Philippians 2:3

‘Doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself,'

Here indeed is the heart of the matter, ‘faction' and ‘vainglory' (empty glory). We need to recognise that raising points of disagreement and having a high opinion of ourselves, and of our own ideas and interpretations, is acting contrary to God's will and pleasure. What we should rather concentrate on is being lowly in mind, and counting others as better than ourselves, recognising that in eternity their interpretations may well be seen as equally valid (or invalid) as our own.

This will also result in our not seeking our own self-advancement, while always being ready to assist in any way, not in order to be praised, but so as to serve others. Many of the ills of the church through the ages were the result of men who thrust themselves into positions of authority in the church before they had developed sufficiently to be suitable for it. The consequence was that the church became man-ruled, rather then being ruled by the Holy Spirit. (Note how, as we have already seen, in the opening to the letter the leaders were seen as simply a part of the whole church, not as lords over it).

Being ‘lowly in mind' (in Matthew 5:3 ‘poor in spirit') was not something that the Greeks admired. Their view was that you were to stand up for yourself and not allow yourself to be trodden on. But the Christian distinguishes between standing up for the truth of the Gospel and standing up for oneself. In the one case he is valiant for truth. In the other his thought is always on what is for the benefit of the other, and not on what is for his own benefit, because he has the mind of Christ (see Matthew 11:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 22:27).