Four Ingredients for Christians

I. The Beseeching 1 

“If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,”

What I mean by beseeching is that by the Holy Spirit Paul was writing to the Christians at Philippi expressing his desires for them to flourish in Christ. Paul, indeed, cared, but most of all God cares for us and not only was God speaking through Paul to the Philippians, He is speaking to us.

God is pleading with us to consider the consolation of Christ. The Greek word for “consolation” here is paraklesis which, in my mind, is closely related to parakletos, the word from which “the Comforter” is translated (John 14:26). Consolation in this verse means {1} among other things a calling near, summons, (esp. for help); importation, supplication, entreaty; exhortation, admonition, encouragement; comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment.

The love referred to in “comfort of love” is agape love, the same type of love that impelled Christ to go to the cross for us. This is, of course, so much unlike the love the world offers to us, for the love of God is a holy love. It will not tolerate sin.

The “fellowship of the Spirit” should speak to us that our fellowship within the body of Christ needs to be based upon God’s Holy Spirit, and not upon the standards of the world. The Church of Christ is not a club, political party and so on.

The KJV “if any bowels and mercies” is better understood today as “if any affection and mercy.” Given the fact that much has been heard in the past half-century about the fluffy Jesus, we need to understand that affection and mercy can be a “little rough” at times. Christ loved the money changers no less than anyone else, but out of mercy He had to be more stern with them and others. If we carefully read the Gospels we will see there were times that Jesus got somewhat perturbed at His own disciples.

II. The Blessing 2

“Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

We see how the Apostle wanted his joy to be fulfilled by the obedience of the Christians at Philippi. When we obey God’s Word, we bring joy not only to Him but to those that are truly His children. We all can be like-minded by having the mind of Christ (verse 5 KJV, verses 6-8 Williams): “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Though He was existing in the nature of God, He did not think His being on an equality with God a thing to be selfishly grasped, but He laid it aside, as He took on the nature of a slave and became like other men. Because He was recognized as a man, in reality as well as in outward form, He finally humiliated Himself in obedience so as to die, even to die on a cross.”

III. The Building 3

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Pride is the foundation of all sin. When we surrender to Christ, God replaces our pride with Godly self-esteem. He roots out our selfishness and replaces it with His selflessness. Additionally, realizing our own inconsistencies we need to look for the best in others.

IV. The Bearing 4

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Aside from putting our own spiritual health first we need to be ready to minister to others as the Holy Spirit directs and as empowered by Him.

Notes:

{1} From an electronic version of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong incorporated in the Online Bible program.

This article is a form of a message (sermon) outline. God willing, you will find links to the actual message (sermon) sometime hopefully by January 31, 2013 at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M230 .

Holy Scripture, unless otherwise noted, is taken from the King James Authorized Version of 1769. 

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.