Harmony in the Body is Powerful - Philippians 1-2

 Philippians 1:27-30 (ESV)

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Paul is writing this letter to the church at Philippi while he is in prison, in chains.   Prisons in those days were not like our prisons today.   They only way a prisoner could eat in those days was for someone to bring them food from the outside.  That meant that whoever brought the food had to identify with the prisoner.   The prisoner was, at times, chained to a guard.   Other times they were just under house arrest.  We do not know the exact circumstances of Paul’s imprisonment, but we do know it was not something we could easily visualize in our minds.  Despite his circumstances, however, Paul writes the above lines to tell the church that expects them to life in harmony with one another and serve one another.   He believes that the power of harmony for the Gospel while standing together in the body is the best weapon to silence those who wish to harm the church and hinder the Gospel message.   When the church is united over its vision for the Gospel in the community of faith, nothing can stop it.   No opponent can destroy it.   

Paul even goes on to say that any opposition we do find, despite the harmony of the Body of Christ around the Gospel, we will suffer for the Gospel.   Like Paul, we will have the world against us.   We are to engaged in the Gospel, no matter the cost to us (like him) in our suffering.   In some countries today, this is actively happening.  People are suffering for their testimony about faith in Christ.  In our country we may be shamed and canceled, but not killed or imprisoned.   We need to realize that the power of harmony in the Body of Christ around the Gospel of Christ is our greatest protection agains the suffering that comes at the hand of the world  around us.