Looking Out for Others
You could say the verses we’ll look at today are the pinnacle of Christian sacrifice and service. This entire book teaches us to think of others and not be selfish. There is no greater example of this than Jesus. In this passage Paul tells us to have the same “mind” or frame of mind Jesus had. He left heaven and came to the earth to serve to die.
No other founder of any of the major world religions can come close to His example. Muhammad, who founded the Islamic religion, spent his life taking life, but Jesus gave His. The Buddhist and Hindu religions have no divine sacrifice for sin like we find in Christianity. But Jesus was God in the flesh. He willingly gave Himself for us, and that is the ultimate example of putting the needs of others ahead of your own.
Read about this subject
- Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11
- “The Golden Rule”
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Transcript
Kerry Duke: Hi, I’m Kerry Duke, host of My God and My Neighbor podcast from Tennessee Bible College, where we see the Bible as not just another book, but the Book. Join us in a study of the inspired Word to strengthen your faith and to share what you’ve learned with others.
Philippians 2 verses 1 through 4 says, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Do you remember the time when a scribe asked Jesus which commandment in the law was the greatest? Which commandment did Jesus say was first? Love God with all of your heart, mind, soul, and strength. But even though the man didn’t ask him which commandment was second, Jesus gave it anyway. That commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. In a way you could say that the whole book of Philippians is about that second commandment. It’s about loving and serving others. That’s what the passage we just read is all about. And did you notice the word joy again in these verses? Paul’s great joy in life was to lead others to Christ and help them on their way to heaven. That’s worth far more than anything this world can offer. What Paul said reminds us of what John wrote in Third John verse 4: “ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.“ And to know that a congregation is united in love instead of being divided by strife is a great encouragement to fellow Christians and sister congregations. The Bible says in Psalm 133 verse 1, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
That’s what Paul is urging these Christians to do in the second chapter of Philippians. He already has joy, and he says to them: fulfill my joy. He said to be like-minded in verse two. Now what does that mean? Christians are different. We have different opinions. We have different personalities, backgrounds, and experiences. Paul knew that better than we do. There were all kinds of differences between people in the church in the first century. That was especially true with the Jews and Gentiles. Paul wrote in Romans chapter 14 and in First Corinthians chapters 8 and 10 that there will be differences in matters of custom and in matters of conscience. Those chapters are about things where God has not given any definite law about whether you must do them or must not do them—things like eating meats.
So notice in the book of First Corinthians that he talks about matters where Christians can differ with each other in chapters 8 and 10. But in chapter 1 of First Corinthians, he said in verse 10 that we are to “speak the same thing, and be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.” He wrote that to a church that was divided. He said there was contention and strife among the members. They were prideful and jealous of each other. Their attitude was tearing the church apart. It’s in that same book that Paul wrote the famous love chapter of the Bible in first Corinthians chapter 13.
We don’t find Paul writing with that tone in the book of Philippians. That doesn’t mean they were perfect. As a matter fact, it seems there was some conflict between two sisters in the church at Phillipi. In Philippians four verse two he mentioned those two sisters by name—Eudoia and Syntyche—and urged them to be of the same mind in the Lord. But as a whole, they seemed to be getting along. And we can definitely say that the members there got along with each other better than the Christians at Corinth did.
Paul wanted them to grow. He wanted these loving people to love more. He wanted this united group of Christians to be even more united. So he tells them, and he tells us, in verse three, that we are not to do anything out of strife or selfish ambition. Here’s another excellent commentary on this. In James chapter 4 verse one, the Bible asks where wars and fighting come from. Then it gives the answer: from your own lusts which war in your members. The same selfishness that causes us conflict on the inside with ourselves is the same selfishness that causes conflict with others on the outside. So the more that we can put down selfishness in our lives, the more peace and joy we will have inside and the better we’ll get along with others— in the church, in marriage, in the family, and everywhere else.
It takes a lot of work and a lot of honesty to do this. And it’s not something you can accomplish in one day and be done with it. You have to continue to work on it. And when you find yourself being selfish, repent of it, ask God to forgive you and help you do better. And, if need be, apologize to the people you’ve offended. Every Christian has to fight this battle. Jesus warned the apostles in Matthew 26 verse 41, “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak.” That’s why it’s good for us to read and meditate on what Paul says.
Now let’s turn to what he said we should do. He said in verse three not to do anything out of strife or selfish ambition, but in lowliness of mind, we are to esteem others better than ourselves. This is a choice. Sometimes it’s not easy. But the more you train yourself to put others first the more of a habit it will become. And the more you think of others and give and do for them, the happier you will be. The more you do this, the more joy you’ll get out of it. And as the years go by, you’ll realize more and more that this is what life is all about: Christian living. Not just doing good for others, but doing good for others, first and foremost, to save their souls and help them stay saved.
