Philippians 2:14-16 Blameless and Harmless

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. [Philippians 2:14-16 NKJV]

Paul is continuing his thoughts from the previous verses. Be obedient to Christ without bickering among yourselves.

It is human nature to complain when we feel slighted. Even in the early church we are told;

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; “but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” [Acts 6:1-4 NKJV]

The disciples showed wisdom by not disputing the complaint, but by finding a solution. It only takes one person to complain, but it takes two to dispute.

Paul says, "that you may become blameless and harmless." Blameless means that you maintain a good reputation. Bickering in the church harms the church's reputation in the world. The world is eager enough to find fault with us, and our disputes only serve to give them ammunition. It is the opposite of harmless.

Consider what the world thinks when they hear Calvinists and Armenians arguing over self-determination vs. predestination. The content of the argument is meaningless to them, but the fact that there is an argument is significant. It tells them that the church can't even get along with itself.

We will encounter many Christians with different opinions, different interpretations of the scriptures, and different traditions. That doesn't have to lead to a dispute. 

Take communion for example. In every church I have attended, the elements of the bread and the cup are passed out to the congregation. This is entirely ceremonial and symbolic. My understanding of the New Testament "love feasts" is that they were a meal, like a pot-luck. Since I have a different opinion, should I, therefore, grumble about the "unscriptural" practice? Should I protest by refusing to partake? Of course not. When communion is served, I take part, recognizing it for what it is; a symbolic tradition.

Paul told us, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." [Romans 12:18 NKJV]

If we fight and argue among ourselves then our ministry has no credibility.

If we are going to shine as lights in this world, then we need to get along with one another. We are meant to be "luminaries"; that is, we are to be like the sun in the sky, driving out darkness, and showing the light of the word of life.

Lord, please forgive us our disputes. Give us wisdom that we can find unity, and be of one mind. Please make our lights shine so that the word of life may go out into the world, bringing souls into Your kingdom. 

Philippians 2:12-13 Work Out Your Salvation

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. [Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV]

Just as Jesus was obedient, so we also must be obedient; not just when we are being watched, but when we are alone. I have heard it said that a person's true character is revealed when no one is watching. What do you do when you are home alone? Do you act the same as you do when your family is there? Or, do you watch blue movies or visit naughty websites?

If you are only godly when other people are around, then you are not working out your own salvation; you are expecting someone else to work it out for you. That someone could be a roommate, a spouse, or your children. You are using their presence to keep you in line, when you are called to keep yourself in line. 

Working out your salvation means to be obedient. That doesn't mean that you are working to earn your salvation. God has already provided our salvation by His grace. Working it out means that you are walking in that grace. It's the difference between theoretical knowledge and practical application. We can study the scriptures and understand, theologically, that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus. But it is only as we act on that knowledge by confessing Him as Lord, and surrendering our lives to Him that we are saved.

In the same way that we were saved by grace through faith, so our sanctification - which can be defined as "ongoing salvation" - is also by grace through faith. You can't work to earn sanctification or holiness. You can't work to be a "good Christian". You can only work out that which God has already worked in you.

This means living a life of grace. It takes much more faith to live a life of grace than it does to live a life of works.

For example, Charlie is an angry person. Ordinary things in life make him angry; being cut off in traffic, a coworker who doesn't meet his expectations, failure of any person to be polite to him, any slight to his character, whether real or imagined. When things go wrong, Charlie gets red in the face, and lashes out with his words. As a Christian, Charlie knows he should be better, so he tries to stifle his anger, only to have it explode in fury. Anger management classes have given him some tools to redirect his anger, but  do nothing to take the anger away. For Charlie, his anger is like a Chinese finger trap. The more he struggles to get rid of it, the worse it gets.

Charlie's problem is that he is trying to deal with his anger. Any effort on his part to deal with his anger is an act of the flesh, "and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." [Romans 8:8 NASB] By dealing with it himself, he is essentially saying, "God can't help me, so I have to help myself."

