The Importance of Being Like-Minded
ICS Daily Devotions
Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV) Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
In the above Scripture, Paul advocates for unity. What was happening in the church of Philippi was an example of members causing discord through their attitudes and actions. The church there was more concerned with its prestige, selfish ambition, and was drawing members away rather than fostering unity within the local church. They were highly opinionated without reason or basis and had an attitude about almost everything. Some of them thought they were superior to the others, and as a result, they were unable to work in harmony. There was spiritual pride among some believers. Pride is the opposite of humility. It is very subtle, and begins with murmuring about the style of teaching, practices, and even the different social strata within the congregation. If such issues are not effectively managed, they will eventually destroy the church. While many mainstream denominations were born out of a revival, others branched out due to church splits.
It is never pleasant to deal with issues in the church and make difficult decisions, but the Apostle Paul had to address some of the problems in the church of Philippi. It is never a good feeling to know that the church you have planted is divided. Nobody wins in a divided church except the enemy, who wants the church to be in strife and divided, rendering it ineffective for the kingdom of God. Nothing can be achieved when a church is divided, as it will lose its witness and effectiveness in the city. Therefore, the house must be put in order before any church can be an effective witness in society.
The church is made up of imperfect people, and it takes time to grow spiritually. It takes time to renew our minds to think like Christ and not let our carnal nature have the better of us. If Christians refuse to grow, they will remain as carnal Christians forever, and the fleshly nature will have ascendancy over the new creation.
1 Corinthians 3:3 (NKJV) for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
We can easily be proud, opinionated, and critical towards leadership, and judge their decisions and how the ministries are being run. The church is filled with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, denominations, and practices, as well as various liturgical traditions. Let us avoid falling into the same trap as the church in Philippi by focusing on the commonalities rather than the differences!
Sermon Series：Unity in Diversity
