“所以,在基督里若有什么劝勉,爱心有什么安慰, 圣灵有什么交通, 心中有什么慈悲怜悯, 你们就要意念相同,爱心相同,有一样的心思,有一样的意念,使我的喜乐可以满足。 凡事不可结党,不可贪图虚浮的荣耀;只要存心谦卑,各人看别人比自己强。 各人不要单顾自己的事,也要顾别人的事。” 腓立比书 2:1-4
若有......使我的喜乐可以满足。基督徒德行的践行首先取决于被基督劝勉,被神的爱浇灌,和与圣灵有活泼的交通。如果一个基督徒经历到这些(不管何种程度),保罗恳求他的读者借着彼此相顾来保守信徒中间的合一,并且看弟兄姊妹的需要比自己的需要更为重要,如此,他的喜乐就得以满足。深切关心主内的弟兄姊妹,这是保罗情愿为基督和圣徒劳苦,胜过离世与基督同在的原因。保罗可以看到耶稣在圣徒中间开始的工作——赐下亲自的劝勉、爱心的安慰、和圣灵的交通——以此将圣徒装备成那劝勉人的,以爱心安慰人的,和与人合一交通的。
我们愿意使那些在福音中劳苦服侍我们的人的喜乐满足吗?当我们为弟兄姊妹付出每一个爱的举动的时候,曾经如此爱你的圣徒要喜上眉梢。让我们在主爱里面,将圣徒间的爱心和服侍传递下去。
Philippians 2:1-4
If any...then make my joy complete. The practice of Christian virtue is conditioned on first receiving encouragement by Christ, the pouring of God's love into our lives, as well as fellowship with the Holy Spirit. If the Christian experiences any of this (in whatever measure) Paul pleads with his audience to make his joy complete by maintaining unity with other Christians, and to regard each Brother and Sister in Christ's needs as more important than our own. To be interested in our Brother and sisters. This is the reason why Paul is willing to labor for Christ and the saints instead of being with Christ in surrendering to death, because he can still see Jesus starting a work in the saints (whether it is the work of encouragement, or fellowship or love) to make them encouragers, fellowshippers and lovers of others. Are we willing to make the joy complete of those who themselves have laboured to bring the gospel to you? Can you imagine that with every act of love for your brethren, the smiles of the saints who invested in your lives. Let's pay it forward.