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In your relationships with others, have the same attitude as Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5, NIV)
The church at Philippi faced many challenges, one of which was its unity. Relationships were challenged – so much so that at one point, Paul even names two culprits (Euodia and Syntyche)! (4:2) His longing is that, in the face of external pressures, church members be striving together for the faith of the gospel. It will be difficult to be Jesus’ witnesses if they are divided. But what is the secret of that unity?
This is where Philippians surprises us. We tend to think of organisational solutions. Get the leadership structure right, and that will fix everything. The New Testament does have material on leadership and structures, which I have myself been studying recently as part of a personal project. But that is not what Paul emphasises in this letter. Instead, his focus is entirely on attitudes.
Most famously, in the passage above in Philippians 2, he urges the attitude of Christ Jesus – an attitude of humility, which always seeks to serve others. This was the attitude that took the Lord Jesus to the cross for our sakes – an attitude the Father clearly loves. This is an attitude mirrored in the lives of Timothy and Epaphroditus, both men known to the church at Philippi. Self-importance and self-serving degrade unity, but humility and putting others first strengthen it.
In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that the whole letter is about attitudes. A naive attitude to false teaching will allow it into the church (3:2), and that will certainly lead to disunity. Very possibly, Paul’s exhortation do not be anxious about anything (4:6) is because over-anxiety about issues can also lead to disunity. More positively, an attitude of rejoicing in the Lord (3:1, 4:4) – consciously bringing to mind our wonderful Lord and revelling in Him – can only build unity, as can an attitude of gentleness (4:5).
I am so thankful for the unity we enjoy as a church, and for these Christ-like attitudes which I see modelled in so many. But I don’t take it for granted: churches can become fractious, as Philippians (or both Corinthian letters) show.
Here, then, we have powerful secrets of Christian unity. And they lie principally in attitudes, not organisation. You can have the best organisation in the world, but it will be entirely dysfunctional if these attitudes are missing. The way to real unity starts in each of our hearts.
