Paul doesn’t waste ink. When he writes such things, it is because he has learned somehow that not all is well in the Philippian Church. There is fighting without and friction within.

External opposition cannot prevail against the church. But internal strife and selfish ambition can destroy any church. Their condition is not yet critical. But the symptoms are alarming enough to make Paul nervous.

Therefore, the first imperative in today’s text is, “Complete my joy.” How? By bringing their behaviour into alignment with the character of Christ. Paul’s joy does not depend on their behaviour. But the health of the church does. And this in turn affects Paul’s joy. For they are his “joy and crown” (Philippians 4:1).

Paul broods over this church like a loving parent fretting over a feverish child (Philippians 2:28). He is deeply concerned for their “progress and joy in the faith” (1:25). He wants them to rally as one in the face of opposition so that the Gospel will flourish in Philippi. Then both he and they will get a top-up of joy.

Therefore, Paul makes an urgent plea for unity, humility, and mutuality, not based on human ethics or philosophy, but on the character of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit (Philippians 2:1).

This Trinitarian foundation is what makes the Church the one place on earth where real relationships can exist and flourish. Where else can you find a community of single-minded souls who do nothing for their own glory, who esteem others better than themselves, and put the needs of others ahead of their own? Nowhere on earth.

This is the path to peace and joy, unity and harmony in the Philippi Church and in any church. But Paul is just getting started. He will shortly follow up on this appeal with four role models of humility and sacrificial service for the sake of others.

The shining examples include Christ (Philippians 1:6-11), Timothy (Philippians 2:19-24), Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30), and Paul himself (Philippians 3:4-17).

Here is apostolic counsel at its best. This is Paul’s remedy for all the posing, posturing, and positioning in the church. This is the mind of Christ. Make it your mind.

Pray Now

The world is more divided today than ever. “Our capacity for social relationships is sorely tried; there is a growing tendency to withdraw, to do it all by ourselves, to stop making an effort to encounter others and do things together” (Pope Francis, Dec 2021).  

1 Division is demonic. Unity is divine. Pray: Lord, unite our hearts to so love You and fear You that we will love what You love and hate what You hate. Open our eyes to see how disgusting selfish ambition is. How disfiguring human conceit is. How demonic and destructive disunity is. Open our hearts and minds to perceive how pleasant, how precious, how refreshing unity is (Psalm 133). Sharpen our spirits to discern how contagious and how powerful our unity is when we are Christ-centred and Gospel-driven – “loving Singapore together, turning Singapore Godward!”

2 How are relationships in your home church? Pray this truth and let it sink deep into your spirit, soul, heart, and mind: Since we are already blessed with the encouragement, comfort, affection, and fellowship of the Father, Son and Spirit, we ought to relate to fellow believers with nothing less than that same encouragement, comfort, affection, and fellowship. Will you do your part? Beware the snare of pride and prejudice. Settle any petty differences. Turn to the Lord in personal repentance. Pray for church-wide repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Pray for one heart, one mind. For deeper bonding regardless of race, language, generation, gender, education status, socioeconomic profile, or nationality.

3 How are relationships in the Church at large? May we model our unity in Christ – in thought, word, and deed – before a watching world. A refreshing unity, humility, and mutuality motivated by the character of Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Spirit. May we be a relational community that is other-oriented and void of selfish ambition, regardless of our distinctives and different ministry philosophies. May we esteem other church streams as more significant than ours, and treat their interests as more important than our own.

4 Pray for the Church to live out Jesus’ plea for unity: “I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me” (John 17:23).

5 To live is Christ. Agree in prayer for greater unity among pastors in our city: Love one another. Keep no record of wrong. Speak well of one another. Pray regularly for each other. Affirm one another’s gifts and callings. Stand with each other in pain and failure. Rejoice in the success of others. Desire that others surpass them in every way. Seek God’s agenda for Singapore together. Collaborate and share resources with no strings attached.

6 Declare: There is One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God, One Father. There is One Vine, many branches. We are one Church, many congregations. One Body, many members. We are One in Christ!

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