Seeking things that are Christ’s

Philippians 2:17-30

Hello everyone! I think its time for another post on Philippians! 🙂

In this last portion of Philippians 2 we get several real life examples of what Paul has been talking about so far, – having the mind of Christ.

The first example is that of Paul. In verse 17 he says, “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.” He had a selfless mindset. He joyed and delighted in pouring himself out for others. Even in sacrifices, he rejoiced. Serving the Lord was his joy.

Another proof of his selflessness was that he was willing to send Timothy, his spiritual son and disciple who served with Paul in his ministry, to Philippi, although he probably needed him himself.

And then we see Epaphroditus who Paul says had been sick nigh unto death, but God had had mercy on him and spared him. Look at what verse 26 says of him, “For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.” Even in his critical illness, Epaphroditus did not become self-focused. He was thinking of the Philippian Christians and the pain and anxiety they must have been feeling for him.

Paul expresses his heart in verses 20-21, “For I have no man likeminded who will naturally care for your state. For all men seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” When I read that, it made me stop and think. What is the center of my focus? Is it self, or is it Christ? Naturally, if we are living in the flesh, then our focus will be on self. However we saw in our last Philippians post that Christ has crucified the flesh (Gal 2:20, 5:24). It is dead and we are now free to live and walk in the Spirit. Now our self focus has been exchanged for a Christ focus.

Self is the enemy of a mind focused on Christ. It will only be our demise. A mind focused on self is misery. However, a mind focused on Christ is life and peace. God designed us to be fulfilled only by Him, not by self.

What does it mean to seek things that are Christ’s? First of all we need to understand what Christ’s priorities look like. Most of the time they look very different to our priorities. Ín I Corinthians 10:33 Paul says, “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” Notice that last part of the verse. Paul recognized that the greatest way he could profit a person was pointing them to Jesus Christ and seeking their salvation. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20? “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Jesus’ command to all of us is to go and make disciples, to teach God’s word to others that they might be saved and built up in Him.

Second, it means to set our affection on Christ. Colossians 3:1-3 says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” The Greek word translated as ‘set your affection on,’ is our Greek word phroneo which is the mind of Christ. When our mindset is exchanged for Christ’s mindset, His priorities will become our priorities. We will see the needs around us that Christ’s sees. The things of the world that we once held so dear, suddenly won’t seem so important any more. Study God’s word to find out what things are important to Him. The more we get to know Him, the clearer this will become. Seek the things that are Jesus’ Christ’s, not your own things.

This requires of us deep surrender and consecration. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” It is only when we let go of everything we hold dear, everything to do with self, that we can truly seek the things that are Christ’s.

In my next post we will go deeper into this.

To be continued…

Soli Deo Gloria!