Paul is actually asking if there is any consolation in Christ; but there is no question mark. However, he does say indirectly that there is consolation, fellowship of the Spirit, compassion, and mercy. If there is, he says, then fulfill his joy by being like-minded. Much unrest among brothers and sisters has its source in seeking consolation from others. In other words, they do not have it in Christ. The apostle uses an example of this consolation by speaking about falling short of God’s grace. Prior to this he spoke about chastening of which all true sons partake. This affected the Hebrews by giving them hanging hands and weak knees. In that case, people are seeking consolation from others, and they will not find it in Christ. “Lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled . . . .” Heb. 12:15. We cannot tell God how He should chasten us. He does it by means of His guidance in many different ways. Quite often it is through other people—brothers and sisters—by what they say and how they conduct themselves. A person doesn’t like it, feels hurt and offended, and bears a grudge against them. Then he has fallen short of the grace of God, and he speaks to others about things that have been said or done in a bitter spirit, in order to receive consolation and compassion. Then it happens that the ones he speaks to have so little understanding that they are defiled by the same bitterness and have compassion with his flesh and want to console it. They work against God. Jesus suffered being tempted. Why did He suffer? He suffered in order not to sin. Heb. 2:14-18. He had the same flesh as we. Heb. 4:15. Peter calls it suffering in the flesh (1 Pet. 4:1-2), a suffering that enables us to live according to God’s will during the time that we are in the flesh. We read further in verses 12-13 that we shall not think it strange concerning the fiery trial that is to try us; but if we partake of Christ’s sufferings, we shall rejoice that when His glory is revealed, we may also be glad with exceeding joy. In Philippians 3:10 we read, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Who is it, then, who finds consolation in Christ, fellowship of the Spirit, etc.? It is obvious from these words; it is those who partake of Christ’s sufferings and are being conformed to His death. The one who became bitter did not have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings, which is why he didn’t find any consolation and fellowship of the Spirit in Christ and had to seek it from people. He knew who would agree with him. He did not build fellowship and unity. He divided and defiled the others. “Being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” What kind of mind is this? It is the mind of Christ, the mind to humble yourself and not consider your ministry a robbery, afraid that the others might take it from you. Only with this mind will you find compassion and mercy in Christ. Only with this mind can you build fellowship and unity. Only those who have this mind can be one just as the Father and the Son are one. “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” 2 Cor. 1:5. “And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.” V. 7. In Chapter 4 Paul continues to speak about his various sufferings; yet because he always bore in his body the dying of Jesus, the life of Jesus was also manifested in his body. It is sin in the flesh that is a hindrance to the life of Christ. However, if we have fellowship with Him in His sufferings, and the death to sin in the flesh is working, then the tribulations are momentary and light, working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. If this is true there is no lack of consolation and fellowship of the Spirit, comfort of love, compassion, and mercy in Christ.Sigurd Bratlie

By Elias Aslaksen “For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” V. 10. This is a crushing judgment of an unspeakably large number of preachers and others as well, by and through this one word: NOT. It amounts to a complete rejection, because it does not say that then I am an imperfect, or bad, or very bad servant of Christ. Then I am not a servant of Christ at all! It is, therefore, an extremely serious failure if I seek to please men. It is far worse than one usually thinks or understands, but unfortunately, it is quite common! Every thought of what others might think or say about what you do or say is a failure in your inner being. The only thing that is right and acceptable before God is to be solely interested in what God thinks about it. If course! For we are to serve Him, we are to please Him, live for Him and walk before His face! We cannot seek the honor of men and the honor of God at one and the same time! In every case we either do the one or the other of these two great opposites! Our choice of either one or the other of these two widely different things is extremely important in determining our future course. It can also be said with these words: think vertically, not horizontally.