“If … then …” statements provide conditions for something to happen. We find four conditional statements for unity in Philippians 2:1-2, thus providing us with keys to unlocking the door to unity. Click on the links below to previous posts on the first three conditions. Here we conclude this series by looking at the need to guard our hearts.
1) Function from your position “in Christ”.
2) Know and rely on God’s love.
3) Walk together in the Spirit.
4) Guard your heart.
To Experience Unity We Need to Guard Our Hearts
Philippians 2:1-2 states that if there’s “any affection and compassion” then we can be “like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind”. The original Greek words for affection (splagchnon) and compassion (oiktirmos) both relate to our inwards parts (bowels, heart, etc.). These two words seem to be interchanged in their various uses, both signifying the seat of our strong emotions —- what we metaphorically call our heart. We are to respond to one another from the core of our being.
Think of Jesus. He saw a need and then felt compassion which caused Him to respond appropriately (Matt. 9:36; 14:14; Mk. 6:34). Jesus felt compassion because of what was in His heart — love for people. Also remember what Jesus said in Luke 6:45 — “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Failing to Nurture and Watch Over Our Hearts with All Diligence Leads to Trouble
Here are just a few ways our relationship with God and others could be affected:
- If we don’t guard our hearts, we’ll quickly be pulled away, distracted from our position in Christ (1 Cor. 7:35; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Pet. 5:7-8). We’ll see others through our own distorted lens rather than how God sees them.
- It’s possible we’ll lose our first love for God (Rev. 2:3-5) and simply go through the motions which won’t get us through the hard times. Rather than having love and devotion for God and compassion toward others, we’ll live for self.
- We’ll be so consumed with ourselves that we no longer walk in the Spirit which will quench His work in our midst (1 Thess. 5:19). We’ll be part of the problem rather than the solution.
Is it little wonder we’re commanded to “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23)?