"everything without complaining or arguing"?
Philipians 2:14
Complaining - (murmurings in KJV) in the greek, speaks of murmur, mutterings; a secret debate or displeasure not openly avowed.
Arguing - (disputings in KJV) The meaning of this word are: the thinking of a man deliberating within himself, inward reasoning; questioning about what is true; hesitation, doubting; disputing, arguing
The original meanings of both of these words speak of not just an outward reaction, but of inward struggle and quiet words...
I feel like we all fall so easily to complaining. I have yet to be in any type of work environment where the people DON'T seem to feed off of complaining behind someone's back. Have we nothing better to say? It's so easy to join in a "secret displeasure". I so desire to be a person who does not slander others - even slightly!
Also, within ourselves we can allow anger to fester, muttering words of hatred and angst against another. We kill our own health and we're are in violation to the word of God! Wow!
Arguing (disputings) also speaks of this inward battle. The mind can be run away with itself and needs to be taken under the control of the Spirit of God.
Our mouth will speak out of what spills out of our hearts. Many times the word HEART, in our Bible, references the MIND.
We are to bring thoughts against the truth under captivity to Christ "casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" 2 Cor 10:5 NKJV
One of the definitions of arguing was - doubt -
James 1:5a-7 "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God... but when he asks he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord"
...Oh, that we could become a people who surrender their thoughts and words to the Lord so much so that we could become a people who do "everything without complaining or arguing"...
- It is ONLY through His power, we can do nothing of ourselves.
The desire and ability come from above
v.13 "For it is God who works in you to WILL and to ACT according to His good purpose"
- Then after we're told to be a people who do everything without complaining and arguing... " , it stays:
"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 you may boast in the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." v. 15-16
The only way we'll make a difference is by looking like Jesus...
Help me, Lord.
"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Phil 1:27
- this study is a result of an amazing message given by Louie Giglio at Passion 2010 :)
No comments:
Post a Comment