Because the church shares encouragement in Christ, comfort from love, participation in the Spirit, tenderness, and compassion, Paul calls them to complete his joy through unified love and shared purpose.
Philippians 2:1–4
1 If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,
2 make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;
The church must reject selfish ambition and vain conceit, learning to value others and attend to their interests.
3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself;
4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
Christ Jesus, truly divine, humbled himself by taking servant form and becoming obedient to death on a cross. God therefore exalted him above all, so universal confession will acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5–11
5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Believers must work out their salvation with reverent seriousness because God is at work within them, shaping both desire and action for his good purpose.
Philippians 2:12–18
12 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
The church’s obedience must be free from grumbling and arguing so that believers shine as lights while holding firmly to the word of life, even as Paul is poured out in sacrificial ministry.
14 Do all things without complaining and arguing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without defect in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world,
16 holding up the word of life, that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain.
17 Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all.
18 In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.
Timothy is commended because he sincerely cares for the church’s welfare and has proven himself in gospel service.
Philippians 2:19–24
19 But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered up when I know how you are doing.
20 For I have no one else like-minded, who will truly care about you.
21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.
22 But you know the proof of him, that as a child serves a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Good News.
23 Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it will go with me.
24 But I trust in the Lord that I myself also will come shortly.
Epaphroditus is presented as a brother, co-worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and minister who nearly died for the work of Christ and should be honored.
Philippians 2:25–30
25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, and your apostle and servant of my need,
26 since he longed for you all, and was very troubled because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick, nearly to death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.
28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.
29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy, and hold such people in honor,
30 because for the work of Christ he came near to death, risking his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.