The Marks of Spiritual Unity B

You can either think with the spirit, or you can think with the flesh.

If we are to think the same, then we must all think in harmony with the Holy Spirit. So the first principle is that if we are to be of the same mind we must think on the things of the spirit of God invite them to your house know when you see those people. Next, what should you do force yourself to smile and invite them over or are there truths you can cling to that will fuel a genuine love and affection for every member of Christ body find out today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his series called a plea for unity and with that, here's the lesson in Romans chapter 8, I would draw your attention to verse four it says at the end of verse four.

Do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit that's really the end of a sentence that introduces us to a contrast between flesh and spirit, then verse five.

For those who are according to the flesh set their mind on the things of the flesh same word as we saw in Philippians 2 but those who are according to the spirit implied set their mind on the things of the spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. Now you have two possibilities, you can either think with the spirit, or you can think with the flesh. If we are to think the same, then we must all think in harmony with the Holy Spirit.

So the first principle is that if we are to be of the same mind we must think on the things of the spirit of God. We must have spiritual thoughts in verse three of chapter 12, through the grace given to me. I say to every man among you.

Please note this not to think same term more highly of himself than he ought to think what to think, so as to have sound judgment as God has allotted stuff that second were to think with sound divine judgment means objectivity where we get into trouble is when we think subjectively look at Romans chapter 15 verse five now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you is the same term to be of the same mind think the same have the same disposition and attitude and concern with one another. Here comes according to whom Christ is now we have Christ in the picture we think the things of the spirit. We think the things of God which gives him judgment and we think the things of Christ presupposing see what we have to do is get lifted out of ourselves we say again, we are to have the mind of Christ.

You say is that possible yes absolutely possible in first Corinthians chapter 2, verse 16 it says for who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ.

You have the mind of Christ. You can think thoughts of Christ. You can have a Christlike attitude. You can know the will of Christ. The will of God. The will of the spirit you can mind the spiritual things, but Paul says in the very next verse chapter 3 verse when I can't speak to you, a spiritual because you're so fleshy. How does it come out by your divisions and jealousy and strife and you're walking like mere humans was that mean you have the mind of man, not the mind of God, not the mind of the spirit, not the mind of Christ. Your fleshy the end of second Corinthians chapter 13 in verse 11, Paul adds a further plead to the Corinthian church in his last shot in the second epistle to them. He says finally brother in verse 11, rejoice.

Then he says be made complete or mature, be comforted.

Be like mine did live in peace be like-minded think the same things in here he reflects on the fact that it's part of being mature. He says be made mature and think the same thing part of spiritual maturity. If your fleshy spiritually mature you going to collide with the mind of the Trinity. No question.

Colossians chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3. This sums it up for us.

It says in verse two set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth think heavenly folks think the spirit's thoughts think the father's thoughts. Think of the sun's thoughts. Think mature thoughts.

Think spiritual thoughts. Think heavenly thoughts exhibit John how can I know that I'll have the spiritual thoughts.

How can I think like the spirit.

Think like the father think like the sun makes sound judgment. How can I not be victimized by my flesh.

How can I think with maturity, objectivity. How can I think heavenly thoughts be concerned about the kingdom be concerned about the Trinity be concerned about them and not me.

How do I get translated up into that level and the answer comes wire and Colossians 3 of you please would look down to verse 16. Go back to verse 12 and will will move into this one so as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion wasn't every one of these things your talks about relationships in the church, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other, whereas a complaint against anyone, just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity and then let the peace of Christ rule in all your hearts, to which indeed you are called in one body. And be thankful. It's all about unity. Every bit of it every bit of it all. The right attitude for unity are there so how do you get to that verse 16 what the word of Christ richly dwell within you listen carefully what is the word of Christ. Scripture always said I know Scripture you write a solid set and say no the Scripture to let the Scripture what richly what dwell in you, let it be the residing presence the dominant occupant the energizing force of thought. That's the idea, even just say no. The Scripture he said, let the word of Christ richly dwell within you. You can think the thoughts of the spirit and you can have the sound judgment of divine wisdom from God, and you can express the mind of Christ and you can think mature thoughts and you can think spiritual thoughts and you can think heavenly thoughts.

If you are thinking processes are energized by the dominant and richly dwelling word of Christ. I sent this to you many times so that your instincts are spiritual so that your involuntary reactions are right because you are dominated by the word of Christ isn't just you know it, it's that it occupies the raining and compelling area of your life so there's no mystical thing here. There is no sort of esoteric approach to this. It's a matter of letting the word of Christ dominate you and it becomes the controlling force in your life that pushes you ever upward and out of this earth and out of yourself in Ephesians, he says do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit, filled with the spirit, by the way, in both of those passages. The results are the same. If you're filled with the spirit will speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs will sing make melody in your heart and you will give thanks one Colossians 3 it says the same thing if the word of Christ dwells in you richly, what happens all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another.

