Being One in Christ

1If, then, any exhortation is in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2fulfil ye my joy, that ye may mind the same thing -- having the same love -- of one soul -- minding the one thing, 3nothing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves -- 4each not to your own look ye, but each also to the things of others.

The Attitude of Christ

(Isaiah 52:13-15)

5For, let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God, 7but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made, 8and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross, 9wherefore, also, God did highly exalt him, and gave to him a name that is above every name, 10that in the name of Jesus every knee may bow -- of heavenlies, and earthlies, and what are under the earth -- 11and every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Shining as Stars

(Matthew 5:13-16)

12So that, my beloved, as ye always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, with fear and trembling your own salvation work out, 13for God it is who is working in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14All things do without murmurings and reasonings, 15that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God, unblemished in the midst of a generation crooked and perverse, among whom ye do appear as luminaries in the world, 16the word of life holding forth, for rejoicing to me in regard to a day of Christ, that not in vain did I run, nor in vain did I labour; 17but if also I am poured forth upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and joy with you all, 18because of this do ye also rejoice and joy with me.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

19And I hope, in the Lord Jesus, Timotheus to send quickly to you, that I also may be of good spirit, having known the things concerning you, 20for I have no one like-minded, who sincerely for the things concerning you will care, 21for the whole seek their own things, not the things of the Christ Jesus, 22and the proof of him ye know, that as a child serveth a father, with me he did serve in regard to the good news; 23him, indeed, therefore, I hope to send, when I may see through the things concerning me -- immediately; 24and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall quickly come.

Epaphroditus Commended

25And I thought it necessary Epaphroditus -- my brother, and fellow-workman, and fellow-soldier, and your apostle and servant to my need -- to send unto you, 26seeing he was longing after you all, and in heaviness, because ye heard that he ailed, 27for he also ailed nigh to death, but God did deal kindly with him, and not with him only, but also with me, that sorrow upon sorrow I might not have. 28The more eagerly, therefore, I did send him, that having seen him again ye may rejoice, and I may be the less sorrowful; 29receive him, therefore, in the Lord, with all joy, and hold such in honour, 30because on account of the work of the Christ he drew near to death, having hazarded the life that he might fill up your deficiency of service unto me.