Paul said,

For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. [Romans 8:3-8 NKJV]

So, if our minds are set on how we can overcome sin, then our minds are set on the flesh, and we can never overcome sin, nor can we please God. But, if we acknowledge that we cannot overcome sin, and stop trying, we give up on our own fleshly efforts. If we turn our minds to the Spirit of God, and leave them there, then we will learn to walk in the Spirit.

As Paul said, "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NKJV]

To work out your own salvation, you have to stop working, and allow God to work in you.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the grace you have given me and the salvation that You have so freely worked in me. Please now give me the grace to work it out in my life, for Your glory. 

Philippians 2:9-11 The Name of Jesus

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV]

Paul has been talking about Jesus' humility. He transitions by saying "Therefore..." Since He humbled Himself and was obedient, therefore, He has been exalted.

At first glance, it sounds like Jesus was rewarded for making good decisions, and acting on them. But, it seems to me that there was never a scenario where Jesus would not humble Himself, or be totally obedient. And there was never a scenario where He would not be highly exalted.

It has always been Jesus' nature to be humble and obedient. To say that He was rewarded for this is like rewarding me for being human. I am who I am, and He is who He is.

It is Jesus' nature to be both humble and exalted. He is both servant and Lord. He is both man and God. Since He humbled Himself by coming in the form of a man, it is therefore natural that He should be highly exalted above all things; not as a reward for a job well-done, but because it is His nature.

Because He is exalted, His name is above every name. People place a great deal of importance on names. From the very beginning, mankind gave names to things;

Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. [Genesis 2:19-20 NKJV]

Names can have meaning. For example, God named Abraham, "Father of a multitude", and Sarah, "Princess". And He named Jesus, "The Lord Saves".

It is by calling on the name of Jesus that we are saved. It is in His name that we live. By the power of His name we can pray for people to be healed, and by the authority of His name we can drive out demons.

Paul tells us "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." Those of us who worship Him bow the knee willingly in praise and adoration. Those who despise Him will bow the knee in fear and subjugation, and "confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

Making it personal, I will gladly bow my knee to Jesus, and I will boldly and loudly proclaim that Jesus Christ is my Lord! 

What about you? Do you bow your knee before Jesus, thereby giving Him authority in every part of your life? Have you confessed Jesus as your Lord?

Join with me in this prayer;

My Lord, You are the exalted one, worthy of all praise and glory. I publicly confess that You are my Lord. I believe that You died, and on the third day, You rose again. I pray that You will glorify yourself, and if You can use me in any way, I pray for grace that I may bring glory to Your name. 

Philippians 2:5-8 The Humility of Jesus

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. [Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV]

Having just exhorted the church to humility, Paul presents Jesus as the ultimate example of humility.

There is no greater ambition than to be God. Megalomaniacs with delusions of grandeur have sometimes claimed to be a god. There are religions in the world that draw people in with promises that they will achieve godhood.

Jesus didn't achieve Godhood. It wasn't something He became. It is who He has always been for all eternity. He didn't have to grasp or strive to be equal with God, because He is God.

John describes the coming of Christ this way;

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. [John 1:1-4 NKJV]

Jesus was not a lesser god, but is God Himself, the creator of all things.

Jesus humbled Himself to become a man. He might have come as a king, or a wealthy land owner, or a priest, or any other person of influence. Instead He came as a servant. He came from a despised family (Mary's reputation was that she conceived Jesus out of wedlock). From the most despised town in the despised region of Galilee.

He humbled Himself even further by dying on the cross. Having lived a sinless life, He took the sins of the world upon Himself with His sacrifice. He became cursed so that we could be free from the curse of sin.

Jesus had nothing to gain, because He already had everything. He gave it all up for our sake, putting our needs above His own.

He considered us to be more important than Himself.

How can we fail to do anything but follow His example. It is our privilege to imitate Him by esteeming others better than ourselves. To put others first is to truly follow Jesus.

Jesus, I give thanks that You, being God, humbled Yourself for my sake. I thank You that You freely share Your Spirit with me. I choose to walk in Your Spirit, that I may know the mind of Christ, and follow You in all things.

Philippians 2:3-4 Humility

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. [Philippians 2:3-4 NKJV]

Paul has just exhorted the church to be of one mind, without all the divisions that are evident in the modern church. Now, he is telling us how this can be accomplished.

