The Four If’s
(Note: All Bible quotations are from NKJV)
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” – Philippians 2:1-2
Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians when he was in prison. The 4 if’s point towards 4 spiritual conditions desirable for the church:
- the consolation in Christ,
- the comfort of love,
- the fellowship of the Spirit,
- affection and mercy.
Paul was very concerned not for his physical incarceration and suffering, but for his flock that needed the right spiritual conditions to foster unity through humility and thereby fulfil his joy – in anticipation of the future, of rejoicing “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming” (1 Thess 2:19), notwithstanding present trials and travails.
1) Consolation in Christ
Consolation is the opposite of sorrow; just like light is the opposite of darkness, good is the opposite of evil… These are things that exist in pairs, and each does not have much meaning by itself without its contrast.
When we are thirsty, a sip of ice water is greatly refreshing. When our hearts feel lonely and dry:
“Consolation is the dropping of a gentle dew from heaven on desert hearts beneath. True consolation, such as can reach the heart, must be one of the choicest gifts of divine mercy; and surely we are not erring from sacred Scripture when we avow that in its full meaning, consolation can be found nowhere save in Christ, who has come down from heaven, and who has again ascended to heaven, to provide strong and everlasting consolation for those whom he has bought with his blood.” – Spurgeon
Struggles and sorrow are a reality in life, but God is a very present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1) Believers avail themselves of the Helper (John 14:16-17) who abides with us in place of the Lord’s physical presence and unnoticed by those who do not know Christ.
2) Comfort of love
1 Cor 13:1-3 cite various gifts of the Spirit. In each case, the words “but have not love” tell us that the gifts are of questionable usefulness in blessing people if our hearts are devoid of love. In other words, love is the greatest gift of the Spirit, and it powers over other gifts.
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13)
Philippians 2:7 says that Christ “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.”
In Mt 20:28, Jesus also said that he did not come to be served but to serve. This was a sharp rebuke to two brothers who shamelessly betrayed their personal ambition instead of seeking leadership with a true heart for service.
If everyone has the mind and heart of Christ, then everyone would be feeling the comfort of love as blessings of love (underpinning the exercising of our gifts) go around. However, if everyone is self-serving, then there is neither giving nor receiving where love is asleep.
If we have the comfort of love, peace will replace quarrels in the church, else the weeds and thistles of a consumer culture (“Serve me, serve me, I want to be served!”) guarantee us similar problems in the church today as during the time of Paul.
3) Fellowship of the Spirit
Fellowship (koinonia) of the Spirit – It expresses a unique sense of unity, in communion with one another and with the Holy Spirit whose fruit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Gal 5:22-23)
By our communion with the Spirit, we are taught and brought into remembrance many things (John 14:26), and these include growing our knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord, whereby we “may be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Pet 1:2-4)
4) Affection and Mercy
Luke 15 contains three parables: The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin and The Lost Son.
The Pharisees and scribes had opinions that Jesus should not be spending so much time with sinners. (Luke 15:1-2) In response, Jesus shared the parables that presented a wonderful image of God’s affection and mercy.
Do we see ourselves like the protagonists in the three parables, showing that there is affection and mercy, with patience, towards the sinners around us?
The exhortation by Paul to the Philippians is as much relevant as an appeal to the church today to seriously reflect on whether we have the four spiritual conditions for “our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing” that we seek to receive “in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming.” (1 Thess 2:19)
Responses