“BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER.

”
“TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE AND I TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE.”

These are sayings/ idioms which are commonly known to us and their meanings are familiar to us. The
meaning of these statements when applied to humans is that typically persons having similar type, interest,
personality, character, or other distinctive attribute tend to mutually associate.
Those who are the outgoing type, tend to be with outgoing persons. Those who are interested in music, do
jamming session more than often than those who are not. Ang mga bugal-bugalon magsige ug kuyog-kuyog and so
on and so forth. The reality is that a person through long time of interaction tend to acquire the habits and
personalities of the group upon whom he belongs to. Would you agree? The speech pattern, the expressions, the
mannerism etc., etc. To put it simply, you are who you are always with.
Knowing this “nature” of a human being, Paul cautions believers to be cautious, carefully discern and choose
well your crowd. He tells us in this wise in 2 Cor. 6-14-17 (NIV)
14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in
common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between
Christ and Belial[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What
agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As
God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be
my people.”[b] 17 Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean
thing, and I will receive you.”
If we look closely, you will be amazed as to the Holy Spirit working in Apostle Paul as he writes his letters. In
order to bring out the stark contrast of two opposing concepts or things (i.e. believers and unbelievers,
righteousness and wickedness, light and darkness, temple of God and idols), he puts the same in one sentence and
tries to join or unite them together. Did Paul succeed? Yes, because we are convinced that, that cannot be. Hindi
maari, hindi pwede.
Now, in the crowd that you are more or fully immersed right now, what do you yoke together? Do you have
something in common? What fellowship do you share? On what areas are you harmonious with others? What are
the matters you agree with them? If you aren’t sure with your answers, let’s look at what Apostle Paul tells us in the
book of Philippians.
PRAYER

In addressing his “crowd” in the church of Philippi, Paul refers to them as his Adelphoi, in the English
translation, it was merely translated as brothers and sisters but the original meaning is much deeper.
Adelphoi, which is a Greek word in its fullest sense means believers, both men and women, as part of God’s
family (verse 1:12, 1:14, 3:1,13,17, 4:1,8 and 21). The usage of the term by Apostle Paul is not an accident but is
intentional since according to bible scholars the believers in Philippi which are mostly Gentiles are actually Paul’s
longtime friends and supporters. In short, this writing is Paul’s letter in for his Friends in the Family of God. And
since they are friends, he strongly gives advices his friends, by stating in Philippians 3:17-18:
17 
Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep
your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even
with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their
stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things

Familiar? Apostle Paul is saying, yes you are already believers, friends in me and in Jesus Christ but still watch
out for those who live as enemies of Christ. Do not have something in common with them but rather model your life
with me and others who live like me in Christ and for Christ. Paul says, follow my example and those of other
believers and have something in common in us.
COMMUNAL CHURCH

But how? Paul used his own life as a model to us and show what should be the commonalities or the
common attributes among believers. Paul pointed out 3 COMMONALITIES THAT SHOULD EXIST IN THE CHURCH to
avoid living like enemies of Christ.

1. COMMON IDENTITY
- Verses 5-10
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in
regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the
law, faultless.
- 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider
everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have
lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a
righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the
righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10

- Paul presents his IDENTITY and INDIVIDUALITY back then, before he became a believer and friend of
Christ. This the problem of those who live as enemies of Christ. Their strong sense of self entitlement
and centeredness.

- They were described by Apostle Paul in this wise in Philippians 1: 15-17

15 
- It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so
out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of
selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

- The greatest athletes like MJ or Kobe or scientists like Newton or Einstein and all other inventors or
innovators that you know while they may have already their own capacity and skill set used and got
inspiration from those that come before them.

- The call to us believers then is just like what Paul and other believers did, get rid of high sense self-
consciousness and start to have a living out our common identity in Christ together.

- “My identity in Christ is more important than my identity as an American or as a Coloradan or as a white
male or as a Protestant. Church is the place where I celebrate that new identity and work it out in the
midst of people who have many differences but share this one thing in common. We are charged to live
out a kind of alternative society before the eyes of the watching world, a world that is increasingly
moving toward tribalism and division.”
— Philip Yancey
- In working out our common identity, we do not intend to erase individual personality but rather harness
differences to show one GOD.

2. COMMON ACTIVITY
- Verses 10-12
- I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings,
becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
 - 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take
hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
- By using his own as an example, Apostle Paul is convincing his friends and co-believers in Philippi to join
him in cause of a common continuing pursuit. Not only to know the power of Christ, experience the
power of Christ in a church setting but also participate and be involved in what Christ is doing in the
Church and for the Church so his glory continues to shine on earth.
- For those who are considered as enemy of the cross of Christ, this does not matter.
- Philippians 3: 19
19 
Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind
is set on earthly things.
- During when I was in high school, I volunteered for an NGO whose focus is Children’s Rights,
Responsibilities and Participation. We were organizing different barangay youth and children groups
guided by this mantra: “You cannot talk about us, with us”.

- For Paul and for us Christians may we not talk about Christ without the church and the activities we do in
the Church. “You cannot talk about Christ, without the Church.)

- Psalm 133:1
- Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
- Hineh ma tov U’MA’NAIM Shevet achin gam yachad (Hebrew)
- And that Acts 17:28
- for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His
children.
When we’re Together
Nothing can Stop the Kingdom of God
From Seeing Revival
- continue to have a common pursuit, common work, common cause, common advocacy

3. COMMON DESTINY
- 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting
what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for
which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
- For those who are in church, Paul reminds us of the truth of our predetermined course, our prearranged
destination. Our destination is heavenward. Our citizenship is in heaven (verse 3: 20)
- To those that are living as enemies of Christ, their destination and others destination, do not concern
them.
- Philippians 3: 19
- 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is
set on earthly things.
- 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (ESV)
- First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all
people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly
and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all
people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

- Since we are in a communal church with a common identity, let us not do anything that undermines the
identity of other believers. We should be the very first persons that would pray and protect other
believers. Remember Jesus said that whatever we do the very least of us, you also done to him. By
attacking without love another believer, you are also attacking the very identity of Christ we are all
sharing.
- And since we are in a Communal Church involved in a common activity of participating in the business
and work of God within the church, let us appreciate and support with all our might those who serve us
with all goodwill and earnestness. Remember, whatever gains that the church will receive out of the
richness of God will redound to our own benefit

- Lastly, since we are in Communal Church set for a common destiny, let us not only enjoy the promise but
pray, intercede, ask God for supplication, express thanksgiving and work out our salvation so that other
people will also be with us when we reach our common destination.