You see, this is Christian love for others. It’s different from just being nice and kind to other people. It certainly doesn’t mean that we’re to be nice and kind to other people so that they will be nice and kind to us. It doesn’t mean that we set aside our dignity to please everybody around us, even when they’re just using us. Paul is not saying that it’s the job of Christians to make everybody around them happy. That can’t be done. Jesus didn’t try that and Paul is not saying that. Paul said in Romans 12 verse 18, “If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.” Paul said try as hard as you can to have peace with others. But he admitted that that can’t always happen. Christian love doesn’t mean to agree with everybody. It doesn’t mean that we are to agree with people who are doing wrong just so they won’t get mad at us. That’s not Christianity. That’s not true love. Jesus said in revelation three verse 19, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”
So how is Christian love different? How is it unique? Love means putting others ahead of ourselves because that’s what God wants us to do. Because that’s how God loves us. Because that’s how Jesus loved us and still loves us. God doesn’t love us and do good things for us, so that we can pay him back with kindness. As a matter of fact, the Bible says in Matthew chapter 5 verse 45 that he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Luke chapter 6 verse 35 says God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. God continues every day to give good things to people all over the world, but He gets nothing in return from most people. That’s the nature of love. It’s unselfish. That’s the kind of love God tells us to have.
Verse four is a key verse. The King James Version says, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” The New King James Version has “ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” This doesn’t mean to be nosy. The Bible teaches us to mind our own business and stay out of others business. Jesus had to tell Peter to mind his own business. Peter saw John following Jesus after the Lord had talked very plainly to Peter. The Bible says, “ Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me’” (John 21:21-22). Peter wanted to know what John was about to do, and the Lord told him, what is that to you? You follow me. In other words, you do what you’re supposed to do. Paul said in I Thessalonians 4:11 to “aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,” but these verses are talking about getting into other peoples’ business for no good reason. They’re about, as we would say, being nosy. But in Philippians chapter 2 verse four, Paul is talking about looking into other peoples lives to help them. And he certainly doesn’t mean that we are not to have any concern for ourselves. The second great commandment, Jesus said is to love your neighbor as yourself. He doesn’t say the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor. He said it is to love your neighbor as yourself, that is like you love yourself. So in Philippians, two verse four, he is saying we are not only to look out for our own welfare, but we are also to look out for others to help them. That’s Christianity. That’s being a servant like Jesus was a servant.
Is this something you and I are doing? Are we looking out for others as well as looking out for ourselves? Here’s a simple checklist: Number one. Do you pray for others? It all starts in the heart. It begins by getting outside of our own little world of Pleasures and troubles, and thinking about the needs of others to the point that we pray for them. That’s looking out for others as well as ourselves. Number two. Do you ask others how they’re doing and listen to what they say? Too many times we say “How are you doing?” like we say “Hello.” Have you ever said that to somebody and the person said, “Do you really want to know?” Number three. What are you doing to help others once you see the need to help? It’s one thing to see the need. It’s another thing take the time to do something about it. The priest and the Levite saw the man lying on the side of the road in the parable of the good Samaritan. But they didn’t look out for his welfare. They overlooked his needs. One of the sins of the Israelite people that led to their fall with selfish living while others suffered. In Amos chapter 6 beginning in verse one, the prophet wrote, “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, And trust in Mount Samaria, Notable persons in the chief nation, To whom the house of Israel comes! Go over to Calneh and see; And from there go to Hamath the great; Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory? Woe to you who put far off the day of doom, Who cause the seat of violence to come near; Who lie on beds of ivory, Stretch out on your couches, Eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall; Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David; Who drink wine from bowls, And anoint yourselves with the best ointments, But are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.” They made sure they ate well and had the finest luxuries they could but. But, the prophet from Tekoa said, they didn’t feel any compassion toward the people in Israel that were suffering. They had what Paul says in reverse. They were looking out only for their own interests, and not for the interests of others.
Verse 4 is Christian living because it’s the kind of life Jesus lived. He went about “doing good” (Acts 10:38). He said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). To do that we have to pay attention to the lives of others, especially other Christians. The Bible places a priority on Christians helping other Christians. In Galatians chapter 6, in verse 2, Paul said, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” In verse 10, he said, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We need to have our eyes open. There are opportunities to do good all around us.
