“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being
united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the
Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” –
Philippians 2:1-2 NIV
First of all, we have to know that we ought
to be united with Jesus Christ through the Spirit of God, since we are members
of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:1-2). The main reason for
this is that all of us have been created to be the images of God (Genesis 1:27). “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified;
those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30). This means that we ought
to be Christ-minded as well (Philippians 4:8). Therefore, we have to crucify
our sinful nature and abide the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:24-25). The reason of the
crucifixion on our part is that the minds of the flesh and the Spirit are not
able to go together (Galatians 5:17), and it is not possible for
us to serve both the world and God (Matthew 6:24). Thus, for this reason, the
word of God declares, “Therefore, I urge
you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a
living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his
good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)
His divine power
has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his
very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil
desires.
For this very
reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness,
knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance;
and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to
mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing
measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is
nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past
sins.
Therefore, my
brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.
For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich
welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)
Secondly, we have to know that we are
members of one another in Christ Jesus (Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Therefore, we have
to treat others in ways how we would like to be treated, as the word of God
states, “Do not judge, or you too will be
judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the
measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) Hence, we have been called
to love each other as love brings unity (Colossians 3:12-14) and since love is also
the law of the Spirit (Romans 13:8-10). In addition, each one of
us are temples of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) so we also have to
encourage and build one another up in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:19-22).
Therefore,
brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by
the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain,
that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let
us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith
brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and
having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope
we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may
spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more
as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)
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