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Philippians
2:14-16;
14Do
all things without grumbling or disputing; 15so
that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of
God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16holding
fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to
glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
A.
Lighting the Way by What We Do Not Do
vs.
14
“
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; . . .”
One
can lighten or darken a room by how he enters it.
& Do
all things without Grumbling.
The
word here is (“γογγυσμω̂ν.”)
(GONGUZŌ)
This word basically means “a secret debate or displeasure not openly
stated. The English word
“gong” comes from this word. W.E.
Vine notes that it is an “onomatopoeic
word, representing the significance by the sound of the word, as in the
word ‘murmur’ itself.”
This was occurring in the early church in Acts
6:1; 6:1 Now
at this time while the disciples were increasing in
number, a complaint
arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews
against the native
Hebrews, because
their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of
food. They
resolved the problem by electing the first Deacons to serve the need.
& Do
all things without Disputing.
Here
the word is “διαλογιςμός.”
Again W.E. Vine says it “denotes,
primarily, an inward reasoning, an opinion (dia,
through, suggesting separation, logismos,
a reasoning) e.g.
a deliberating,
questioning, Luke 24:38; “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts
arise in your hearts?” Even
more strongly, a disputing, 1st
Timothy 2:8; Therefore
I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without
wrath and dissension.
It
is evident that grumbling and dissention within the church body will not
light the path of righteousness. How can those in darkness find Christ
who, while He was in the world, was “The Light of the World.”
B.
Lighting
the Way by What We Do
vs.
15
Our
verse says “ . . . prove
yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as
lights in the world, . . .”
& Prove
yourselves to be blameless
To
be blameless is not to be sinless in the sense of perfection but rather to
live in such a way that no just charge can be laid against you.
The word combines “a” (negative) with “memphomai”
to find fault, hence faultless.
As a Christian, be confessed up to date; 1st
John 1:9 If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
& Prove
yourselves to be innocent
The
essence of the word in Greek means to be undiluted or pure.
Paul used the term in regard to discernment in Romans
16:9b;
“
. . .I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is
evil.” That
will strengthen the ministry and testimony of any church!
& Prove
yourselves to be children of God
Paul
admonished the church at Ephesus in a similar way.
6“Let
no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath
of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7Therefore
do not be partakers with them; 8for
you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as
children of Light.” Ephesians
5:7-8
& Prove
yourselves to be above reproach
This
word is very similar to “blameless.”
It means without blemish. It
is used of Christ in Hebrews
9:13,14;
13For
if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those
who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14how
much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God?
& Prove
it in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation
Paul
uses this language recalling the wanderings and disobedience of the
Children of Israel in Deuteronomy
32:5
“They
have acted corruptly toward Him,
They
are
not His children, because of their defect
But
are
a perverse and crooked generation.
That
is the condition of the world today. In
Ephesians
2:12, Paul
writes to the Gentiles and says, “
remember
that you were at
that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God
in the world.”
& Prove
yourselves and “appear as lights in the world, . . .”
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