Paul Exhorts the Philippians to Shine Brightly for
Christ
Philippians
2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in
the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in
the world; KJVImmediately after the Apostle Paul warns these Philippian believers and we believers today on how to behave with one another and serve God the Father in the Church and the world, he says to them that in not murmuring, complaining, and disputing among themselves in order, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Philippians 2:15). Paul’s theory and reality put forth here is that it would be a huge waste of time declaring the Gospel of Grace to a lost and dying world, when the world would witness believers being extremely contentious, combative, and even contemptuous with one another. Note: “Unfortunately, the visible Church then and now had and has grown to do exactly what the Apostle Paul feared.”
Paul declares that when they and we are not showing an inclination to disputing’s even to the point of filing lawsuits against one another (as he was furious with the Corinthian believers who did exactly this with one another), when he said, “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? If then you have judgments concerning things pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least esteemed by the Church to judge? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!” (1 Corinthians 6:1-8) (NKJV), then can they and we be blameless.
This English word blameless is translated by the Greek word amemptos meaning irreproachable: - blameless, faultless, unblamable. This is why Paul was so frustratingly furious with the Corinthian believers above because they not only sought after this, they instead blamed and found fault with their brothers and sisters “in Christ” over temporal earthly matters that had no eternal value to them at all. Secondly, Paul declares to them and to us that we are to be harmless with one another and in the world at large. This English word harmless is translated by the Greek word akeraios meaning unmixed, that is, (figuratively) innocent: - harmless, simple. In other words, there is no genuine love to and for God the Father if Christians are secretly devising plots, schemes, plans or playing politics to bring physical, financial, emotional, or spiritual harm to a brother or sister “in Christ”, even also if it is done to the unbelievers in the world.
Paul declares that to do and to be the opposite of these things will then show and prove that they and we are “sons of God” in this world being without rebuke or un-blamable in it as the Apostle John writes with these words of how we are to be with one another, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” (1 John 4:20-21) (NKJV). However, this is exactly what the Corinthian believers above were not doing and this is why Paul so adamantly warns these Philippian believers and we believers today against this because it only proves those engaged in murmurings, complaining, and disputing against one another are not expressing or showing the love of God.
This is the attitude and behavior of the world that Paul declares to be crooked, that is, dishonest and corrupt, lying to one another, stealing from one another, and hurting one another in order to profit financially and to rule over others having authority and power over them without regard to their well-being as Moses spoke of the Israelites in this manner, “They have corrupted themselves; They are not His children, Because of their blemish: A perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father, who bought you? Has He not made you and established you? Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; Your elders, and they will tell you:” (Deuteronomy 32:5-7) (NKJV).
Therefore, Paul declares that in distinct opposition to these attitudes and practices, these Philippian believers and we believers today are to shine as lights in the world. The light of the sun brings about warmth to the earth and it serves as one part of allowing plant life to grow and produce fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc. for human consumption and to feed the animal life on the earth. In like manner, these Philippian believers and we believers today are to shine forth the light of the Gospel of Christ to the world that is unredeemed because the enemy the devil is working to blind their eyes to the truth of Christ being the only way to redemption as Paul declared to the Corinthian believers with these words, “But even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6) (NKJV).
“We should endeavour not only to be harmless, but to be blameless; not only not to do hurt, but not to come under the just suspicion of it. Blameless and sincere; so some read it. Blameless before men, sincere towards God.” Matthew Henry
“In this manner you will become as a lighthouse on a rockbound coast, shining with blameless and beneficent beauty among your companions. Light is silent, but it reveals. Light is gentle, but it is mighty in its effects. Light departs when the sun is down, but it may be maintained by various luminaries until dawn again breaks. As we shine, we shall be consumed, but the sacrifice will not be in vain.” F. B. Meyer
“We are to be without artfulness, that is, not being straightforward and candid with one another or using guile, deceit or trickery, disguising or camouflaging ourselves to our brothers and sisters ‘in Christ’ and to men and women in general with charisma or charm in order to take from them unlawfully or to use them for our gain and good. There is no trickery or deceit anywhere in our Heavenly Father and if we are to become like Him we must be sincere in heart without pretense or pretending to men to be one thing, when in actuality we are a completely different thing.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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