Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Php 2:1-4)Paul begins with the motivation. In Christ we have encouragement, consolation of love, fellowship of the Spirit, affection and compassion. In other words, "because of all that we have in Christ ..." we should do this. Do what? Well, ultimately, we should have the mind of Christ (Php 2:5-8). But what does that look like? What does that mean? Paul gives four views on this one concept: same mind, same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. These are all sides of the same concept. What does this mind of Christ look like?
First, it has the "same mind." Not that we all think alike, but we all think in the same direction. What direction? Not "me" but Christ. Second, it has the same love. This isn't the world's love, predicated on what warms my affections and what I find attractive. It is volitional love based on self-forgetfulness, on a priority set on others, not me. Third, it is united in spirit. Paul uses one word there that we translate "united in spirit." It means literally "soul with" -- a union of souls. Finally, it is driven by one purpose, one intent. We're all going in the same direction with the same love and with one soul for one purpose.
This is, in fact, not humanly normal. Oh, we can do it on occasion, but only on a limited basis. That's because it runs afoul of basic human nature. It means we are not operating from "What's in it for me?" or "What about me?" but are regard others as more important. How often does that happen in human interaction? In this version we do look out for some personal interests, but not exclusively. We are equally consumed with the interest of others. That is, this single-minded, same-love, one-souled purpose is ... others. It pursues first what is best for Christ and second what is best for those around us.
That's what Paul describes when he tells us to have the same mind that Christ had. He did not regard His personal interest to be of importance, but emptied Himself (Php 2:6-7). He relinquished being in the form of God and took on skin. He took on servanthood. Imagine that! The Creator and Lord of all became a slave! All the way to the cross. He didn't indulge, "Hey! What about Me?" He didn't complain, "This isn't right!" He didn't pursue His own best interests first. He ... died ... in the lowliest possible way. "Have this attitude in yourselves" (Php 2:5). Paul told us why we should, how it looks, and how it is done. Go and do likewise.
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