Mutual Relationship in Crisis Philippians 2:1-11

“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3, NASB).

The world is in a crisis. Over one hundred and eighty-two countries are being victimized by a common enemy, the coronavirus. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shift in the priorities of nations. How to defeat the military and economic foe is replaced by the more pressing need to save our own lives from an unseen and unknown enemy. This crisis affects how we live and survive in terms of our health and our economy. It is apparent that the threat of death has a tremendous effect on the economy. As a result, governments are wrestling with saving lives and saving the economy. The people are split on which is more important, and governments are trying to make decisions that will have the most positive outcomes for all people. How will they reach decisions? What should be the attitude of both the party that emphasize health and lives of people and the party that emphasize the opening of the economy? Our text, I suggest, just might help us to come to a mutual agreement for this crisis.

In the text before us, the apostle, Paul, is in a Roman prison because he is accused of violating Roman law. Specifically, he is accused of preaching a gospel that is opposed to the legitimacy of Roman law. While in prison Paul writes letters to the various churches that he is associated with. In this letter he writes “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons” (Phil. 1:1, NASB). This letter is primarily written as a “thank you” letter for all the support that these saints have given to him to support his ministry of preaching, and they continue to support the apostle while he is in prison (1:3-5). However, at the same time, there are parties in the church that oppose one another. In this letter Paul gives advice to the saints so that they can have mutual relationship in all crises that the church has to confront.

This space is not sufficient to address every issue that Paul raises. Instead, this text is chosen to help us to form mutual relationships so that our goals can be reached.

The first step to mutual relationships is that all parties involved understand their relationship to Christ (2:1-2). Now, this does not necessarily mean that all people making decisions about the COVID-19 pandemic are Christ followers, but those that are Christ followers must keep this truth in mind. Those that are in Christ can keep in mind the principles that are in keeping with the ways of God. The government solves its problems by the ways of the world. At the same time, those government officials that are Christ followers pray for wisdom to determine which choices they should support. God’s wisdom helps us to discern the motives of persons that offer their support to the position that they take.

A second way of developing mutual relationships is having a God-like attitude. “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” 2:3, NASB). The word “humility” means that we do not hastily come to the conclusion that what I think is the best and only way. Humility means that I give room for the thoughts and opinions of others. This means that those who favor opening the economy must not ignore the healthcare people that have the task of preventing death and saving lives. At the same time those that are most concerned about healthcare must consider the long range effects on health and other issues if the economy is not opened up again. Now, Christ followers seek God’s wisdom. They ask the Lord for discernment and guidance. Christ followers do not think that what is best for them is what is best for everyone else. In order to do these things there has to be an attitude adjustment.

A third way of developing mutual relationships is adjusting our behaviors. “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others. This means that we recognize that we must take into consideration what is good for other people. Let me give an example. Every morning at 9:30 a.m. the mayor of Nashville, Tennessee along with his team of experts, give a report of the state of Nashville in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the members of the team is Dr. James Hildreth, an expert in infectious disease. In one of his presentations Dr. Hildreth emphasized the need to wear a mask. The mask is worn so that you do not become a vector, meaning, so that if you are a carrier of the disease you will not give the disease to another person. You are looking out for the health of your fellow citizen. Did you notice that a change in attitude leads to a change in behavior?

So what should our attitude be like? What are the behaviors that we must exhibit? Paul says that Christ gives us the God honoring example (2:5-11). Christ does not try to hold on to what is rightfully His. His attitude is that He will relinquish what is His so that He can become who He needs to be in order to accomplish the good for all people. He makes the choice to become a man. Not just any man; rather a “bond-servant” that does the will of God to serve the purpose of God. God desires to offer salvation to sinful humanity. A suitable sacrifice must be made by a man. This man must be killed and his blood must be shed in order to appease God. “And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22, NASB).

Christ becomes a man. “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14, NASB). Christ comes to the earth to identify with humanity. He empathizes with humanity and shares in their suffering. He has the right to hold on to what He has. However, Jesus the God-man knows that something better will take place if He does the will of His Father. He prays for the cup to be taken away if there can be any other way. Yet, if necessary He will drink the cup set before Him. Jesus drinks the cup. He does the will of the Father. He has the attitude that leads to the behavior that God requires. His death is not the end. Instead, His death leads to something better. “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (2:9, NASB).

If we want the best results to come from the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, all interested parties will have to change attitudes and behaviors. Selfishness must be eliminated and humility must be adopted. The best results will take place when everyone looks out for the best interest of others. After all, this is love. Love enables us to develop mutual relationships.