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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>Therefore
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>if
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>there is “mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>any
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>encouragement
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>in
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>Christ
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>if
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>there is “mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>any
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>consolation
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>of
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>love
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>if
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>there is “mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>any
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>fellowship
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>of the “mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>Spirit
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>if
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>any
“strongs”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>affection
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>and
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>compassion
“mso-bidi-font-style: normal;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>make
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; color: #333333;”>my joy
“strongs”>complete “4”> “strongs”>mind same
“strongs”>love spirit,
“strongs”>intent purpose.
“mso-spacerun: yes;”> “strongs”>nothing id=”d”> or
“strongs”>empty with humility of
“strongs”>mind “strongs”>regard another as
“strongs”>more merely look out for your
“strongs”>own interests, but also for the interests of others. –
“strongs”>Philippians 2:1-4 “font-family: Verdana;”>
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As a way for
us to show appreciation to God for His grace, Paul compels us in
Philippians 2:1-4, to be unified in our service to Christ and our
fellow man.
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At the
beginning of this passage, Paul uses the grammatical condition
“if…then” to encourage
unified service. If something has happened in our lives, then there
is a certain way that we should live in response. In using
this technique, Paul is saying that since believers have
experienced God’s grace, then we have the opportunity, and
obligation, to be unified in certain ways.
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Since we have
experienced God’s grace through Christ, His true love that does
what a person needs and not necessarily what a person wants, and a
new partnership with the Holy Spirit and other believers, then we
should be unified in thought and deed, unified in love for others
(as Christ loved us), and unified in our intent and purpose in
life.
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Paul tells us
what unity looks like. Unity is not selfish or motivated by selfish
ambition or conceit. Instead, it treats other people with humility
and esteems other people better than itself. Unity does not just
look after itself.
Instead, it looks out for the interests of others.
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We have
experienced the grace of God, and in response to that, we should
work together for God’s kingdom. Paul says that we should have this
attitude because Christ had this attitude. Unity has the same mind
that Christ has.
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Since we have
been blessed by God, we should be a blessing to others. We should
be unified as brothers and sister in Christ, as a church, to work
together and serve each other for God’s glory and the growth of His
kingdom.
