Useful Bible Studies > Philippians Commentary > chapter 2
Paul had great joy in his relationship with Christ (4:4). However, the wrong attitudes that some Christians had towards each other did not bring him any joy. Paul wanted to be joyful about their attitudes and behaviour, too. They needed to show true Christian love (1 Corinthians chapter 13) for each other.
In Philippians 2:1, Paul gave them four reasons why they should show that love. He now (2:2) uses four phrases to explain how they can show that love.
(1) Firstly, Paul says that Christians should ‘think the same thing’. He will explain what he means in verse 5. In their minds, Christians should have the same attitude that Christ showed. He did not try to establish his own importance. Instead, he humbly gave his life to obey God, and to help people. That is how Christians should act and think, too. Their attitude should be like Christ’s attitude: they should joyfully serve God and they will help other people.
(2) Christians should ‘have the same love’. With an attitude of love, they will care about other people even more than they care about themselves. Their actions to help each other will be the result of their love for each other.
(3) Paul next uses a strange word, that means ‘one soul’. The soul means a person’s inner life, from which his desires come. So, this is a description like that in Acts 4:32 – the first Christians had ‘one heart and soul’. It means that they were all alike in their desires, and their attitudes towards each other. They all served God loyally; they all helped each other. They tried hard to agree with each other; if they could not agree, they still loved each other.
(4) Then Paul asks them to ‘think one thing’. Perhaps he is referring back to the attitude of kindness that he spoke about at the end of Philippians 2:1. That kindness will cause them to desire only good things for the other Christians.
So, Christians should be humble; they should act from an attitude of love; they should be alike in their desires; and they should want only good things for each other.
Next part: Give up selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3)
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© 2020, Keith Simons.