Now we come to verse five. This verse is probably the best known verse in this section. A lot of sermons have been preached about verse five. A lot of articles have been written about it. But here’s what you need to remember. Verse five is not a new subject. Paul is still talking about what he said in the verses before this. now he’s taking the whole discussion to a higher level. In fact, he’s taking it to the highest level possible. Verse five says, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.“ He says we are to have “this mind” in us, and he says this mind was also in Jesus. What is he talking about? It’s very simple. This mind is the mindset or the frame of mind he just talked about in verse four. He just said in verse four that we are to look out for the things of others, not just for our own things. That’s the attitude and outlook we should have. And he uses the greatest example to teach us about that: Jesus Christ. If anyone looked out for the needs of others, it was Jesus. There are two main ways we learn to do right and be better people. One is to learn by word and the other is to learn by example. God teaches us through word and he teaches us through example. And when God teaches us by his example, His example is always perfect. If you’re looking for the greatest example of love, you can’t get any higher than God‘s love. If you want to learn how to give, you can go to different places in the Bible to see people who really gave generously. The poor widow who gave everything she had in Mark chapter 12 verses 41 through 44. The churches of Macedonia that were very poor and yet they gave gladly in generously in Second Corinthians chapter 8 verses one through five.
Those stories motivate us to this day. But if you really want to give, then look to the greatest giver of all: God. God gives to all life, breath, and all things (Acts 17:25). He gives us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons (Acts 14:17). He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust (Matt. 5:45). He gave the ultimate sacrifice by giving his only begotten son to die for our sins (John 3:16). That’s raising the bar really high, isn’t it? As a matter of fact, that’s raising the bar so high that we will never reach it. But that just means we ought to keep striving for it. If you compare what you give to what others give, You’ll always see people that give more than you or less than you. But God always gives more – far more than any human being.
The same thing is true in Philippians two verse five. As a matter of fact, this is love in the highest degree. We are to have the same mindset toward others that Jesus had. That’s what verse five is about. Sometimes we start reading in verse five and forget what Paul just talked about before this. We see him talking in verse five about the mind that was in Jesus. And then we start saying to ourselves, “Jesus had a mind of faith.” Or “Jesus had a mind of courage.” Or, “Jesus had a mind of wisdom and judgment.” And the list goes on. All those things about Jesus are true, but that’s not what Paul is talking about in Philippians two verse five. He’s talking specifically About looking out for others. And, he’s talking about one particular way. Jesus did that. He left heaven and came to the earth – for us. Not for himself.
Verse six says, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.“ please think about this carefully. This is a very misunderstood verse. Some people misuse this first to say that Jesus wasn’t God. They say it means Jesus was not equal with God because that would have been robbery. Jehovah’s Witnesses, for instance, misuse this verse. They say, Jesus was an angel, not God. But that is false. All you have to do is read the first chapter of the book of Hebrews to say that Jesus was not an angel and is not an angel. Hebrews chapter 1 says Jesus is much better than the angels. It says the angels worship Him. Only deity is worthy of worship, not angels. And in Hebrews chapter 1 verse eight, God the Father specifically says to the Son, His Son, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.” Muslims say Jesus is not deity. They believe He was just a man. They say Jesus was one of the prophets, and not even the greatest of the prophets. And then there are liberal theologians who say Jesus couldn’t have been god and man. They deny His deity. They don’t believe He was born of a virgin. These so-called experts in religion are often professors in seminaries and universities. But John chapter 1 verse one says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” Then John 1 verse 14 says, “And the word became flesh and dwelled among us.”
So Paul is not denying the deity of Christ in Philippians 2. He is not saying that Jesus ceased to be God when He became a man.
Part of the misunderstanding comes from the word “robbery” in the King James Version and the New King James Version. But Paul doesn’t say Jesus would have robbed God the Father if He were equal with Him. It says Jesus didn’t consider being equal to God robbery. He was equal with God in Hid divine nature. He is deity right now. He is equal to God in His essence. That’s what Hebrews 1:3 says: Jesus is the brightness of His glory and the very essence of the nature of God the Father. A better translation of Philippians 2:5 is that Jesus did not consider being equal with God a thing to be held on to.
But here’s what many overlook. This verse—Philippians 2 verse 5—is not talking about being equal with God in essence or divine nature. It’s true that He is equal with God in nature, but that’s not what this verse is about. This passage is about Jesus being equal with the Father because He was in heaven just like God was. But Jesus gave up that equal state or condition. He had the same dwelling where the Father was but He left that home to come to the earth—for us.
Here’s how Paul said it to the Corinthians in Second Corinthians chapter 8, verse nine: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Now let’s notice verse seven in Philippians chapter 2: “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” The King James Version and the New King James version have “made himself of no reputation.“ Other translations have “emptied himself.” The idea is that Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to come to the earth. He made Himself of “no reputation,“ that is, He lowered Himself or emptied Himself of that glorious state. Paul doesn’t mean that he emptied Himself of deity. We know that because of the verses we’ve already looked at. And, another one is first Timothy chapter 3, verse 16: “God was manifested in the flesh.”
