Paul pleads with two Philippian church members, Euodia & Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.
[This discussion can be read aloud in under 7 1/2 min.]
Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 80
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DAY 80/TUESDAY
Philippians 4:2-3
Be of the Same Mind in the Lord
“I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.”
Philippians 4:2-3 (NIV)
Euodia & Syntyche
The three people Paul names in these two verses only appear in the Bible here in these two verses, and it’s the first two people named who will be our focus today. So, what do we know about them?
- Euodia & Syntyche are women who have contended for the cause of the gospel at Paul’s side.
- They have done this along with Clement and Paul’s other co-workers.
- Their names are in the book of life.*
- Problem: Euodia & Syntyche are not of the same mind in the Lord.
*Psalm 69:28; Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27
Being Like-Minded
Paul addressed being of the same mind earlier in this letter to the Philippian Christians.
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)
The next verse has the kicker:
“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…”
Philippians 2:5 (NIV)
Being of the same mind in the Lord is not simply being of the same mind. People who are lost in their sins and separated from God, not having received the free salvation Christ offers, can be of the same mind. They can have unity in all kinds of ways about all kinds of things.
Even scarier is the fact that Christians can have unity about things that are not biblical! Sin is no longer our master (Romans 6:13-14), but we still sometimes choose sin over God’s will and God’s truth, which is the only truth.
Division happened in the first churches, such as the church at Philippi, and it continues to happen in churches today. Some people push for unity in the church “at all costs,” but this is not biblical. We are to be united with God’s Word and by His Word.
Sincere Love
Paul doesn’t want Christians to have be of the same mind so that they won’t hurt each other’s feelings. Feelings are all over the place and can change in an instant. God’s Word does not change, and neither does He!
As the apostle Peter wrote:
“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For,
‘All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25but the word of the Lord endures forever.’And this is the word that was preached to you.”
I Peter 1:22-25 (NIV)
“The word of the Lord endures forever” — it never changes, and it’s power never fades. When we obey the truth of God’s Word, we purify ourselves; when we purify ourselves, we can have sincere love for each other… and be like-minded.
So That We May Glorify Him
When we have sincere love for each other, we will be of the same mind in the Lord, and in this way we will glorify God together! Look at these words of Paul to the Roman church:
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3For even Christ did not please Himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.’ 4For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
Romans 15:1-7 (NIV)
God gives endurance and encouragement through what is taught and provided in the Scriptures, and God is the One who can “give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”!
In Romans 15:7, Paul is writing about Christians accepting other Christians; he is not addressing acceptance of unbelievers*. That is another topic for another time.
Euodia & Syntyche were both Christians, yet they were not of the same mind in the Lord in some way or on some issue.
- Were they doing something “out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” (Phil. 2:3)?
- Perhaps they were looking to their own interests rather than to the interests of the others (Phil. 2:4)?
- Were they not bearing with the failings of the weak and instead trying to please themselves (Rom. 15:1)?
- Did they tear down their neighbors (or each other) with their words & actions rather than building them up (Rom. 15:2)?
- Could they have been following culture rather than Scripture on some issue (Rom. 12:2)?
Euodia’s & Syntyche’s issues may have been any of these, or all of these, or none of these. What we do know: They were not like-minded with each other, and they were not of the same mind in the Lord.
Look to the Word, not the World
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
Romans 12:1-3 (NIV)
All Christians are meant to offer our bodies & our lives completely to God. We belong to Him now, not to ourselves (I Cor. 6:19-20). We are to conform to His Word, not to this world. By reading, studying, applying, & meditating on the Scriptures, we can renew our minds and be of the same mind in the Lord! Having too high (or too low) of an opinion of ourselves can quickly get us off track. For this, too, looking into & obeying God’s Word can keep us sober-minded.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
James 1:22-25 (NIV)
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
DAY 80/TUESDAY Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for Your Word.
We are grateful that you have given us the Scriptures that we may know Christ, know You, and know what You want us to do and who You want us to be, all for Your glory!
When we are not “of the same mind in the Lord,” let Your Spirit quickly convict us and show us the errors in our thinking. May we go to Your Word to find the truth and have our minds renewed.
Heal our relationships with our brothers- and sisters-in-Christ where we are not being like-minded according to Your Word.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
DAY 80: Paul pleads with two Philippian church members, Euodia & Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.