“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
- Philippians 2:12-13
There are many ways the Church has divided, separated, and created smaller churches and tribes. Theology is an incredibly beneficial field of study to understand our faith and creeds but sometimes theology has trumped faith itself, a faith that unifies and brings us together toward Christ. Philippians 2 speaks against divisions of various kinds and instead paints a beautiful picture of unity, cooperation, and gospel mission.
Unity through Humility:
This is where I tell you to read the whole chapter, because the first 11 verses set the stage for our above two verses, and they then set the stage for Paul’s practical examples of humility and gospel mission.
The first 11 verses center around the themes of unity and humility. But unlike any TED talk or motivational speaker, these are not just better practices for the church. These are commands for obedience that Christ exemplified for His followers. These are characteristics of Christ Himself that God desires the Church to emulate, regardless of theological tribe.
Paul exhorts them to have the same mind, same love, to be of one accord and one mind. Almost think of it like the Trojan Horse. It was one thing and one mission and purpose, but many people had to cooperate for it to be a success. The same goes for a healthy church. We need to coordinate with hundreds of other people with the same mission, same purpose, and have the same mindset as Christ.
If we do not have the same mindset as Christ, unity is impossible. Christ emulated humility. Isn’t that kind of an oxymoron? Christ, who is God is all-powerful, all-knowing, could shape reality to His own liking, chose humility… He spoke everything into being, set the moral standards of the universe, and shape anything after His own will, choosing humility. Paul says Christ chose to humble and submit himself to the Father, tossed aside His equality, becoming a servant of man, so that man might be one with God again.
He considered others as more important than himself. He considered the Father, and He considered humanity. Now it Christ can do that for the countless billions of people who have turned their backs on Him, could we not do that for one another? To make the other person's needs more important than mine? To listen to them earnestly and care for them deeply.
Christ desires that we be one. One with Him in our purposes and minds, to where we live in humility. A humility that seeks to lower one’s self, and uphold others.
Working out Salvation:
Developing the mindset of Christ and living out of humility that seeks unity first, and the self much later is how we work out the results of our salvation. Yes, we have a responsibility to be one with the will and work of God. It’s to join in on His gospel mission as cooperators. To grow in our own holiness, humility, and witnessing is part of the Christian life. This may seem like an odd or off-putting idea to some, but it seems pretty clear to those that grew up and matured in Wesleyan/Arminian churches. We have work to do, we have been given grace and responsibility. Working out the results of our salvation leads to bearing the Fruit of the Spirit, sharing the Gospel through words and deeds, and radical gospel-centered actions.
Humility is also a result of salvation, one that many tend to struggle with. Any conflict could be seen as a division between 2 points of pride. Two people or parties standing up for their stance. Humility though does not add to the conflict but listens to the other, and listens for their needs while also expressing one’s own needs. If all were humble, all needs would be heard, and potentially all needs met.
God’s Will and Work:
Yet, we aren’t solely responsible for everything at this point. God is still the one who sets for the Will we are to unite under, and graces the strength and mercy needed to keep on the redemptive work that Christ started! It’s God’s plan unfolding that we cooperate with. It’s His Gospel, His Good News, His Salvation offered. To unite under anything else is comparable to idolatry, to create a different work and will than the one God invited us into. It's His Kingdom, His Mission, His Love that we have come to. This may seem like an odd or off-putting idea to some, but it seems pretty clear to those that grew up and matured in Calvinist/Reformed churches. God is sovereign and has the power to push this Kingdom of Righteousness forward with or without us.
Yet, He invites us in to be cooperators. The Bible seems to have no difficulty holding these two ideas together, even though our theologies do. The Bible also emphasizes humility, to consider other people as more significant, whereas we like to consider ourselves and our theology as more significant.
Final Blessing:
Paul closes this chapter with the examples of Timothy and Epaphroditus. Two men who have committed themselves to be Gospel Cooperators, men who care first for others, and then themselves. God’s Will and Work is far too big for any one man or woman to bear, besides Christ. But we contribute to His Kingdom-building work every time we choose humility, and be cooperators in the Gospel. It’s bigger than Wesleyanism, it’s bigger than Calvinism, and it’s bigger than America. Yet, God takes pleasure when I choose to consider even one person before myself, in doing so becoming a Gospel Cooperator.
Now may the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breath, and every heartbeat of your journey!
Comments