Paul’s Sort of Unity
‘…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose’ Philippians 2:2
Paul rightly saw that to have true unity we have to focus on something far greater than ourselves. Only Jesus the King and the gospel that turns heart allegiance back to Him can do that.
In Philippians 2:1 Paul speaks of the motivation for unity, in this verse the inner life of unity and then in verses 3 and 4 the practical application of unity.
So what does the inner life of unity look like?
Too often any call for unity makes that unity our focus, rather than it being a by-product of what our focus should really be.
There can be unity among thieves, single-mindedness among greedy corporate heads and single purpose among a nation’s leaders devoid of any real care for humanity.
Paul calls for the church to be like-minded but recognises this only comes by ‘having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.’ The love we need is created and sustained in us by the gospel, and the gospel is the message not only of the cross but of the resurrection, and so, Christ’s exaltation as Lord of the Universe.
Our exclusive focus must be Christ as Lord of all. This is what it means to be ‘one in spirit and purpose.’ This is what it means to have an inner life of unity, an inner life that reflects the gospel, an inner life that makes unity a reality.
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