Philippians 2:4 Cross References

Philippians 2:4

4: Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.

Don't think only of your own good. Think of other Christians and what is best for them.

We may know that these things make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong.

Yes indeed, it is good when you truly obey our Lord's royal command found in the Scriptures: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud
or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.

Don't give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what I like or what is best for me, but what is best for them so they may be saved.

In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.
And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen,
while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.
This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, there is nothing wrong with these things in themselves. But it is wrong to eat anything if it makes another person stumble.
Don't eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble.
You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right.

But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.
You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there's nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol.
So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed.
And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong.
If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live--for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who trusts in me to lose faith, it would be better for that person to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around the neck.

We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry.

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