The Christ Hymn

The hardships of discipleship are not signs of abandonment but opportunities for deeper connection

Commentary on Philippians 2:1-13

Timothy L. Adkins-Jones

This passage continues the theme of partnership that flows through the first chapter of Philippians. The opening word, “therefore,” calls us back to the previous chapter that ends with a call to all believers to join in the suffering for Christ’s sake. Paul foregrounds the pain that is a part of carrying the gospel, as evidenced through his own victorious testimony. Suffering is not glorified, but instead, Paul suggests it is made bearable because of community.

In beautifully poetic language—“If there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit”—Paul describes the kind of deep partnership that is necessary to manage suffering. There is a clear call for unity here, but it is much deeper than that. Paul is commanding the community to be like-minded. It is a call to deep humility and selflessness that serves as the anchor for a community that can thrive amid suffering.

Though not popular, enduring hardship for the sake of the gospel is a relatively common sermon focus, but this passage beckons a deepening of that call. Suffering was not intended to be individual; the Christian community is designed to face the burden together. Enduring hardship for the sake of the gospel is not only a reality of the call, but it becomes a place where the community’s bond is forged together. At its best, Paul paints the picture of a church community where burdens are shared and where individual struggles are transformed into collective testimonies.

This emphasis on communal suffering can be especially helpful for congregations that are accustomed to hearing the Christian life framed in primarily individualistic terms. Preachers might invite congregations to see that the hardships of discipleship are not signs of abandonment but opportunities for deeper connection. In that sense, unity is not merely an intellectual exercise but a practice of survival in tough times.

The pathway to unity is a difficult one as Paul’s language here is of a pastor longing, yearning for his congregation to be in one accord. This is what would fill up his cup of joy, for the community to be of one mind. I believe that the strength of Paul’s language belies the difficulty of the task. Leaning into the tension of this call to be like-minded is an evergreen area for preaching, and sadly, it seems to be becoming increasingly relevant every day. Preachers might explore the tension between the theological unity already given in Christ and the practical unity believers struggle to embody.

Conflicts, misunderstandings, long memories, and unhealed wounds complicate life together even before the many aggressive ideological faultlines present in our congregations make themselves known. This is why we are commanded, with some force, to be like-minded—a command that is tied directly to the deep humility demonstrated by Christ, not only on the cross but also through his act of giving up eternity for the incarnation. I believe it is important that the directive for like-mindedness be tied directly to how members of the community choose to interact with one another, as opposed to what they think about each other. Like-mindedness is, first, the result of orthopraxis before it is a matter of belief.

Sermons from this text might explore what being like-minded would mean for a particular community, in practice. This call for deep unity is not a beckoning for uniformity or forced agreement. Rather, it involves orienting and reorienting the community toward Christ as their shared center. Preachers might encourage congregations to ask what it would mean to make like-mindedness a guiding factor in decision-making, relationships, and ministry priorities. What could communal life look like if like-mindedness were taken seriously? What might worship look like if members prioritized being like-minded in Christ? What forms of healing or restoration might become possible? What new possibilities emerge?

Preachers may even extend the vision beyond a single congregation. Paul writes to one church, but his vision of shared mindedness invites broader reflection. What might happen if Christians across a city or region sought to operate with a common commitment to Christ’s leadership? This line of inquiry can help congregations imagine the social and communal implications of gospel unity.

More work to do

The final section of the passage (verses 12–13) introduces a theological tension that also provides fertile ground for preaching: Paul’s exhortation to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” At first glance, one might think this statement conflicts with the New Testament’s emphasis on salvation as a gift of grace. Preachers can help congregations navigate this tension by paying attention to the larger structure of the chapter.

Just before this command, Paul includes what many scholars identify as an early Christian hymn (verses 6–11). This “kenosis hymn” celebrates Christ’s humility that was mentioned earlier, his self-emptying for the sake of his love for the world. This hymn provides the theological foundation for Paul’s exhortation. The command to “work out” salvation emerges after the community has been reminded of the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice. The passage moves from celebrating the beauty of the gospel to describing the kind of life that gospel should produce.

Our lives, in community, should reflect the gift of salvation. Working out our salvation with fear and trembling is ultimately a description of the life in faith: a forging of something new, which respects the cost of Christ’s sacrifice. The community, then, isn’t called to work for salvation; we are called to work because of salvation. The command is a response to grace, instead of a condition for receiving it.

Like a blacksmith steadily banging metal into a predetermined form, we are to gradually develop our discipleship. Much like the call to be like-minded, this reverential working-out is an active and aggressive practice that takes great effort. Importantly, Paul’s verb is in the present imperative, indicating sustained and continuous effort. The Christian life is not a single decision but an ongoing practice. A sermon might therefore explore the difference between merely claiming faith and actively living it. Rather than asking only what believers confess with their mouths, the passage invites reflection on how salvation reshapes behavior, relationships, and priorities.

Ultimately, Philippians 2:1–13 offers preachers a multi-layered vision of Christian life: a community bound together in shared suffering, intentionally pursuing unity, and continually shaping its life in response to the example of an incarnate Christ. When preached well, the passage invites congregations not only to admire the beauty of the gospel but to embody it together.