God’s Word for You
Philippians 2:1-2 Be like-minded
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, March 7, 2026
2 Since there is encouragement in Christ, since there is solace from his love, since there is fellowship with the Spirit, since there is affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and concern.
I have translated the recurring εἴ τις / εἴ τι as “Since there is” rather than the usual “If there is any.” This is because verse 1 is not what we would call a conditional sentence (if… then). Verse 2 does not have a “then” statement, but a command: “Make my joy complete.” Paul is not so much arguing the case for Christian unity and fellowship as he is demonstrating what it is based upon and what the result should be.
What is encouragement in Christ? It is the comfort we have because the thing we dread the most, which is hell, has been removed from our judgment by Christ’s sacrifice. This is the word (παράκλησις) from which “Paraclete” is formed (“the comforter”).
What is solace from his love? What draws us away from the Father’s love is reversed as the Father draws us back and keeps drawing us back with his love. “Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort (solace)” (1 Corinthians 14:3). It is the kind of relief God gives to all of our fears and needs, such as when, “to give Israel relief, quails came up from the sea.” Those who reject Christ or live without loving him will have no solace on judgment day, but only punishment.
Fellowship with (or brought about by) the Spirit is a gift of the Holy Spirit, when he brings us into unity and fellowship with God and with one another. When we believe all alike and in line with the message of Scripture, then the Father is our Father, Christ is our brother, and we all are brothers and sisters with one another. Affection and compassion follow and are naturally the first things we notice within this fellowship, like coming into a home and smelling freshly baked bread, or a roast being cooked. It contents us, and fills us with peace—peace with God, peace with each other, and peace within our own hearts.
The command of the apostle is simple and natural to obey. “Be like-minded” is the opposite of being double-minded, which the Scripture warns against (Psalm 119:113; James 1:8, 4:8). “The same love” and “the same spirit” is something we want to aspire to; only in the forgiveness of our sins do we find this love, and we show it when we forgive one another and work together for the truth.
The Bible rests the salvation of the sinner on three foundations. The first of these is the love of God the Father for the world. Without this love, Christ could never have done anything for the sake of mankind without being in open rebellion and hostility against the Father. But with this love of the Father, Christ’s work on our behalf was supported and blessed by the Father, just as sunshine and rain bless the planting of the farmer and gardener. This is shown to us most clearly in the Bible’s most famous passage (and rightfully so): “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This love goes by different names and appearances, but it is shown especially in God’s grace (Romans 4:4), mercy (Luke 1:78), love (Ephesians 2:4-5), goodness (Titus 3:4), and compassion, which brings us to our verse here, Philippians 2:1. But we should also proclaim the other two foundation-stones of the sinner’s salvation, which are the sacrifice of God the Son for the world (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2), and the work or activity of God the Holy Spirit appropriating salvation to the world through the means of grace (John 3:5-6).
The apostle is guiding us toward more sanctified living, knowing that this is God’s goal, not only for the Philippians, but for us all. Love one another. This is the command given by Jesus to all: “A new command I give you: Love one another” (John 13:34). Paul calls this love our ongoing debt (Romans 13:8). Peter says the same thing (1 Peter 1:22), as does John (1John 4:7; 2 John 1:5). This love and the unity Paul calls for are possible only when faith is shared, the pure gospel, loved by all. “How good and pleasant it is,” David said, “when brothers live together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). Disunity and strife always erupt when unbelief shows itself (Psalm 78:22, 106:24; Lamentations 4:12).
This uncovers the Law and Gospel message here: All of these blessings, comfort, solace, and more, are thrown down into the mud, trampled upon, spit upon, and even cursed, by all those who reject Christ and the message of the holy Scriptures. They bring judgment down on their heads like the fire and brimstone of a volcano’s eruption, and they may as well get used to the stench, filth, and choking air that this means because it will be theirs forever in hell. But when someone has sinned with any sin, even such terrible sins as these, and is called back to repentance by the word of God and grasps the comforting message of the gospel, then all of this comfort and solace is theirs, nor just for a moment, or a lifetime, but forever. Such is the loving and tender mercy of God.
Trust in God and in his holy word. Treat those who believe as you do with special favor, for they will remind you of God’s encouragement, solace, fellowship, and all of his other blessings that follow hard on the heels of forgiveness and the promise of everlasting life. All of these are yours forever.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.