Stop Complaining
Php 2:14-16 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life— in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
What Paul is advocating is a spirit of meekness and cooperation. Arguing and complaining to God about one's circumstances may be a poor testimony. And likewise if one has such an attitude towards fellow Christians. Granted that he is not referring to essential things, such as essential matters of doctrines. But there are many things which provoke our flesh to complain and argue about which are not that important. And it's not just that one keep silent about such things. The Greek word for "complain" means "a secret displeasure not openly avowed", also translated "murmur". So it's not just about keeping silent. It's about taking on a spirit of meekness.
With regards to circumstances Paul writes, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Php 4:11b and "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1Tim 6:8 And likewise we need to learn to get along. "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Heb 12:14 "Arguing" here is the idea of bring up issues unnecessarily to provoke arguments, like arguing over ideas which have no application. Or arguing over preferences of which the Lord has given freedom.
Sanctification and evangelism should go hand in hand. One cannot be blameless and pure apart from a spirit of love for others which leads to evangelism, seeing as the world is perishing apart from faith in Christ. Nor can one win a hearing in evangelism if one is leading a sinful life. If the world sees Christians doing nothing but complaining and arguing, what kind of light is that?
And speaking of evangelism, Paul saw it as worthless for people to allegedly believe without a corresponding change in their attitude and behavior. He says, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Acts 26:20 Such should be our expectations in evangelism. It is not sufficient that a person pray to receive Christ. After all that verse from Rev 3:20 is only advocating getting to know Christ prior to one deciding to believe in him. But the assurance of salvation - whether of one's own or others - is to be proportional to the degree to which a person behaves as a child of God should. For such is the proof that one has saving faith.
Php 2:14-16 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life— in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
What Paul is advocating is a spirit of meekness and cooperation. Arguing and complaining to God about one's circumstances may be a poor testimony. And likewise if one has such an attitude towards fellow Christians. Granted that he is not referring to essential things, such as essential matters of doctrines. But there are many things which provoke our flesh to complain and argue about which are not that important. And it's not just that one keep silent about such things. The Greek word for "complain" means "a secret displeasure not openly avowed", also translated "murmur". So it's not just about keeping silent. It's about taking on a spirit of meekness.
With regards to circumstances Paul writes, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Php 4:11b and "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." 1Tim 6:8 And likewise we need to learn to get along. "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." Heb 12:14 "Arguing" here is the idea of bring up issues unnecessarily to provoke arguments, like arguing over ideas which have no application. Or arguing over preferences of which the Lord has given freedom.
Sanctification and evangelism should go hand in hand. One cannot be blameless and pure apart from a spirit of love for others which leads to evangelism, seeing as the world is perishing apart from faith in Christ. Nor can one win a hearing in evangelism if one is leading a sinful life. If the world sees Christians doing nothing but complaining and arguing, what kind of light is that?
And speaking of evangelism, Paul saw it as worthless for people to allegedly believe without a corresponding change in their attitude and behavior. He says, "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." Acts 26:20 Such should be our expectations in evangelism. It is not sufficient that a person pray to receive Christ. After all that verse from Rev 3:20 is only advocating getting to know Christ prior to one deciding to believe in him. But the assurance of salvation - whether of one's own or others - is to be proportional to the degree to which a person behaves as a child of God should. For such is the proof that one has saving faith.
