Unity in Grace and Humility Breeds Success

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

The goal of the church ought to be to uplift. Unity is the high calling of the Christian, but are we fulfilling our high calling?

Introduction

Would you agree that unity breeds success?  Sadly, we live in a society that preaches that selfish ambition is the key to success.  Such a way of thinking is in opposition to the way of Christ and should not be part of the Christian mindset. 

Paul’s Letter to the Philippian Church

The Philippian church was not like the churches of Ephesus, Galatia, or Corinth.   Those churches dealt with issues ranging from division over ethnicity to poor conduct and going astray from the gospel that Paul addressed in his letters.

The Philippian church was more obedient to the word (Phil. 2:12).  While Paul was in prison, the Philippians sent their pastor to minister to Paul (Phil. 2:25).  The Philippian church had a sense of community and moved with great love, which Paul rejoiced in (Phil. 4:10).

Rather than correction, Paul’s letter to the Philippian church was more to encourage them to continue doing good (Phil. 4:1).  So, in this week’s commentary of Philippians 2:1-13, we are encouraged to move in the same unity.  There is great power when we unite together and move together.

Unity Under One Banner

In Philippians 2:1-2, Paul encouraged the Philippian church to be like-minded, having the same love.  Christians should all share in the same love because all of us have seen and received the same love of God.

The love of God has been shown to us through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Through Christ, we have received mercy, which are repeated opportunities to grow and improve after our setbacks.  Christ laid down His life so that all who believe in Him may have life in their spirit.  

Rightly so, Paul said that nothing should be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in humility, esteeming others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3).  The notion is of what Christ taught: The child of God is to love their neighbor as they love themselves (Matt. 22:36-40).

I have found that American Christianity struggles with these ideals.  We live in a society that encourages competition, being better than the next person.  Such a culture has created an environment that has become more apathetic than empathetic.

The mindset of selfish ambition has no place within a faith that preaches it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).  The selfish mindset is the mindset that leads to greed and covetousness.  When such wicked spirits are born in the heart, people end up moving against each other, despising one another.

The goal of the local church is to uplift its community.  The local church is meant to be a guiding light to all people.  Sadly, selfish ambition, greed, covetousness, and apathy have flooded into many churches today.  In Christianity, we’ve managed to divide ourselves among denominations and races.

If we are so busy moving against and fighting each other, how can we ever progress?  Paul had seen what division was doing in other churches, like the church of Ephesus, and he did not want to see that happen anywhere else.

Love Requires Humility

How do we combat the spirits of division?  In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul pointed to the humility of Christ.

The great humility of Christ

As Paul pointed out in both Romans 8:3 and Philippians 2:7, Jesus gave up His holiness, dwelling in eternity, to become sinful flesh, having no reputation.  Jesus was born in a farmhouse (Luke 2:1-7) and raised in one of the poorest regions of Judea (John 1:45-46). 

Jesus, though born in the flesh, was still holy and righteous and knew no sin.  If there was anyone who could look down on man and condemn man of sin, it would have been Him.  Yet, Jesus made it clear that He wasn’t in the world to condemn anyone but to save those who sought Him (John 3:17).

No better contrast can be shown between God’s love and the love of man than between Jesus and the scribe and Pharisees.  On one occasion, shown in Matthew 9:9-13, Jesus came across a tax collector who was sitting in his booth.  Tax collectors were deemed to be of the lowest form of being in those days.  Yet, Jesus called on the tax collector to follow Him, and the tax collector immediately followed Him.  

This action drew the attention of the Pharisees.  The tax collector threw a feast, and Jesus sat down and ate with the tax collector, his coworkers, and his friends.  At that sight, the Pharisees pondered why Jesus was eating with tax collectors and sinners.

Repeatedly throughout the gospels, it is made clear that the scribes and Pharisees separated themselves from those they deemed to be lesser than them. However, Jesus had no problem sitting with sinners, teaching them, and healing them.  The scribes and Pharisees were in the wrong because they lacked the humility that should dwell in the heart of anyone who would proclaim to be a servant of God.

Learn to be humble

One of the greatest struggles of man has been with pride and ego.  In the book of Genesis, in mankind’s earliest days, we see man’s desire to be royalty and rule over others.  Eventually, “world conquerors” like Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great came along the way and they conquered lands.  In modern times, we still see the same manner of man walking the earth, wanting to be conquerors, creating great division.

If Christ could humble Himself to uplift mankind, why can’t we, who aren’t holy or righteous, do the same?  Ancient societies tore themselves apart because of pride and ego.  I am greatly concerned for what is becoming of our society because of the pride and ego of man.

Again, Paul had seen what this was doing in other churches and did not want to see such happen anywhere else.  Again, the local church is for the uplifting of spirits!  The local church is for helping those who are in need.  Rather than being self-righteous, Paul said that those who are strong in faith ought to bear with those who are weak (Rom. 15:1).

To be more humble in our ways, Christians ought to remember that the Lord bears with us in all of our weaknesses.  Does God cast stones at us when we give in to temptation?  Does God cast stones at us when we sin?  If we confess our sins to Him, the Lord shows us mercy and cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

If we keep in mind how God bears with us in our weaknesses, we can take that same mindset and have it towards others.  Remembering that we are still sinners, though justified through Christ, can keep us humble.  

Too often, believers take on a self-righteous nature, thinking themselves perfect, when the truth of the matter is that none of us are perfect, not yet, at least.  This is why we have certain people who will proclaim they are of Christ, but will also say they don’t need to be forgiven.  Anyone who proclaims to be of Christ but doesn’t think they need to be forgiven is not a sincere believer, and they make God a liar (1 John 1:8,10).

Move with humility

We overcome division today by recognizing that all of those around us are no different than we are.  The wicked and evil try to fearmonger and divide, but we must not give in to such division.  God did not create us to be separated from each other!  God instructs us to love each other as we love ourselves.

This is the mindset that Paul had when he called on the Philippian church to continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, as it was God who worked in them (Phil. 2:12-13).  The believer should always have it in mind that the Lord is watching how we move.  We should move in a manner knowing that God desires for us to love our neighbor.

The sincere believer must move in spirit and in truth.  We cannot be like those who say they have faith, but their every effort is to move out of selfishness.  We must learn to do our very best to live peaceably with all people.  It is when we develop that mindset that communities, and churches, can truly begin to flourish.