In Philippians 2, Paul exhorts the Philippians to adopt Jesus’ death as their central outlook, their central mindset, for life. Instead of living to get and get and get – more women, more praise, more money, etc. – the Christian is called to imitate Christ, who came to give and give and give. So let’s look at this passage in two parts, and then collect some points of application. First consider the Mind of Christ, and then consider The Hymn to Christ.
The text is all about unity, unity against external pressures and unity against internal ones. What we see is that the Gospel unifies us to make us courageous against external foes and humbles us so that we can be unified against internal struggles like division and rivalry!
Writing from a Roman prison, a chained man tells us about the meaning of life, and the glory of death. The apostle Paul tells us about a life worth living, and a death worth dying. Verse 21 summarizes it,” For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” This is one of the most quoted verses in the entire New Testament, and for good reason. This is what living and dying is about: Christ. Living is about serving Christ; dying is about being with Christ.
Try to put yourself in the shoes of our brothers and sisters in Philippi. The man who planted your church has now been arrested and will face Caesar. It is no shock that they are scared and shaken. Paul here will let them know, you are shaken, you are concerned but you shouldn’t be. Christ is still King and Caesar is not! What is happening to me is making that known! Therefore, put the advance of the gospel as your highest ambition and then see circumstances and opposition in light of that ambition.
This opening section of Philippians is an explosion of joy and affection. Paul’s joy-filled thanksgiving to God, and his warm, affectionate words to the Philippians are really striking. I find it also very exemplary. While, everyone expresses affection differently, we should all affirm the importance of passion. We should passionately express our love to God in thankful prayer and worship; and our affection to others in relationships.
