Likeminded

“Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” Philippians 2:2

These four things are nearly identical in definition. To be like minded, having the same love, of one accord, of one mind. 

When something is “of one accord” it means that someone or something (as a group of people) does something all together or at the same time. Like an unanimous vote, all of the voters are in agreement and vote the same way.

One of the coolest things that I have seen is those birds (I believe they are starlings) that fly in a swarm through the sky. Just a big black mass of birds, maybe a couple hundred at a time. Left, right, up and down, they all are coordinated and together. You don’t see one or two pull out of the swarm and go off on their own, but they all stick together in their group and soar through the sky.

Our country is composed of 50 different states, but they are all united and together they form the United States of America. They are all together and are all under the law of the Constitution. Now if a state decided to secede, and become their own country, they would no longer be a part of the United States. 

When we are of the same Spirit, we will be at peace with each other, and filled with love and joy. 

“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” Ephesians 4:13

In 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote to the church because he had heard that there were divisions going on. There were some in the church that were not in agreement with each other, and Paul was writing to correct that problem. He wanted them to be of the same Spirit.

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by then which are of the house of Chloe,  that there are contentions among you. 

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

Is Christ devided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Look at all of the denominations of churches. You have Lutherans, Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, just to name a few. And why? Because they are not united under the Word of God. If they were of the same mind in the Spirit, they wouldn’t be divided. When the New Testament was still being written by the apostles, there weren’t different denominations. There were churches in different cities, but they were all united under the teachings of Christ, and they all believed the same things.

And that is what we all need to do. When we all of one mind, there will be no division in the church. There will be no fighting and strife. 

It will be filled with love.

In Christ,

Andrew