Philippians 2:1

Blessings Surely Belonging to Christians

The "ifs" of 1 Peter 2:1 were not meant to question, but to be a plain statement of fact. The word "since" might better suggest the meaning to modern readers. Paul is listing things which should cause Christians to be united. First, there is a consolation in Christ. Literally, Vine says the word means "a calling to one's side". Christ calls us to come to his side by doing his will. We are thereby released from our burden of sin. We can look forward to entering the kingdom of heaven at his side as well (Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 7:21-23). Also, Christ is at our side to plead our case, which is the meaning of the word "advocate" in 1 John 2:1.

Second, God has comforted us lovingly in our time of affliction. Paul described God as the "God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God" (2 Corinthians 3:3-7). Third, we have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The idea is that we are in partnership with the Spirit (Acts 5:32). Our mind becomes like His through reading the word. Fourth, there is the tender mercy and compassion God has for us. The King James Version has "if any bowels and mercies." The Greek word for bowels was their expression for the seat of the emotions, which would be comparable to our word heart. Certainly, God gave man the one gift that touched the deepest part of his emotions. Jesus told Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). Because God had such mercy and compassion, we ought to have the same for our fellow Christians.