Q
LIFE APPLICATION. Paul’s request to Christians in Philippi is that they get along with each other:
“Work through any disagreements you have and reach compromises so you’re all pulling in the same direction, united in love, spirit, and purpose” (Philippians 2:2).
That’s a fairly common request of Paul’s as he wrote to different churches (1 Corinthians 1:10; Galatians 5:15; Ephesians 4:3). What do you think makes it so hard for Christians to do that—to get along with each other?
A
They’re doggone human. They each have their own life experiences, and they draw from those experiences when they make decisions. When it comes time to brainstorm ideas, a pastor might tell a committee to get behind his or her vision for the church. The pastor might expect the sheep to follow him. And the sheep might fear that the pastor is headed to a cliff or a wolf’s den. Paul is encouraging the church to work through the differences and find a solution that’s mutually agreeable. It’s called compromise. It works for Christians, too.
Reprinted from the Leader’s Guide & Atlas for Philippians
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Casual English Bible
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
That is not what I get from Philippians 2;2, I get; Make me happy and be of a single mind, keeping your love and working together to accomplish your goals.
Hi, George.
Go to Biblegateway.com and check out half a dozen versions. Make sure to include the Mounce Reverse-Interlinear New Testament. The trick is to figure out what Paul is saying and then to put it into the kind of casual phrasing we use today, such as talk over a cup of coffee. I know I would never use the phrase “be of a single mind.” “Work out your disagreements and reach a compromise” is today’s lingo for what I think Paul was trying to say.
Please show me where I might be wrong.