Avoiding Personal Conflict
I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
Philippians 4:2
Paul faced many conflicts in the church, but some were important enough for him to deal with in his epistles, and thus are important enough for our instruction. Evidently the two women in today’s verse were leading two opposing factions in the church. We don’t know what their specific complaints were, but we can surmise it was a personal conflict.
We do know the two women were prominent church members because they had worked with Paul in the cause of the gospel (Phil 4:3). And we know they were creating havoc in the church because it apparently was not united (Phil 2:2). Recognizing the issue to be a lack of love—which indicates the presence of pride and the absence of humility—Paul pleaded for the women “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil 4:2). Each was demanding her own way rather than being concerned about the other. But as Paul encouraged them and us, a right relationship with the Lord will resolve any discord.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 337). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
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Philippians 4:2
Paul faced many conflicts in the church, but some were important enough for him to deal with in his epistles, and thus are important enough for our instruction. Evidently the two women in today’s verse were leading two opposing factions in the church. We don’t know what their specific complaints were, but we can surmise it was a personal conflict.
We do know the two women were prominent church members because they had worked with Paul in the cause of the gospel (Phil 4:3). And we know they were creating havoc in the church because it apparently was not united (Phil 2:2). Recognizing the issue to be a lack of love—which indicates the presence of pride and the absence of humility—Paul pleaded for the women “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (Phil 4:2). Each was demanding her own way rather than being concerned about the other. But as Paul encouraged them and us, a right relationship with the Lord will resolve any discord.
MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : A daily touch of God's grace (Page 337). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.
Listen to this entry
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