Maintaining the Same Love

2:2 make my joy complete by ... maintaining the same love

We have seen that there are four parts to Paul’s exhortation to unity in verse two:

1- be of the same mind

2- maintain the same love

3- be united in spirit

4- be intent on one purpose

Today: What does Paul mean when he tells the Philippians to maintain the same love?

The first place to go for an answer to this question is verse one, where Paul refers to the "consolation of [God’s] love." Just as there is a mindset that comes to us from Christ and that is to be shared by every believer, so the same is true with regard to love. Each believer in Christ has been the recipient of the same amazing treasury of God’s love. "The love of God has been poured out within our hearts." (Rom.5:5) But not only are all believers the recipients and objects of the same love of God, we also have the same love for one another, since love for each other is the inevitable result of receiving God’s love. "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1John 4:8) So, believers are well-endowed. They have all been made rich with the love of God in Jesus Christ to the point that it overflows toward the brethren.

But notice that this love is not only to be received, but also to be maintained. There is an element of human effort here, inspired and empowered, of course, by the Holy Spirit. Our job is to maintain this love that has been so generously lavished upon us by God through Christ. This, it would seem, involves the maintenance both of a spirit of love toward others and of a sense of God’s love toward us (which is crucial if we are going to maintain a spirit of love toward others). Thus, it is incumbent upon every believer in Christ first to strive to remain constantly aware of and alert to the magnificent love of God, through reflection upon His word and upon His many blessings. And second, we must each strive to keep the fires of love for the brethren burning in our souls through prayer and through meditation upon God’s words concerning the preciousness of His people.

Dear Father in heaven, to the watching world Your church sometimes looks like it has no Christ and no love. You have said that love would be the visible demonstration of Your presence in Your people, but so often there seems to be little love evident. Remember the honor of Your name, great King of heaven. Vindicate Yourself before the world. Show forth the power of Your love by moving Your people to become living displays of the joyfully sacrificial love of Your son Jesus Christ. And help me, my Father, to dwell upon Your love, to be refreshed with a continual sense of the vastness and the value of Your great love for me and for my fellow redeemed sinners.