My dear readers,

(Extract from RPG, January 1987, Edited by Dr SH Tow)

1. STRIFE AND VAINGLORY (Philippians 2:1-4)

Three kindred bulls were grazing together in peace and mutual security. As long as they kept close and united, no wild beasts dared attack them. A lion had observed them longingly, hoping to have beef steak for dinner, but the bulls were simply unassailable. The lion remained hungry and frustrated.

Presently, the lion thought of a cunning plan. He began to spread evil and malicious reports of one bull against the other. Foolishly, the bulls fell for the lion's trick and believed those rumours. Soon, the three of them grew suspicious and jealous of each other. Strife and vainglory broke up their former unity and harmony. Soon, they began to avoid each other and each took to feeding alone. Thus they fell prey to the lion who made short work of them, one after the other.

Aesop's fable has a lesson for Christian people. The unity of like-minded believers is the source of greatest frustration to Satan who prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8). This unresting adversary sows seeds of discord and suspicion to undermine our unity. His favourite tactic is to engender pride and self-interest. These deadly sins can easily wreck a group or a church in no time.

The Apostle Paul sounds an urgent warning: beware of strife and vainglory, contention and pride. Never allow these to creep into your group! Keep these out by "lowliness of mind" and a high esteem of the other person. To assume a "superiority complex" is a sure way of eroding unity and harmony.

Be considerate! Look not at your own things. Do not foster your own interests at the other person's expense. Be considerate! Any undue opinion of self or interest for self spells danger. It may well lead to disaster down the road. Therefore, out with self-esteem and self-interest, and keep your church united!

QUESTION: What should you do when you hear an adverse report of another church member?
PRAYER: Lord, keep Thy people united. Defend them against the wiles of the devil.

2. LOWLINESS OF MIND (Philippians 2:3-8)

Pride caused Man's downfall in the beginning. It is still our greatest enemy. Unless pride and self-interest are kept out it will quickly destroy the unity of any group. The cure for this deadly sin is "lowliness of mind." The Apostle says to us: "In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." For Christians it is a very reasonable persuasion because our Lord Jesus Christ is our supreme example of the "lowly mind." If Christ lives in you — and He should be living in every true Christian — then you must manifest His "lowliness of mind."

The Missionary Society in England were selecting a man to assist Dr. Morrison the pioneer missionary in China. The young candidate's enthusiasm far exceeded his qualifications. The Society's committee concluded after the interview that he was rough, "countrified" and unpromising material for a missionary. But the young man's eagerness prevailed upon the committee to offer him the post of a servant. This he accepted readily with a cheery comment, "Yes, most certainly, I am willing to do anything, so long as I am in the work."

The young rustic, whom the Missionary committee thought unsuitable, made good in China. He went with the spirit of servanthood, in lowliness of mind to be used in the Lord's service. He said: "To be a hewer of wood and drawer of water is too great an honour for me when the Lord's house is a-building." In later years, the young man became a most worthy missionary, being greatly used for the Lord in the Far East to found the Anglo-Chinese School in Malacca, Malaya.

Our Lord came as servant. "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mk 10:45). Should not His servants be like the Master?

THOUGHT: In the Lord's service there are three essential qualifications. The first, humility; the second, humility; the third, humility.
PRAYER: Lord, keep me low that I may not fall.

3. HE HUMBLED HIMSELF (Philippians 2:5-8)

There was only one way to exaltation and the throne: the humiliation of the cross. This was the Father's eternal plan for man's redemption. Jesus the Son bowed to the Father's will. He drank the bitter cup — for you and me. The path He trod was not easy — it was not meant to be. But He went the whole way, willingly. It is not enough that we accept His atonement. We must accept His example as well. He humbled himself, "made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant." His way is best — the only way.

Herein lies the secret of peace and unity in the church. It is not by socializing, by flattery, or by mutual promotion or by organization. None of these! Only by the imitation of our Lord can there be unity and harmony in the church. Our Christianity must go beyond mere words. Our theology must be translated into ethics, our doctrine into practice, right teaching into right living, words into action. Our Lord humbled Himself. He never defended Himself or retaliated. He never insisted on His rights. He laid them aside in order to fulfil the Father's will. "He humbled Himself."

"This is the way the Master went;
Should not the servant tread it still?"

We must all forsake the natural response for the spiritual, the carnal for the Christ-like response. Let me quote from the pen of Alexander Whyte, the man of God: "It is a mark of true humility to be accused, condemned without cause, unjustly — and be silent. To be silent under insult and wrong is imitation of our Lord. O Lord, when I remember how Thou didst suffer how I am ashamed the times I hastened to defend myself and to excuse myself. What vainglory to desire praise when so many unkind things were heaped on Thee. What is it, to be blamed by men — if I should stand at last blameless before Thee!"

QUOTE: He that is down need fear no fall; he that is low no pride. He that is humble ever shall have God to be his guide.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      John Bunyan

God bless all readers.

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service,
Dr SH Tow, Founding Pastor