As Paul the apostle
continued his encouragement and instructions to the Philippian
church, he insured that they knew it was God who worked in them “both
to will and to do of his good pleasure”. They were to “work
out” their “own salvation”, and the way to manifest
it best was to allow the Lord to do His work inside of them. In
chapter two and verse fourteen of the letter to the Philippians, Paul
gives them more instruction about the way they should to things where
he wrote:
Do all things without
murmurings and disputings:
The verse begins, “Do
all things without murmurings...” Paul
knew the Philippians were going to be about activities, “Do”,
and while they were about “all things”
there would be people observing their behavior. Let's make a special
note here concerning the word “all”
which literally means “each, every, any, the whole,
everyone, and everything”. This tiny word leaves no doubt that Paul
meant everything they did was to be “without murmurings” which
means with no “muttering, secret debate, or secret
displeasure not openly avowed”. In other words they were not to be
about their business in an angry, complaining, and grumbling under
their breath way.
The verse goes on to say, “...and
disputings:” In addition to
doing all things without murmuring, the Philippian church members
were to do all things without “disputings”
which means “the thinking of a man deliberating with
himself, a deliberating, questioning about what is true, hesitation,
doubting,
arguing a thought, inward reasoning, purpose, or design”. The idea
is to do everything with a willing heart and not always debating
whether it should be done or not. The church members in Philippi were
to be the greatest examples and witnesses of a person who goes about
his or her business in a pleasant, willing and ambitious manner
rather than constantly being in a battle over whether or not they
should be doing their task or not.
As we think about Paul's
words, we may have been greatly challenged. Do we “do all things
without murmurings”? Do we do them without “disputings”?
If we allow the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts in this area,
perhaps what we will find behind “murmurings” and
“disputings” is pride as though we are certainly above the
task or the taskmaster who gives the thing to do. We must remember as
Christians that others are watching our behavior as they were the
Philippian church members, and the way they see us conduct ourselves
in what we “do”, “all things” we do, may make
the difference as to whether they want to know our Savior Jesus or
not. May the Lord not only convict us in this area, but may He help
us to rid ourselves of any “murmurings” or “disputings”
we may have in our lives.
Next
time Paul tells the Philippians the reason they are to “do all
things without murmurings and disputings”, so read ahead, and
we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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