In a nutshell, the answer is to remove ambition and conceit from our relationships. If pride causes us to doggedly hold on to our dogma, then humility will allow us let it go, and learn from one another.

Paul said, "let each esteem others better than himself." This defines humility. It is not the "Aww shucks" attitude that accompanies false humility. It is a sincere attitude that puts others first.

The twin enemies of humility are ambition and conceit.

Ambition tries to make you look good to others. The obvious example of ambition is in the business environment. The subordinate acts humble and subservient to his boss so that he can get a promotion or a raise. It has an outward appearance of humility before his superiors, but it is false.

Work isn't the only place where ambition is an issue. It's obvious in church politics where people strive for positions of leadership and authority. It's also more subtle; such as when you do anything to influence other people's opinion of you.

For example a church may have two children's ministry volunteers. They are both faithful and kind to the children. They both tell good stories and listen well. One is there because she loves the children and wants to serve them. The other is there because she loves the praise and gratitude of the parents and children. By all outward appearances, they are the same. The difference is in the heart. One is humble, the other is ambitious; not for advancement, but for recognition.

Again, two people are sitting in the church singing a worship song. One is concerned only with worshiping God. The other is concerned about the people around him; whether they appreciate the talent of his singing and admire his voice. Again, there is no outward difference; only in the heart.

Conceit tries to make you feel good about yourself. 

Two men give a large donation of money to the church. One is concerned with the advancement of the kingdom of God, and how the money will be used to promote the gospel. The other takes pride in his giving, and knowing that he has contributed much. The money will be use the same, and will have the same result. The only difference is the heart of the giver.

The world says that you should feel good about yourself. Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." [Matthew 16:24 NKJV] He isn't promoting self-flagellation. Rather, denying yourself means to esteem others better than yourself.

We are not being told to not take care of ourselves. In fact, we are taught to provide for ourselves and our families. But he also says, "Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

There is only one way to gain true humility, and that is by walking close to God. It is an act of grace provided by the Holy Spirit.

You can't work up humility by your own efforts. That would be an act of the flesh, and a source of pride. The Pharisees were very proud of their humility. 

When I was a young Christian, I was told, "Never pray for humility, because God will make sure you get humbled." What a poor view some people have of God. Humility isn't being humbled and beaten down by circumstances. That may crush your soul, but will not produce true humility. It only comes when, by experience, you see your own spirit in the light of God's Holy Spirit. That only happens by spending time in His presence.

Lord, please forgive my selfishness and ambition. Forgive the false humility that I display to the world. Please draw me closer to you and work in me the fruit of Your Spirit. Work out humility in me; not as one who has been beaten down by circumstance, but as one who has been humbled by the presence of God. 

Philippians 2:1-2 One Mind

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. [Philippians 2:1-2 NKJV]

Paul has a request to make of the Philippians, but first he speaks to their motivations. He is saying, "If you have found any comfort in Christ; if you have received the Holy Spirit; if you have any love..." in short, "If you call yourself a Christian, then this is how you should behave."

His request is simple: agree with one another.

I have often heard it said that being united in Christ doesn't mean we have to think the same thing. Yet, that is exactly what Paul is asking of the church; that they think the same thing.

We often create platitudes and excuses to explain away why we don't live up to the standards of the Bible. For example, Jesus said, "Go and sin no more." We say, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace." to explain why we are still sinning. It has a measure of truth in it, yet it denies the power of God free us from sin. The Bible says, "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." [Galatians 5:16 NKJV] I am not a sinner saved by grace. I was a sinner, but having been saved by grace, I am now a saint (that is, one who has been sanctified by the grace of God).

When we look around us at the church today, we many differences. We have Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and many more denominations plus non-denominationals, all with differing theological opinions.

We dismiss these divisions by saying that it's just human nature to disagree; but our nature is supposed to be transformed into the image of God. We say that we must have differences because there are many passages in the Scripture that are not clear. But if a doctrine is unclear, why do we fight so strenuously to defend our opinion of it?

