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Of One Mind in the Lord

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 19, 1914

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 91, No. 8.

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Of One Mind in the Lord

By T. E. Bowen

T. E. BOWEN
"I BESEECH Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord." Phil. 4:2. So Paul wrote the church at Philippi.
Probably these sisters had had a "falling out," as we might speak of it now. Some little thing had come up, so that the love they once had for each other was not only all gone, but in its stead ill feeling and hatred had sprung up. Down at Rome, Paul had either been told about it by some Philippian brother or the Lord had shown it to him; and so this gentle rebuke, this beseeching of each personally, individually, near the close of his letter to that church, to become once more of one mind in the Lord.
And still there may be some Euodiases and Syntyches in the church scattered here and there. They are far from being of the "same mind in the Lord." And the church is made the sport of Satan's buffetings to just that extent that these persons are at enmity. There is no evading it. Every such division weakens the body structure, and it can never do its appointed work, nor be filled with the Spirit, until all such become "in the Lord" of "one mind."
Notice that it is all to be done "in the Lord." When each puts away his own stubborn willfulness, and in humility of heart yields himself to the Lord, in the Lord they become of one mind.
Why carry about a load of old grudges as if they were valuable keepsakes? Why be seen with such a load of worthless trash? A thousand times better consign without mercy the whole bunch to the scrap heap, yes, even better yet, the bonfire. Get the worthless rubbish out of sight forever.
"But he said some very mean things about me. I did not hear him, but it came straight." Yes, he may, and it likely came straight to you; such things usually find their way quickly to the one who never should hear. But what of it?
What have you said since? This, too, likely has gone straight to him. This is the devil's work to keep something going to stir up strife.
"Do all things without murmurings and disputings." Two brethren or sisters in the same church, known by those within the church as well as without the church to be unfriendly like this, can counteract all the good ten good men might accomplish. Before the latter rain can do its work either these elements will become of "one mind in the Lord" or they will be shaken out of the church entirely. Euodias and Syntyche must become one in the Lord or be lost altogether. There is no other alternative. But how much better it is to get together "in the Lord." It is wonderful what earnest prayer together will do in fixing up things like this. And it is astonishing how abundantly the Scriptures teem with expressions calculated to unite hearts in the tender bond of Christian love and fellowship, tender expressions of the Holy Spirit, seeking to melt our hard spirits into the tender-hearted compassion and love with which God wants us to regard one another. Here are a few of them:—
"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another." "Let love be without dissimulation." "Be of the same mind one toward another." "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another after the example of Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God." "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
Surely this emphasis placed upon unity in the church by the Lord means something to us who have come down to perilous times here at the end. Some earnest attention must be given to it by us all in our everyday living if we are to perfect characters to stand in the day of Christ's coming. And it is none too early to be developing these graces now.