Psalms him spiritual song singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Same exact result. Therefore they must be the same thing. So on the one hand, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in the other hand, be filled with the spirit controlling influence in your life is the word of God by the spirit of God.

Okay, now you understand that that's back to the basics.

Isn't back to the basics. God is not in conflict with Christ in Christ is not in conflict with God in Christ is not in conflict with the spirit and the spirit is not in conflict with Christ that one will and one design and we have to see conflict for what it is.

It is an attitude problem. It is a failure to think on the divine level is a rushing into the process of relationships with your own agenda is quick to speak, slow to think slower to pray and slower to meditate slower to search the mind of God, and it is compelled by the flesh which longs for what it has established as its priority agenda see it for what it is second principle. The first one is to be of the same mind. The second one flows out of it, maintaining the same love maintaining the same love, the main verb in the verse is to be of the same mind. This is a participle that in a sense, flows out of that main verb. If you are of the same mind you will maintain the same love that is also a mark of spiritual unity. What is it mean to maintain the same love means to love everybody the same, and that tells me right away that were not talking about emotion because I can't emotionally be attracted to everybody.

Not that at all. It's a mutual sacrificial service. That's how the New Testament defines love in Romans 12 tenant puts it this way.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love be devoted to one another means a meet one another's needs greater love and no man in this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. First John three says that if you look on your friend, and he has needs and you close up your compassion to him. It's questionable whether the love of God even dwells in you.

Love acts in behalf of someone else's need God so loved the world that he gave what man so desperately needed. This is an element of unity loving everyone the same, only make it as clear as I can when you think the things of the spirit. When you have the sound spiritual objective judgment of God. When you think with the mind of Christ. When you think with maturity and when you think spiritually and when you think heavenly you will maintain the same love, because Christ in the spirit will be loving through you and love for one another will be the outflow and I'm back to the same point I'm trying to get across to you. The problem is attitude. I would venture to say that when there is a collision of attitudes. It rises out of a failure to maintain love and conflict comes in. I say it again because of attitudinal problems and the collision very often comes because someone has a grudge against someone else. I don't care whether it's at the level of lay people in the church or at the level of leadership in the church it comes because somebody feels in their hearts something other than allow for someone else. Bitterness, envy, jealousy, personal ambition, protectionism, possessiveness, sometimes hostility and it is out of that attitude that Loveless and attitude that the conflicts come. That's what grieves me and I have asked the spirit of God to fill my heart with the surpassing spiritual love for all who are part of the body of Christ. I can't do that in my flesh, my flesh refuses to do that spirit refuses not to do that so it's easy for me to tell where I am by getting in touch with my attitudes. That's where the collision and conflict comes third principle united in spirit. This is a an interesting word assume to call use only one time in the whole New Testament. Paul probably made it up. It means one sold so you LED one sold and he said back in verse 27 that I want you to have one spirit. Now it says I want you to be one sold it's okay. What does it mean when I why love the word soul brother. That's this idea deeply down in the harmony of the soul.

What does that mean we talk about passion here. You talk about desire you talking about ambition and it's all the same. You will have the same passion same desire same ambition to be united in spirit is when one person's got a desire and a passion and ambition for the spirit of God to control the work of God in somebody else got a passion and desire and ambition to be prominent that you have collision that's collision when somebody has a desire and a passion and a heartfelt hunger to see Jesus Christ, church, United and somebody else wants the whole world to know that they been offended you have collision and manner going to spread that everywhere they can. And you ask her what the offense was and they probably couldn't even tell you, but it's a basically it's giving way to the flesh and the flesh is a liar and the flesh will deceive you, and it will conjure in your minds. Things that aren't even true and destroy the unity of the church with a lot of stuff that isn't even related related to reality. If there is one driving passion for the glory of the church and there is one driving passion for the unity of the church is a true has to be true if there is one driving passion for the exaltation of Christ. There is one driving passion for unity if there is one driving passion for the unity of the spirit. That's what'll happen if there's one driving passion for the glory of God. That's exactly what'll bring about the unity of the church gets when somebody in the mix is driven by another agenda, protectionism, possessiveness, personal ambition, envy, jealousy, pride, illegitimate offense, morbid feelings of persecution. Whatever else we need to be one spirit, one soul is 1/4 principle, he says, intent on one purpose and this is where the passion fleshes out. If we have one passion wouldn't have one purpose we have ever asked what your purpose. People in conflict.

All have their own purpose.

