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Be Like-Minded

             Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in 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 of one mind. (Philippians 2:1-2)

Where do you fit in this verse? Do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? Do you get any comfort from his love? Do you have any common sharing in the Spirit? Have you received any tenderness and any compassion? Ever?

For most of us, the answer is “Yes,” and that moves us to the next part of the verse, the “then make my joy complete by…” part. What would make Paul’s joy complete? Our being like-minded, having the same love, and being one in spirit and of one mind. But being all those things with whom? For some reason, as I’ve considered this passage in the past, I’ve thought that it was about being all those things in my relationship with other people.

There’s a good reason for this. A few verses later, Paul wrote about our relationship with other people. But at least for a moment, I’d like us to consider that we’re not being called to pattern ourselves after other people, to be like-minded with them. Our example is Christ. And the obvious answer to this is, “Well, duh,” but for some reason, today, that’s the key.

If we have any of the first things listed, then we are to be like-minded with Christ, have the same love as Christ, being one in spirit with Christ, and of one mind with Christ as we relate to others. It’s not about getting along with others, and it is most certainly not a standard that others have a right to use against us, saying, “You may not disagree with the Church. Whatever we believe, you must believe. Whatever we consider important, you must consider important.” Nor is it a standard we can use against them.

This isn’t antinomianism. I’m not suggesting that there are no standards to which we, they, or the Church cannot hold others (or us) accountable. There are plenty of things mentioned specifically in Scripture that are standards for us. But our standard isn’t “them.” It’s Christ.

And as we and they, or the whole Church, become like-minded with Christ, we will inevitably become like-minded with those who are also becoming like-minded with Christ, etc. We will begin to living out the giving of encouragement, comfort, love, etc. because we will reflect what we have received instead of acting like a black hole.

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