Striving Together

Today’s Passages – Philippians 1 – 4; Proverbs 12

(Second Milers also read – Psalm 56 – 60; Memorize – Micah 5:2)

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Psalm 92:1

Read last year’s post from this passage – “The Mind of Christ”

“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;” – (Philippians 1:27)

If a church is going to be able to fulfil the Lord’s Great Commission it will have to have unity. Paul wrote to this church in Philippi encouraging than to have one spirit and one mind as they are fulfilling their one purpose. Of course they had to be unified in the right thing. Paul explains in chapter two that the mind that they were to have was the mind of Christ:

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” – (Philippians 2:3-7)

As a church, the Bible says that we are to strive together for the faith of the gospel. The word “strive” has the idea of laboring together and in harmony with those around us. We labor for one purpose. We have both a common cause and a common enemy. Because the need is so great, we set aside our petty preferences and differences for the greater good. There will be many minor issues that we may not agree about, but because our faith and our love for our Saviour is strong we fight on together, winning people to Christ and training the disciples of the Lord.

Soulwinning is the glue that seems to hold our people together. Soulwinners don’t get sidetracked into squabbling about the small stuff. They keep “the main thing the main thing”. As a church, we must keep the winning of souls at the forefront of everything we do. If the church keeps a soulwinning fervor, their will be little for us to fight about amongst ourselves. However, when we stop fighting the devil on the outside of the church, we will find ourselves fighting each other inside of the church.

Let’s stay on the battlefield striving together against the devil for the souls of men.