2. Philippians 2:14-16

3.  Do all things without grumbling  Grumbling or murmuring may be directed toward God or man  Israel grumbled at God (1 Cor. 10:10)  Pharisees grumbled at Jesus (Lk. 5:30)  Christians are to show hospitality w/o grumbling (1 Peter 4:9)  Christians ought to conduct themselves now w/o grumbling or murmuring

4.  There should be no disputing  There ought not to be disputes over opinions which will only cause doubts in the minds of brethren  Other passages:  Matt. 15:19; Lk. 24:38; Rom. 14:1; 1Tim. 2:8  Christians should not become involved in futile or quarrelsome disputes

5.  Blameless  This means w/o fault and indicates the outward or external trait  Phil. 3:6; 1 Thess. 2:10; 1 Thess. 3:13; 5:23  The Christian is to become blameless so that others who see his life cannot charge him with evil

6.  Harmless  This means innocent, simple, pure and indicates the inward or internal trait  Matt. 10:16; Rom. 16:19  Paul says the Philippians are to become harmless and pure inwardly, simple with reference to evil and unmixed in good motives and thoughts

7.  Without Rebuke  This means morally blameless and is the word used of a sacrificial offering  It is so used of Christ (Heb. 9:14; 1Pet. 1:19)  It is used of the Christian in God’s purpose (Eph. 1:4; 5:27; Col. 1:22; 2 Pet. 3:14)  Paul uses this “extreme” adjective for what God expects of His people

8.  Crooked  Used of crooked places in a road (Lk. 3:5)  Used of a rough, twisted generation (Ac 2:40)  Used of an unreasonable master (1 Pet. 2:18)  Here used of the Christian’s surroundings  This fits the world of every age

9.  Perverse  Used of a vessel misshapen on the potter’s wheel – Metaphorically it meant “misled”  Other passages shows the sense  Matt. 17:17; Acts 13:8, 10; 20:30  The Christian’s world is misshapen, twisted, misled and perverted  It is indeed “out of shape”

10.  Christian are to shine in contrast to the world  “Shine” means to appear in contrast  Matt. 2:7, 13, 19; 6:5; 13:26  He will be as a light in a dark place  “Light” is literally a star, a light giving body  The word “light” frequently describes the Christian’s conduct and influence (Matt. 5:14, 16; Eph. 5:7-14)

11.  It is by “holding fast” the Word of Life that the Christian is able to “hold forth” the Light in a righteous life in a wicked world  The KEY: God “works in” us to so live; the Spirit sanctifies, but we must hold fast to the Word of Life

12.  Because Christ is Lord in heaven and God energizes the Christian to desire and perform God’s own good pleasure, the Christian is to “work out” his own salvation with fear and trembling  Specifically, he is to live without murmuring or disputing

13.  He is to become blameless in outward conduct and pure in inward motives – in short, as a pure sacrificial offering that is morally blameless  Yet God is not unaware of the Christian’s surroundings, which are, in fact, the very reason for his holy life

14.  In a crooked and twisted world, such a life becomes exceedingly apparent  In contrast to the moral darkness of this generation, the Christian’s life is as a star shining in a dark place

15.  In all this the child of God must hold fast to the Word of Life  As it becomes a part of his life, that Word is held forth  Those who are God’s people thus have joy together now and reason for happiness in judgment and the life to come