Philippians 2:1

Philippians 2:1 says, If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,  Paul continues with his exhortation to the believers at Philippi.  He begins with rhetorical questions.  He asked if they believed that there was any comfort of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any mercy through faith in Christ, and the answer was an obvious yes.  We should experience those same things as followers of Christ today.  Verse two adds, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Paul then told them to fulfill his joy by being likeminded, filled with the same love of Christ, and united in their serving God.  This would have fulfilled Paul's joy because they would have been proving that they had indeed accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and above all else this was what Paul desired.  We as Christians should be the same way today.  Verse three continues, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Paul asked that they not allow themselves to be filled with strife and vainglory, but to do everything with a humble attitude toward other Christians, never feeling that they were better than any other Christian.  It is a sad testimony when we as followers of Christ fight and argue with each other, especially if we do so because we feel morally superior to any other Christian.  Verse four states, Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Paul said that as followers of Christ that they should not be concerned with their own welfare, but they should be concerned with the welfare of others, especially fellow believers, as well.  I don't believe that God blesses us just so we can have more material things simply for our own use, but that He blesses us so that we can help others as well.  Verse five adds, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Paul called on them to be of the same mind as Christ Himself was.  This should be our standard in life today if we are Christians.  Jesus Christ never did anything for selfish reasons or for self-glorification, and neither should we.  Verse six continues, Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  Jesus did not feel that He was any less God because of His coming into the world as a lowly Man in order to redeem the world.  Verse seven says, But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  Paul then stated that though Jesus Christ was indeed God, He took on the likeness of man and became a lowly servant.  He was fully God and fully Man, and He is the example we should follow.  Though we can never be fully God, we can be fully filled with His Spirit and humbly reach out to others with His love.  Verse eight adds, And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Paul said that as a Man, Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to the heavenly Father, even to the point of dying on the cross for the sins of humanity.  Once more, we are called on to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and though we cannot die to redeem others, we should be willing to die for our faith in Him.  Verse nine continues, Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  Paul said that God the Father exalted Jesus Christ and gave Him a name above all others.  Those who crucified Jesus Christ may have believed that they had defeated Him, but His heavenly Father said that He was exalted.  Verse ten states, That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  Paul said that one day every knee would bow to Jesus Christ, in heaven and on earth.  The question is will we bow as a part of His family or as a part of those who have refused to acknowledge Him while it could still bring us salvation.   Verse eleven adds, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  One day, everyone will acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, but for way too many it will come too late.  We must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord in this lifetime in order to claim salvation through Him.