Unity among Believers

“Therefore if 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.” (Philippians 2:1-2)

Paul sets up a minimal scenario, which should be so obviously the case among Christians that their only response would be, ‘Of course!’ He says if there is any encouragement in Christ. He says if there is any consolation of love. And again he stipulates, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, any affection and any compassion. If the answer to these conditions is ‘Of course,’ then there should be no trouble in making Paul’s joy complete by being of the same mind. With these characteristics in any amount, (encouragement in Christ, consolation of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and compassion) then the possibility of their being of the same mine should be no problem. There should be no problem in maintaining the same love, or being united in spirit and intent on one purpose.

We tend to get this whole ‘flow chart’ back to front. We think we need to be intent on one purpose, united in spirit, having the same love and being of the same mind, then we would be encouraged in Christ, have the consolation of love and fellowship of the Spirit, and have affection and compassion.

Perhaps you have found yourself in a place where there are no other Christians of your particular brand. They are ‘high church,’ or they are ‘charismatic,’ or ‘bland,’ or  ‘too modern,’ and you are not any of these brands. But there is no other fellowship and you find yourself with these others and find that they too have experienced the encouragement in Christ for they have encouraged you with it. And lo, they have fellowship in the Spirit as do you. Voila! You are indeed of the same mind, maybe not in the particulars, but in where it counts.

Christ and His blessings are the sources, not the end. We want to get to His blessings by means of some agreement together with other believers, that sameness in mind, love, spirit, and purpose. No, start with Christ!

Heather Jean Torosyan