Instead of making excuses, we should be repenting before God. These division within the church are sin, and the body of Christ is mostly unrepentant. 

As an individual, I have no influence or power to change the church. I can't heal the divisions, and I can't make people agree. 

There are two things I can do; I can pray, and I can live my life as an example.

I can't change anyone else's mind, but I can find common ground. I have a friend who is Catholic (I don't belong to any denomination). We both know that the other thinks differently about religion, but when we are together, we don't talk about the differences. We agree that Jesus is Lord, and that He died and rose again on the third day. We agree that we both love Jesus, and that He loves us both. I think it would be great if everybody worshiped God in Spirit and in truth without any religious overtones. Since we can't change reality, let us, at least, find the areas where we can be of the same mind with one another.

When we pray, it will be good for us to intercede on behalf of the church. In Matthew 15, a Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter. In so doing, she gave us a wonderful example of intercession when she said, "Have mercy on me." She fully identified with her daughter, as you would expect a mother to do, and her request to Jesus was not for her daughter alone, but for her as well. 

When we intercede, let's identify with those for whom we are praying. For the Canaanite woman, when her daughter hurt, she hurt. For ourselves, when the church body hurts, we should hurt. When we pray for the church, let us not say, "Lord, look at them. They are a mess." Instead, by identifying, we say, "Lord, look at us. We are a mess."

Heavenly Father, please forgive us of our sin. We have strayed from the teachings of the Bible, and have allowed divisions to define who we are as a church. We have allowed divisions to weaken our witness in the world.   I pray that you will give us the wisdom and grace to come together in the unity of Your Spirit. Help us to find fellowship with one another, and not conflict. Please open our hearts and minds to receive Your truth. 

Philippians 1:28-30 Persecution

...and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me. [Philippians 1:28-30 NKJV]

Paul faced opposition and persecution during his first visit to Philippi. There was a slave girl in town who was demon-possessed and made her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. She followed Paul saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” [Acts 16:17 NKJV] 

Although her words were true, their source was demonic, so Paul cast the demon out of her. That meant she could no longer tell fortunes and earn money for her owners. They became enraged and had Paul and Silas arrested. We are given this account;

Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. [Acts 16:22-26 NKJV]

Paul and Silas were delivered from their chains, but the Philippian church continued to face opposition; and it is this opposition that Paul is addressing.

Having just encouraged them to continue striving for the work of the gospel, he now acknowledges that doing so will likely increase their persecution. But he tells them not to fear their oppressors. To be without fear denies the world of their power. It is a token of their ultimate destruction, and of our ultimate salvation. By inference, the opposite is also true; our fear gives them power.

We see this on school campuses where the bully attacks the weak and fearful, but will leave alone anyone who can stand up to him. It is fear that give the bully his power.

For believers, it is more complicated that facing down a bully on the playground. Jesus offers this blessing for those who sacrifice to follow Him; 

So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, “who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. [Mark 10:29-30 NKJV]

He adds persecution as part of the blessing. He said,

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV]

It is not just persecution that matters to the Christian, but our attitude when facing persecution. Christians are not the only people in the world who face persecution. But see how they respond; by fighting back if they can. If they see no hope in fighting, then they wail and mourn their fate to be so put upon. When we hear in the news about a Serbian or a Hindu or any other group that feels oppressed, it is always with an expression of outrage that the world would treat them thus.

That is not how it should be with Christians. It is pride that gets our hackles up and makes us want to fight back. It is pride that says, "You can't do that to ME!" "Do you know who I am?" But as believers, we are to humble ourselves in the face of persecution. We are to count it an honor to share the sufferings of Christ.

When we walk with Christ, and face opposition, that should make us joyful. Like Paul and Silas in jail, we should want to sing songs of celebration and worship. Even more, we should do good to those who would oppress us, and pray for them. Even more, we should welcome persecution as a blessing from God.

This is not a natural attitude. It is not something we can "work up" in ourselves. It comes from the Spirit of God, and our close, daily relationship with Him. it is an act of His grace.

Lord, help my attitude to be right when I am opposed for Your sake. If my suffering will help advance the kingdom of God, then I welcome it.