31st January, 2004

LLOYD HARKNESS

With a growing awareness of the pressing need for unity among and in the churches in Australia, ‘like-minded’ seemed like a good word to explore.

There are three key verses in the New Testament where this word is used.

In the first two (Romans 15:5 and Philippians 2:2), the root of the Greek word is to think the same thing or to have the same mind. Despite initial appearances, neither of these verses is requiring Christians to come to the same conclusions about every matter.

In Romans, Paul has been talking about religious observances - such as holy days and what you can eat and drink - where there are differences of interpretation. When he comes to the point of being ‘like-minded’, he is not suggesting uniformity of observance but, as the New International Version footnote points out, an attitude of agreeing to disagree in love. Paul asks us to have the same way of thinking on these sorts of matters not to have the same list of rules. Christians are not required to be in unison on all matters of conscience.

When you move on to the use of like-minded in Philippians 2:2 the same thought is being applied but in the broader context of Christians working together. Both here and in Romans, Paul intimates that grace must undergird everything, just as it does with God. Agreeing to disagree in love does not ignore the need for Christians to have the same basic understanding of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and where we belong in God’s scheme of things. God is simply asking for grace to be elevated in matters that can, but shouldn’t, divide Christians.

Paul calls on us to be like-minded with Christ in willingly working with and serving others. It’s worth noting Jesus worked with disciples who doubted Him, misunderstood Him, stole from Him, distracted Him from what He had on his plate that day, failed Him in His most trying times and jostled for positions of power in-between the times when they were on course. This is what it meant for Jesus to work with and serve his disciples. We need to see that these things can be part of working with others and still be willing to work through those times to effectively serve Christ and each other.

The third key use of like-minded is in Philippians 2:20 where a different Greek word, isopsuchos, is given the same English translation. This word is not just talking about having the same attitude or outlook. It refers to two people having equal souls. There is a deeper level of like-mindedness here. These two people are equal in the sense of who they are, what lies at the core of their being and how they see and feel about things. Their desires and wills are bent to the same purpose. Paul says Timothy is, like himself, someone who has a genuine interest in the welfare of the Philippian Christians. He is pursuing Christ’s interests not his own. Paul recognises humility, commitment, self-sacrifice and a Christ-love that go the core of the man Timothy has become. They are ‘like-minded’ in this work.

What a powerful church we would see if people could develop working relationships like this, if we could be like-minded in the manner in which the Bible instructs us to be - exercising grace instead of making up lists of rules and requiring everyone to signature them. What a challenge that is, to maintain a willingness to work with others rather than withdraw them. It’s God’s challenge for you and me.