Among a Crooked Generation

[Christsfreeservant]

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16 NASB1995)​

What is meant here by “do all things without grumbling or disputing”? Is this intended that we should agree with everyone and that we should never challenge a wrong thought or belief or practice or behavior or doctrine? Well, we are taught in the Scriptures that we are to expose the fruitless deeds of darkness for what they are, and Jesus and his New Testament apostles definitely disputed with false doctrines and with those who taught lies.

So, what does it mean then for us? I believe it has to do with the bad example of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, most of whom died in the wilderness and did not get to go into the Promised Land, nor did they get to enter into God’s eternal rest, for they disputed with God and with his servant Moses, and they refused to bow to God in obedience to his commands, and they wandered in their sinful addictions, instead.

And then we are to be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. But does this mean that we must never ever do or say anything wrong or we are struck down and rejected by God and cast out of his kingdom? No! For it is possible that we might still sin (1 John 2:1-2), but if we should sin, Jesus is our advocate to the Father, and so we who believe in Jesus are not condemned.

But does this mean that we have full reign to live however we want now that we confessed faith in Jesus Christ? No! For if sin is what we practice (by habit), and not obedience to our Lord and to his commands, the Scriptures teach us that we will not inherit eternal life with God. We must be those who follow our Lord in obedience and in surrender to his will who are living holy lives, in righteousness, in his power, for us to have eternal life with God.

And what does this crooked and twisted generation look like? They are those who make their own rules, who follow after the desires of their flesh, who make sin their practice, and who do not bow to and submit to God as the Lord of their lives. They are those who alter the teachings of the Scriptures, too, to suit their own fleshly desires so that they can continue living in sin while professing faith in Jesus Christ and heaven as their eternal destiny.

They are those who have wandered far from God to go after the desires of the flesh, so they create their own gospel message which does not require of them that they put sin to death and that they obey our Lord’s commands, in practice. They teach a Jesus who does everything for us but who requires nothing of us in return other than we confess him as Lord. But Jesus taught that we must deny self, die to sin daily, and follow him in obedience to his commands for us to have salvation and eternal life with him (Luke 9:23-26).

So, please make certain that you are getting your gospel message from the Scriptures, taught in their true biblical context, and that you are not relying on other humans, no matter who they are, to tell you the truth. For liars and deceivers abound everywhere we look these days. They are in the churches, and they are in the government and in the news media, and they are pastors and elders of church congregations, too, although not all of them, but many.

So, especially since so much wickedness and deception abounds in our day and time, and lies and liars are everywhere we look these days, we need now, more than ever, to be shining the truth of the gospel to the people of the world. And the truth is that by faith in Jesus Christ we must now die to sin and live for God in walks of obedience to his commands, as empowered by God. And we must be surrendered to doing the will of God for our lives.

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

For Our Nation

An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Recording Via Gerry Peters, music producer and arranger

Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.

Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.

Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.

Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.

Among a Crooked Generation
An Original Work / January 17, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love