy of The God Who Loves will give you the answers to help you talk to those folks who bring these questions up. And I wrote the book to present God's love in such a way that the splendor of it will fill your heart. I think it will encourage you. The God Who Loves is available through grace to you, affordably priced. Order your copy today. Yes, this book can help you understand the full scope of God's love and drive you to more meaningful worship. It will also help you understand the difference between God's love for the world and his love for the Church. To pick up John's book called The God Who Loves, contact us today.

You can call us toll-free, 800-55-GRACE, or visit the store at gty.org. The title of this book, again, The God Who Loves. You can order your copy or order a few to give to loved ones at gty.org, or call us at 800-55-GRACE. And when you get in touch, I would also encourage you to pick up a copy of our flagship resource, the MacArthur Study Bible. Its nearly 25,000 study notes can help you grasp truly the meaning of God's Word and see it bear fruit in your life.

The Study Bible is available in the English Standard, New American Standard, and New King James versions of the Bible, as well as several non-English translations. To order the MacArthur Study Bible, visit gty.org, or call 800-55-GRACE. That's a toll-free number. One more time, 800-55-GRACE. Now for John MacArthur and the entire Grace To You staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Keep in mind, Grace To You television airs this Sunday on DIRECTV Channel 378, or check your local listings for Channel and Times. Also, be here tomorrow when John continues his look at Philippians 2 with another half hour of unleashing God's truth, one verse at a time, on Grace To You.