Fulfil Ye My Joy

"If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

(Philippians 2:1-2)

It isn't the desire for singularity in unity in of itself that Paul is speaking about. For we could be like minded, have the same love, and be of one accord as Satanist, democrats/republicans, sports fans, Rotarian, etc. Uniting as one doesn’t necessarily mean with Christ.

People have a strong need for unity, for belonging, and for fellowship. And that’s the problem. God gave man this need of socialization and integration. It is part of man’s essence and nature. But sin often times misguides the effort. Sometimes it is sin itself that is the unifying body causing what may appear as a hodge-podge of strange and apparently unrelated characteristics to coalesce.

Have you ever noticed how sin attracts sin? Las Vegas is a gambling town. But prostitution, infidelity, and alcoholism run rampant there. There is a Satanist movement that is organized and growing worldwide. More than half of its membership claim to be homosexuals.

Sin attracts sin. Fortunately, Godliness attracts Godliness.

Paul’s desire is for all to be Christ like.

The phrase, “Having the same love” is the foundation of the entire verse. The love spoken of is the Greek, “agape”. This is referred to as the Godly type of love that puts the welfare and interests of our fellow man first. Agape is not an emotion or sentiment. The emotional love is fickle. It will heat up and cool down. It is self-fulfilling. God isn’t fickle and is not subject to variableness.

Agape is the care and attention dedicated to our neighbor’s well-being. These are the attributes needed to build a healthy, growing, and thriving society. This is what Paul is hoping for and what will, “Fulfil ye my joy”.

Bill Hitchcock