Something that every car owner should know is the importance of keeping their engines full of fresh, clean oil, because the oil in an engine is an essential piece that keeps it running smoothly and efficiently. But what happens if you take and pour in a few cups worth of water and sand into your engine? In a short amount of time you will completely ruin your motor, as the sand and water works its way into the places where the oil should have gone, and destroys the motor from within.
This example I have used to try to illustrate what Paul had written to the Phillipian church. In this passage, Paul wrote that he had wanted the church to be united in the Spirit of God, all striving together for the gospel.
Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;”
To “stand fast” is a phrase that isn’t used too often today, but it means to be “firm against attack; fortified by nature or art; impregnable; strong; steadfast, with unwavering feeling.”
So Paul was teaching that they needed to be strong and unwavering in their faith, and not just some of the people in the church, but he wanted them all to be united and of one mind. They all needed to believe the same things, and all in agreement in the truth of the scriptures.
Being of one mind and spirit is the oil in the engine. When foreign substances such as that water and sand enter in, it makes that engine break down and stop working as it should, just as an un-unified spirit can cause problems in the church.
This was such an important thing that Paul reiterated this again in the very next chapter.
Philippians 2:1-2 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
Notice the pattern here? Like-minded. Having the same love. One accord. One mind. Being filled with the unity of the Spirit.
Do you know who else wrote nearly exactly the same thing? Peter did. Peter was filled up with the same Holy Spirit as Paul, and his writings show this in 1 Peter 3:8.
“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:”
Fighting and contention have no place in the church, because it is not love. Fighting and contention is like pouring that sand in the motor, it just does not work. It is not being in the unity of the Spirit of Christ. The Holy Spirit is one Spirit, not many. It does not fight against itself. We have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-and they are in perfect agreement because they are all one in Spirit. We need to be this same way towards each other. .
When there was sin in the church, Paul had those individuals removed from the congregation because their unrepentance. He didn’t want the rest of the church to begin to believe that that kind of action was permittable, so he firmly rebuked them so that they would all be brought back into the unity of the spirit.
Remember, there is one Holy Spirit. Not two or three. Just one. There is one Lord, Jesus. Not many. One way to heaven, not multiple. Let us as servants of Christ be united in that Spirit.
In Christ,
Andrew
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 