You get a whole lot of people together with an all their all different. Having all different purposes. You got a lot of problem, a lot of problems this by the way, the second participle modifying being of the same mind and uses the same word for now uses a different way. It literally means minding one thing that's the literal translation so we went a full circle be of the same mind minding one thing okay were altogether and we got our focus together and were all with the same intent advancing the kingdom, starting with one mind that one mind is released in one great love that one great love is wonderfully accompanied by a single passion for unity with no personal agenda which results in one great group of people moving toward one eternal glorious purpose. What he says and that purpose is the glory of God the glory of God.

The advancement of the kingdom really Paul saying the same thing in four ways.

I told you there was overlap. But he says it in four ways to bury it deeply in our minds and our hearts. Unity is evidenced in a group of people who think alike what you mean, they think alike.

They all like the same furniture no. They all the same hobbies. No, not that but they all are controlled by a deep knowledge of the word of Christ that is energized in them by the power of the Spirit because they walk in the spirit they maintain the same spiritual attitude. There can't be any collision. There secondly unity is evidenced in a group of people when they love each other equally. When they don't have grudges and they're not angry at someone because of some thing that they think was an offense against them.

Unity as evidence in a group of people who feel the same passion in their heart for the same holy principles for the same holy goals for the same divine ends and they are driven and compelled from the inside to accomplish things that are utterly unrelated to themselves. These are the marks of unity.

Pretty simple, basic, because with personal comments. I am deeply concerned about the church because I believe that our society the culture in which we live has created monsters, selfish, self-indulgent, egotistical, introverted, consumptive, materialistic people who can think only of their own things and the spillover of this is literally devastating to churches. We are hostile we are angry we have had so much of this.

Do your own thing philosophy embedded so deeply into us that we know very little of what it is seeking oneness, and to give ourselves a way for one another and the legacy of this warped pagan God bless. Culture is to produce monsters of self-indulgence very difficult to stay separated from and the threat that it is to the church is frightening right.

I can only pray that somehow God will put a halt to it for the sake of his own name and the purity of his own church, but there is no excuse, no matter what the culture does right. This isn't the first culture like ours, and it will be the last of Jesus.

Terry's word of God still binds us to responsibility to the truth that he has given us their spell together in prayer. Father, we know that you have granted us your spirit in your word and you have given us all things that pertain to life and godliness and that we have no excuse all excuse for our pettiness. No excuse for our selfishness.

No excuse for our pride in these personal ambition jealousies with no excuse for the discord we cause no excuse for bitter attitude grudge excuse just start ugly sinful flesh. Forgive us give to us all that one mind that common attitude that only can be produced by the word in the spirit. Give us that love give us that harmony of soul that drives us with one passion to one goal, the glory of God. Lord help us to be counterculture help us to be radically different from the society around us. This we ask in the name of Christ we know.

Consistent with his own desire for payment.

This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John's been our featured speaker for 53 years now. He's also Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary is current series is making a plea for unity. Now the book of Philippians. Paul's epistle to the Philippians is the basis for our current study, but it's a relatively short portion of Scripture just for chapters and hundred and four verses total. I looked it up John when you originally taught through Philippians verse by verse. It took you 46 sermons to do it.

That's an average of just slightly more than two verses per sermon which says something about how rich this epistle is and that's exactly right. That is the conclusion that I would request well. I would like to have moved faster but I but I couldn't because there was just too much. There I think that many people don't probably know what value Bible commentaries have. I'm part of the reason that I would preach 46 sermons on a short book is because in the process of preparing those sermons like I do with all books I'm reading many commentaries I'm reading theological works but but I probably would read 10 1214 commentaries on every passage that I've preached on and I am so profoundly enriched by all the insights is sort of the accumulated illumination of the spirit. Over the years of these commentators been writing that all the potential riches. Just keep coming up out of the bubbling up out of the text so you may read the Bible and you may have some devotional thoughts about it. You may listen to me preach a sermon and save that that's that's exactly exhaustive, but that's not all there is. Believe me, and I would just encourage you to maybe take a first look at the commentary I wrote on the book of Philippians because you're going to find in the commentary even more than you heard in the sermon.

There was a lot in the sermon, but there's even more in the commentary on the book of Philippians be a good introduction to reading commentaries and I've written commentaries on the entire New Testament. I think it's 34 volumes. The book of Philippians be a great way to begin order a copy from Grace to you of the commentary on Philippians and start going deeper into the word of God. The price is very reasonable and you can even order the whole commentary. If you want, but maybe good to start with this one on the book of Philippians very, very deep way to dig into the word of God which will produce all the good things that God wants to see in your life yes and friend. If you are passionate about the word of God. If you want to understand better what it teaches and how to apply what you've learned.

The MacArthur New Testament commentary series can help to get your copy of the Philippians commentary. Contact us today. You can order by calling us toll-free 855 grace or by visiting our website, TTY.org, just ask for the MacArthur New Testament commentary on Philippians or remember if you order the whole series you will enjoy a steep discount.

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