Paul told this church: Fulfull ye my joy  so that God would bless them.
Philppians 2:1-13

1. (Verse 2:1-8):  The attitudes and actions to have towards other mature Christians who are serving Christ
2. (Verse 2:9-13):  The reward that God gave Jesus and how that should motivate us to do the same as Jesus did

1. C2-S1 (Verse 1-2):  Blessings that we are promised with the conditions to receive them
2. C2-S2 (Verse 3):  The attitudes we are to have while obeying the prior command
3. C2-S3(Verse 4):  The major actions which we are to do
4. C2-S4 (Verse 5-8):  We are to think like Christ Jesus
5. C2-S5 (Verse 9-11):  The results that Christ Jesus received for acting this way
6. C2-S6 (Verse 12):  How we are to act based upon this future truth
7. C2-S7 (Verse 13):  Why we are to obey the prior command.

C2-S1 (Verse 1-2) Blessings that we are promised with the conditions to receive them.

1. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ,
2. if any comfort of love,
3. if any fellowship of the Spirit,
4. if any bowels and mercies,
5. Fulfil ye my joy,
6. that ye be likeminded,
7. having the same love,
8. being of one accord,
9. of one mind

The if  is not if these things exist but if they exist within your personal life. Our current sentence promises us consolation  comfort  love  fellowship  and bowels and mercies  if we (personally) Fulfil ye my joy  and (personally) be likeminded  and are having the same love  and are being of one accord  and are being of one mind.  In addition, to what was just said, we see that our sentence has a therefore, which means this sentence is the result of the prior chapter which was summarized in the last sentence.

Consolation is 'Comfort; alleviation of misery, or distress of mind; refreshment of mind or spirits; a comparative degree of happiness in distress or misfortune, springing from any circumstance that abates the evil, or supports and strengthens the mind.'

fellowship  is '2 fellows in a sailing ship'.

bowels  is 'the protective feeling of a pregnant woman for her unborn child'

mercy  is 'not getting the punishment that you deserve'Fulfil ye my joy means do what is required to have God fill the pastor with spiritual joy.  True joy only comes from God.  Paul was the pastor when he wrote this.  The pastor gets joy from God when he preaches God's truth and the people respond in obedience to God.  In particular, we are to obey God in the areas mentioned.

be likeminded  requires us to have the mind of Christ.  We must first be saved then submitted so that we can grow up spiritually.

the same love is having God's love for the things of God such as the Bible, the family of God, Biblical truth, the gospel, etc.  Baptism  is 'a public declaration of our intent to obey Jesus Christ as Lord so that we can walk in newness of life'.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

John 14:15 says If ye love me, keep my commandments.  Baptism is the first commandment to obey after salvation and required before joining to church.

1John 5:2 says By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  How can we say that we love God's people when we refuse to join God's family, which is the church?

being of one accord  means 'living and thinking in harmony (cord is from music)'.  Sympathizers are not in accord with the church and can not be so long as they refuse to join in.  They are like someone sitting in the pew when the choir gets up to sing.  This is harmonizing with the pastor and church in thought, attitude and actions.  It is not all singing the exact same thing.  You are not required to walk in 'lock-step' with others when you join the church.

being of one  mind means 'existing (being) to show the world the mind of God by being obedient to the mind of Christ'.  This is actively supporting the ministry of the church in the Great Commission.

We must be saved, get baptized, join the church and be actively supporting the ministry of the church in the Great Commission if we want to receive consolation  comfort  love  fellowship  and bowels and mercies.

Once we do these things then we are told how to act within the church so that these things continue to be available to us.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  This means get rid of pride.  James 4:6 says But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Grow up and stop being like a selfish self-centered spoiled brat.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  Put up or shut up.  Live the faith that you claim.  When you refuse to live by faith you demonstrate to the world that you really don't believe that your God can take care of you and that you really don't believe that the eternal spiritual rewards are worth the cost in this world.

Wherefore  is said twice.  First to prove the reward that Jesus was given for how He lived and acted as a literal human man.  The second is a promise of our having similar rewards if we live and act in a similar way.  God is always watching and having angels record our every act and word.  Do everything with the purpose of receiving eternal reward and ther knowledge that you will lose eternal reward every time that you refuse to obey Christ.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  God does all of the work but we must first act in faith to give Him permission to work in and through our life.  Satan takes away our free will but God never will which is why we must act in faith first.

Come ask Him to be your Lord and savior if you have not already done so.  You will receive none of these things but will spend eternity in the lake of fire if you do not accept His salvation.

You will get to Heaven but be a pauper and miss out on most of the blessings available if you are saved and not baptized.

You can not get these specific blessings unless you have joined the church and are actively involved.

Contact:  Webmaster@LJC1611KJV.com.  Member of Tower Road Baptist Church, Abq., NM, U.S.A., 87121.  Copyright 2009 Lord Jesus Christ in the 1611KJV.  All rights reserved. Revised: 10/31/24.