Unity among Christians is an important factor in Paul's joy and yours.
"...[M]ake my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." - Philippians 2:2
Here, he pleads with his friends in the church at Philippi to be united, and I pass it on to you.
You can experience joy in God through Jesus by being united with a body of believers. In order for this to happen, the individuals in said group of believers (including you) must:
1) Point his head toward God.
2) Point his heart toward God.
Pointing your head toward God.
Paul asks his friends to be like-minded. To be of the same mind. To think the same way. To have the same mindset. To think in the same direction - toward God.
Within the church, different directions of thinking cause disunity. When individuals are thinking according to their personal experience, their feelings, hearsay, what others might say, etc., there is no unity of mind.
Colossians 3:2 says that Christians should set their minds on things above, not on earthly things. We are to think Godwardly. This means that you must think about:
- people,
- situations,
- decisions,
- opportunities,
- etc.,
according to God's perspective and not man's.
This can only happen when you read your Bible - a lot. Then it will start to shape your thinking.
Pointing your heart toward God:
Paul also asks his friends to share the same love. To maintain the same love. To love in the same direction - toward God.
What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).
How quickly we forget this one and move on to the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31).
Settling for second best in this regard will cause us to miss the joy of Christian unity. It can't be found by only looking toward each other with love. It's found by first looking toward God with love together.
Like all horizontal lines must point to the vanishing point in a perspective drawing, all heads and hearts must point to God in order for the church to experience joyful unity.
Pointing your head and heart toward God will make you the kind of person who can experience the joy of unity with other Christians.
"...[M]ake my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." - Philippians 2:2
Here, he pleads with his friends in the church at Philippi to be united, and I pass it on to you.
You can experience joy in God through Jesus by being united with a body of believers. In order for this to happen, the individuals in said group of believers (including you) must:
1) Point his head toward God.
2) Point his heart toward God.
Pointing your head toward God.
Paul asks his friends to be like-minded. To be of the same mind. To think the same way. To have the same mindset. To think in the same direction - toward God.
Within the church, different directions of thinking cause disunity. When individuals are thinking according to their personal experience, their feelings, hearsay, what others might say, etc., there is no unity of mind.
Colossians 3:2 says that Christians should set their minds on things above, not on earthly things. We are to think Godwardly. This means that you must think about:
- people,
- situations,
- decisions,
- opportunities,
- etc.,
according to God's perspective and not man's.
This can only happen when you read your Bible - a lot. Then it will start to shape your thinking.
Pointing your heart toward God:
Paul also asks his friends to share the same love. To maintain the same love. To love in the same direction - toward God.
What is the greatest commandment? Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).
How quickly we forget this one and move on to the second greatest commandment: love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31).
Settling for second best in this regard will cause us to miss the joy of Christian unity. It can't be found by only looking toward each other with love. It's found by first looking toward God with love together.
Like all horizontal lines must point to the vanishing point in a perspective drawing, all heads and hearts must point to God in order for the church to experience joyful unity.
Pointing your head and heart toward God will make you the kind of person who can experience the joy of unity with other Christians.
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Thanks for your input. May God bless you with deep joy in Him through Jesus.