Prayer: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). As we look to You today for direction, O Lord, we ask You to be with us as we attempt to love and serve others in a way that will take care of their needs and at the same time draw them closer to You. Give us the opportunity to be a witness today with our words, our works, and our walk, that we might be a reflection of Your love and grace. Amen.
Main Scripture: Read Philippians 4:1-7
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! Plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:1-7).
Associated Scriptures:
[There are] many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless, it is the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand (Proverbs 19:21, KJV).
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).
So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8).
I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment (1 Corinthians 1:10).
Correlative Quotes:
We are here exhorted to candor and gentleness, and good temper towards our brethren: "Let your moderation be known to all men, v. 5.In things indifferent do not run into extremes; avoid bigotry and animosity; judge charitably concerning one another." The word moderation (Greek: to epieikes) signifies a good disposition towards other men; and this moderation is explained, Rom. xiv. Some understand it of the patient bearing of afflictions, or the sober enjoyment of worldly good; and so it well agrees with the following verse. The reason is, the Lord is at hand. The consideration of our Master’s approach, and our final account, should keep us from smiting our fellow-servants, support us under present sufferings, and moderate our affections to outward good. "He will take vengeance on your enemies and reward your patience."[1] – Matthew Henry
I ask Euodias and ask Syntyche. These are doubtless the names of females. The name Syntyche is sometimes the name of a man; but if these persons are referred to in Philippians 4:3, there can be no doubt that they were females. Nothing more is known of them than is here mentioned. It has been commonly supposed that they were deaconesses, who preached the gospel to those of their own sex; but there is no certain evidence of this. All that is known is, that there was some disagreement between them, and the apostle entreats them to be reconciled to each other.
That they be of the same mind. That they be united or reconciled. Whether the difference related to doctrine, or to something else, we cannot determine from this phrase. The language is such as would properly relate to any difference.
In the Lord. In their Christian walk and plans. They were doubtless professing Christians, and the apostle exhorts them to make the Lord the great object of their affections, and, in their regard for him, to bury all their petty differences and animosities.[2] – Albert Barnes
Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord. Genuine happiness is spiritual; as it can only come from God, so it infallibly tends to him. The apostle repeats the exhortation, to show, not only his earnestness, but also that it was God's will that it should be so, and that it was their duty as well as interest.[3] – Adam Clark
Study:
Even healthy churches with strong, capable leadership have disagreements occasionally. These disagreements usually involve members of the church, but periodically involve leaders. When there is disagreement in a church, the spread of the gospel message and spiritual growth suffers. One sour apple can ruin the whole barrel.
In the case of the Church at Philippi, we have two women who were an integral part of the fellowship and probably held leadership positions.
Verse 2 tells us that Euodia and Syntyche were not of the same mind in the Lord. They were disputing over some issue that must have been critical to the church, since Paul included it in this letter. They had been co-workers with both Paul and Clement, they were born again believers, and they had worked with both men in delivering the gospel message (vs. 2-3).
Resolving conflict, spiritual or otherwise, is never easy but it is imperative. The work of Jesus must move forward. Any hindrance can be devastating to the work both in the short and long term. Here are some ideas that might help resolve spiritual conflict.
Healthy Churches:
Recognize and address issues early and quickly.
Choose the best-qualified members to address the problem.
Stay with problems until completely resolved.
Understand that problems never resolve themselves, they only get worse.
Know that Satan does not want to see compromise and restoration.
The preparation includes the five B’s:
Be united
Be joyful
Be in prayer
Be of the same mind
Be in the Lord
When handling spiritual conflict, use spiritual warfare.
Spiritually maturing Christians turn to the Holy Spirit for their strength.
Act quickly but act intelligently.
God’s, in His Word, have given us steps to successful conflict resolution: Remember that God’s method for handling conflict is tried, true, and eternal. The Spirit know all things. He is here to help. God’s Spirit knows the hearts of man. He knows their every thought. He will guide us into all knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (John 16:13).
Practice Gentleness (1 Thessalonians 5:14: Handle others with gentleness and love. Do not prejudge anyone involved in the conflict.
Rejoice Always (1 Thessalonians 5:16): Enter every conflict or potential conflict with love and joy in our hearts and let our attitudes and our faces show it. Remember, God’s method for handling conflict is tried, true, and eternal.
Take Time to Pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17): With prayer, pleading, and thanksgiving, take your issues to God: Let the Holy Spirit, through prayer and discernment, guide the people involved in the problem through the decision process. We must show love and concern for all parties. But we must be firm. Resolution must take place during or at the end of the process.
Dominate the Listening (James 1:19): Listen to both sides of the issue with an open mind. Hold all final decisions. Don’t make any reaction until you have heard all the information.
Be Anxious for Nothing (Romans 12:10-19): Weep with those who weep, console those who are grieving, laugh with those who laugh, and be sympathetic and calming to those who are angry.
Summary Statement:
We must bath all of our decisions in prayer and in counsel with the Holy Spirit. No matter what the reaction to the decision, we can have comfort in the fact that we have followed God’s plan for resolving conflict. Following God’s plan always brings joy for all parties involved in the conflict.
Lessons within the Lesson:
When is the best time to handle spiritual conflict and why?
What happens when we wait to see if the conflict will resolve itself?
How is resolving conflict related to spiritual growth?
What should be the attitude of the arbitrator who is seeking reconciliation?
[1] Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation), Public Domain, Ibid, P. 1066.
[2] Albert Barnes, Barnes New Testament Notes, Public Domain, Ibid, P. 3594-5.
[3] Adam Clarke's Commentary, Fair Use 2020 – Section 107, copywrite law, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.
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