Exemplifying the Gospel, Part 2
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
The church is unified in Christ. Sharing in one love, its members are to be singular in purpose. This unity is necessary for exemplifying the gospel message in our words and deeds. In Philippians 2:1-2, Paul provided the grounds for and ways of this unity, but as fallen, sinful people, we sometimes allow pride to stand in the mission's way and fail to spread the gospel. In verses 3 and 4, Paul turns from unity to deal directly with the attitudes of pride and humility.
Pride, in the negative sense, is a selfish attitude that arrogantly seeks self-sufficiency. Pride does not care for others. Rather, people are used as steppingstones to be cast aside, looked down upon, or trampled underfoot once their usefulness has passed. As the opposite of pride, humility is an attitude to be sought and developed within the Christian life. Humility is selfless, placing others before themselves, and recognizing God's control over all things.
In verse 3, Paul commands, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory" (KJV). He draws on two important words to make his point. The word translated "strife" (eritheia) was used in political contexts, dealing with selfish ambitions (cf. Philippians 1:16-17), and the other term "vainglory" (kenodoxos) pictures a self-glorifying mercenary spirit (cf. Galatians 5:26). Taken together we see the perfect picture of a prideful person. They are always worried about themselves and how others see them.
In contrast to that command, Paul states we should look after others with an attitude of humility (tapeivophrosune). This term was used to indicate submission as a servant and weakness in some earlier Greek literature, which helps us to understand how we are to put the needs of others above ourselves. As a servant places the needs of those above his station over his own, we should put others' needs over our own.
The church is one body that has no place for prideful, self-glorifying attitudes. All believers in the body, with our singular purpose in mind, look to the needs of all in the body (Philippians 2:4). If we, in humility, look to the needs of every believer in the body, we would see less strife, less pride, less vainglory. Our own needs and desires are important, but if we are to exemplify the gospel to the world as a singular body, then we have to be humble and stay in a state of unity.
How do you think we are doing? And what can we change in our lives to exemplify the attitude of humility at work, at home, and at church? What can we do to be an example like Jesus Christ?
