In 2:3 Paul speaks of lowliness of mind. Lowliness is versus both rivalry and vainglory. The kind of lowliness Paul speaks of is not our natural lowliness; it is the lowliness of Christ, as illustrated in verses 7 and 8.
Notice that Paul refers to “lowliness of mind.” Paul’s use of the word mind here is another indication that the problem of dissension among the Philippians was a matter of their untransformed mind. They needed to have the mind which was in Christ (2:5).
In 2:4 Paul says, “Not regarding each his own things, but each the things of others also.” The things here refer to virtues and qualities. We should not regard only our virtues and qualities, but also the virtues and qualities of others.
We have pointed out emphatically that Philippians is concerned with the experience of Christ. According to this book, the experience of Christ is a matter of mutuality between the apostle and the believers. As we read this Epistle, we see that Paul carried on fellowship with the saints in a proper way. In every aspect and from every angle, his fellowship with them was right. The Philippians, by contrast, were not proper in all respects in their fellowship with the apostle. Therefore, on the apostle’s side, the experience of Christ was normal. But on the side of the Philippian saints, the experience of Christ was not altogether normal. To some extent at least, it was abnormal.
If we consider the book of Philippians as a whole, we shall realize that the experience of Christ involves mutuality. It is definitely not a one-sided matter. However, many of today’s Christians are subject to the mistaken teaching that the experience of Christ is one-sided. But it is a fact that we cannot have a normal experience of Christ if we are individualistic. The experience of Christ is a Body matter. Whatever is in the Body and of the Body involves mutual fellowship. The experience of Christ thus requires mutuality. If the apostle did not have proper fellowship with the saints, his experience of Christ would not have been normal. Likewise, if the believers were not in fellowship with the apostle, their experience of Christ would not be normal. This indicates that whether or not our experience of Christ is normal depends on our attitude toward the apostle. Concerning this, we shall be tested. If our attitude toward the apostle is not proper, our experience of Christ will be abnormal. In the same principle, if the apostle is out of line concerning his attitude toward the believers, his experience of Christ will be abnormal.
In the book of Philippians we have a picture of the proper fellowship between the believers and the apostle for the normal experience of Christ. Although the Philippian believers loved the Lord and were in the church, their experience of Christ was abnormal. One reason for this abnormality was that there was dissension among themselves. Another reason was that their attitude toward the apostle might not have been absolute. If their attitude toward Paul was absolute, they would receive his word to think the same thing, to have the same love, to be joined in soul, to think the one thing, not to do anything by way of rivalry or vainglory, to count others more excellent than themselves, and to regard the virtues and qualities of others. If the believers took Paul’s word and acted on it, they would become balanced and normal in experiencing Christ.
In Philippians, a book on the experience of Christ and enjoyment of Christ, we see that the enjoyment of Christ must be a Body matter, a matter of mutuality in fellowship. If our attitude toward the apostle is wrong, we shall also be wrong in our attitude toward one another. Hence, our attitude toward the apostle is a test of our condition. If our attitude toward him is wrong, our situation must be abnormal. In such a case, our experience of Christ will be abnormal also.
Among Christians today there is virtually no normal experience of Christ. On the contrary, the condition among Christians is abnormal. The proper fellowship between the apostles and the believers has been damaged to the extreme. In the Lord’s recovery we need to be enlightened from the book of Philippians and receive mercy and grace from the Lord to have the proper mutuality between the believers and the apostles.
We have pointed out that in Philippians we see Paul’s attitude and spirit toward the believers. Paul’s appeal was that the believers would show a proper attitude and spirit toward him so that the fellowship between them would be normal. The proper fellowship between the believers and the apostle is a safeguard to the normal experience of Christ. If our attitude toward the apostle is proper and our fellowship with him is right, we shall know that we are experiencing Christ in a normal way.