THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S unity. And our Lord Jesus longs, for the unity of His people even more than Paul (John 17:21). How, little com fort and consolation and joy He finds along this line in some quarters. This is one of the tenderest appeals to be found in all Paul’s epistles. The words for “be of the same mind” and “of one mind,” do not refer merely to unity of opinion, but unity of purpose and affec tion as well. “Being of one accord” is more literally, “being souled together” (or, “of one soul” ). SATURDAY, September 27. Philippians 2 :3 , 4. Paul goes on to urge them to do “nothing through (better, according to) faction (party spirit) or through (according to) vain glory.” The “noth ing” is very emphatic: the word means “not one thing,” and it is in the most emphatic position in the whole sen tence. Would that today we might not do one single thing “according to party spirit or “according to vain glory.” How much more rapidly the work of our Lord would progress. So far from doing anything according to party spirit or vain glory, “each” “in lowliness of mind” should count others better than himself” (rather, as holding over, hav ing superior rights to, himself). The thought is that, each one should put the rights and interests of other people before his own. If we would only each of us do this, what heavenly unity and fellowship there would be in the church. Paul exhorts them still further, that each one of them should look to ,i e., regard with favor and interest, not only “his "own things, but each of you (the “each of you” is very emphatic) also to the things of others.” Always remem ber that “there are others,” and have the same regard to their interests that you have to your own. This would be a good principle of action for nations as well as individuals, and it would put an end to all war. But we are a long, long ways from it in the Church, to say nothing of the nations, but we shall be there some day—when The Lord Jesus comes again. SUNDAY, September 28. Philippians 2 :5 , 6. The words written in verses 5-8 are among the most wonderful to be found in the Bible. They contain on the one hand a marvellously clear and at the same time marvelously profound state ment of the deepest truths concerning
817 the mystery and glory of our Saviour’s person, His eternal Deity; and, on the other hand, a statement most amazing of, the depth of His self-humiliation. And it is to be carefully noted, that these stupendous truths are brought in simply incidentally, to enforce the homeliest duties of every day life. This is the method of Christian ethics, duties are never divorced from doctrines, and that is what gives such altogether pecu liar power to Christian teachings of morals. Those are very shallow philo sophers in our day who are clamoring for us to give up the teaching of dogma and confine ourselves to teaching ethics. When we yield to this senseless demand our. ethics will cease to be Christian, and they will also cease to have power. Truly Christian ethics are built upon the Christian conception of the per son of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unitarian ethics are often beautiful, but as a mat ter of history they are always lifeless. Paul has just bidden them to look each one not to his own things (or, inter ests), but each one also to the things of others. He now enforces this teach ing by an appeal to the example of Christ Jesus, and not so much to the example of the Lord Jesus during His life here on earth, His conduct as “the gentle Nazarene,” “the meek and lowly Jesus,” but to His conduct in coming to this earth at all. “Have this mind in you,” cries Paul, “which was also in Christ Jesus,” and then follows the wonderful description of the mind which was in Christ Jesus. This is the real “Mind of the Master,” not a system of doctrine or ethics, but a method of personal conduct. . It is worthy of careful note and meditation, that Paul speaks of our Lord as “Christ Jesus,” though he is about to speak of Him in His preexistent Divine glory. The person who chose to give up His Divine glory is identically the same person Who by His incarnation became the his torical Jesus, and Who was the “anointed” of God. It is evident that Paul indulged in none of this modern nonsense about “the Ideal Christ,” he knew no Christ but the actual, literal, historic Jesus of Nazareth, not the Christ of Mrs. Eddy, but the Christ of the four gospels. And now what was the “mind” (the thought and choice and purpose) “which was in Christ Jesus” and which we also should have in us? He “being (the word translated “being” is not the ordinary word so translated, it means “existing essen tially, or substantially, or originally” )
Made with FlippingBook Online document