Again, the point of Philippians two is not that He gave up His divine nature. It’s that He gave up His heavenly home. And He didn’t just leave the place or realm of heaven. He took on human nature. The divine nature and human nature came together in Him. Jesus became human. The Bible says He partook of flesh and blood in order to die (Hebrews chapter 2, verse 14). Simply put, He came to die for our sins, but He had to have a physical body to die. Also, Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 says He had to be human in order to be our great high priest. The high priest made the sin offering for the people in Israel. Jesus offered himself. He had to die– physically. That’s why He took on human form.
So, we shouldn’t think that when Paul says in Philippians chapter 2 verse six that Jesus came “in the likeness of men” that He was not really a man, that He was just “like” a man. We shouldn’t think that him having the “appearance” as a man in verse seven means He only appeared to be a man. Some ancient heretics said Jesus didn’t have a body of flesh and blood. But those people were false teachers. The apostle John said this about them in the book of second John verse seven: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”
John said anyone who denied that Jesus came in the flesh, that he had a human body, was an antichrist. Not the antichrist, but an antichrist. John said in first John chapter 2, verse 18 that there were many antichrists in his day. Many people misuse that word today. They look for one single person at the end of time who will be the head of a one-world government and plunge mankind into darkness the human race has never seen. But, without saying more because of lack of time, let us just point out here that in the Bible, anyone who denied the humanity of Christ was an antichrist. So, we must believe in both the deity and the humanity of Christ.
Paul explains this when he said that Jesus, who was in the form of God in verse six, took on the form of a servant or bond servant in verse seven. Jesus left heaven where there is no death and came to the earth to suffer and die. That’s sacrifice—the ultimate sacrifice. That’s looking not on His own things, but on the things of others. Jesus came to be the King of kings. But first He had to be a servant; then He was crowned with honor and glory—the same honor and glory He had before the world was ever created. That’s what he said in John 17 verse five when He was praying in the garden the night before He was crucified. That same night He told the apostles that He came to serve. Let that sink in. Jesus who made the world came to be a lowly servant. That same night also He stooped down and washed the disciples’ feet in John 13. He told them in Luke chapter 22 verse 27: “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”
Jesus was thinking about others and not Himself every time He did good—every time he healed people or fed the hungry or cast out demons. But the chief way he sacrificed for others was when He gave His life. Philippians 2 verse 8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” If there’s one thing we must have before we can serve others, it’s the very thing this verse says about Jesus—being humble. I wonder how often we consider this. Pride is very common. I think you would agree that all of us have it sometimes. And what reason does a sinful, frail human being who depends on God for every breath he takes have to be proud? It’s really a strange thing when you think about it. But if Jesus Himself wasn’t prideful, then we sure don’t need to be, especially as Christians. I’m not talking about a false humility like the Pharisees had. Jesus said in Matthew 6 that they did good deeds in public and prayed and fasted just to get attention. But genuine humility means that we admit who we are. Think about what David said in Psalm 39 verses 4 and 5: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.” The King James says “Every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” That’s our life. That’s who we are. That’s what we are. Oh how we need more humility in this world. How we need it in the church!
They say power goes to a man’s head. They say knowledge can give a person the big head. They say wealth makes a lot of people prideful. Well, Jesus had all of that in the truest sense and to the highest degree. And yet He willingly became a poor man by worldly standards.
Paul said He humbled Himself and became obedient. Jesus obeyed God the Father. You might think that’s not a big deal until you think it through. You might say, “That was easy for Him; He was God.” But do you remember what Jesus said when He prayed to the Father in the garden of Gethsemane? He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will” (Mark chapter 14 verse 36). That was the human side of Jesus speaking. He felt the emotion of fear just like the rest of us. So when He died on the cross, He knew He would rise from the dead. He knew more than any of us that He had a home waiting for Him in heaven. He had already been there throughout eternity past. And yet, He still dreaded death. He feared the physical pain. So we shouldn’t think that, when it comes our time, we’ll just be calm and steady, that nothing will shake us if we have to suffer when we leave this world. We can and should be confident, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have the natural fear and dread of departing. If Jesus felt it knowing what He knew, then we certainly will feel it.
But Jesus overcame that fear. He overcame every temptation the devil put before Him and always obeyed the Father. Paul said He became obedient to death. The New King James says “to the point of death.” It doesn’t just mean being obedient until death, but being obedient in death. And, Paul explains that when He says, “even the death of the cross.” For the sinless Son of God to die for sinners is a remarkable thing. But for Him to die for us by the horrible torture of crucifixion is even more amazing.
This is the “mind” or mindset Paul talked about when he said “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Jesus died for us. You might be thinking, “Are Christians supposed to be ready to die for each other?” Yes. The Bible plainly says that in First John chapter 3 verse 16: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” He died for us and we ought to be willing to die for each other.
And because Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice, God exalted Him. Philippians 2 verses 9 through 11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” If you live a life of serving God and serving others, then God will exalt you. That’s peace of mind. That’s Christian optimism.
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