Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without grumbling or disputing
Introduction: If you were asked to describe the message of the Philippian letter, you might struggle to give a distinct description of Paul’s primary purpose. One reason this is difficult is because, unlike other letters, there are no obvious sins and false teaching that is taking place in the letter. Instead, I would suggest that Paul is challenging them to a higher degree of service to the Lord by improving how they think about themselves sacrificially in relation to God’s cause and their place in this world.
What I think is unique is how Paul jumps right into describing the benefits of his imprisonment (quite unusual, don’t you think?). He even discusses the possibility of his death by the hands of Nero and his possible release and then speaks of the benefits of both. Get this, he’s been unjustly imprisoned for four years and all he can talk about is all the great results of his trial for the cause of Christ.
As the reader of the letter, our immediate thought is, where are you going with this, Paul? Paul answers the question by transitioning into the need to be sacrificial by taking on the mind of Christ. Then suddenly Paul hits one of his first major points: “Do all things without grumbling and disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Phil. 2:14-16)
Breaking Down the Text
There is a connection between Jesus leaving heaven and humbling himself as a servant, even being obedient to death on the cross, and then the words, work out your own salvation…for it is God who works in you, and do all things without grumbling or disputing. In other words…
How do we watch Jesus give up his life and follow our Savior to glory if we are grumbling and disputing?
And, it is impossible for God to work in us for his pleasure, unless we do all things without grumbling and disputing.
So that you are familiar with the key words and phrases of the text, notice the following break down. These words and phrases are full of meaning to change the way we think and act.
Do all things without grumbling (“a muttering, murmuring, low and suppressed discourse; the expression of secret and sullen discontent, complaint) and disputing
- In order to be blameless and innocent
- Children of God
- Without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation
- Among whom you shine as lights
- Holding fast (forth) the word of life
- So that in the day of Christ I will be able to boast that I did not run or labor in vain
The Greek word for “grumbling” or “complaining” is only used once in Paul’s letters, but it is the same word used in the Greek OT numerous times to describe the murmuring of Israel in the wilderness. This is where we get a bold picture of God’s feelings about complaining. A quick study of Israel’s murmuring reveals some powerful messages.
Their first grumbling after the Red Sea, was only three days later when they found bitter water. Therefore, we immediately get the feeling that their grumbling is a deep character issue. It is not like they had gone weeks. In response, God made the bitter water sweet.
Shortly after, they came to Elim where there were 70 palm trees and 12 springs. No complaining now!
But then they departed and grumbled about because they were hungry. God patiently provided them manna, enough food for every day of the week. All they had to do was go pick it up and either eat it or cook it however they liked.
Shortly after, they again complained about water, and God provided water.
But after Israel departed from Sinai, the people complained again, this time because the journey was hard, and God set fire to them killing many.
Still they complained, this time about being tired of manna. At this point, God’s “anger blazed hotly,” and when they gorged themselves on the quail he sent, God killed the people “with a very great plague.”
And then the worst of all the grumbling was when they complained about going into Canaan and driving out the inhabitants. That did it. Not one of them entered the Promised Land: 603,548 men of war were lost as God swore in his wrath, ‘they will not enter my rest.’ How does God feel about complaining?
Understanding the Problem of Grumbling
If the Philippians were struggling with this, it is evident the problem arose from dealing with various trials (1:29-30) and even how they spoke about one another (2:3; 4:2). Now from a worldly point of view, we would say that those trials were worthy of complaint and sometimes it just feels right to complain about each other. This is obviously the reason Paul began the letter speaking of his own trial. What could be more worthy of complaining than spending four years in prison and facing the death penalty?
Here is the problem: grumbling is the opposite of joy and rejoicing. The two cannot be possessed in the same person. We cannot complain and live with joy. If you are a complainer/grumbler, you lack joy. And if you live in joy, you are not a complainer.
What are our expectations? Expectations that life will go smoothly are unrealistic (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14). The need to change the outlook of our purpose in life from all is about us to “all is about God’s purpose.” If God allows our lives to be filled with “bumpy roads,” then who are we to complain? Cf. Eccl. 5:18-20.
We must understand that complaining and arguing is a result of losing our servant mentality. We lose sight of why we are here: See 1:11, “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
Do we expect that God wanted our lives to be without difficulty, to go smoothly and always have the least resistance? Get this, service to God will rarely if ever be without resistance. Did we forget? This is a battle. The “ruler of this world” is trying to hang on to his world, and God does not take the resistance away because it is an excellent way we are tried and proved to see if we love God with all our heart (Deut. 8:2-5 – the wilderness is a perfect parallel to what God is still doing in our lives today. How desperately we need to get in our minds that we are in the “wilderness” today, exactly in the same position as Israel. This is not the Promised Land. Is it not disappointing to realize that we are so often reacting just as they did and yet at the same time we condemn what they did?).
Complaining and disputing is “catching.” When I complain, it urges others to join in the complaint. That is what happened with Israel. Do you invite complaints? How often do we go to a person with our grumbling hoping we can get them to join in? Politicians very often tell us how bad off we are and tell us what we ought to be complaining about in order to bolster their own power: “Yeah, it’s not fair that some people are making so much money! So vote for me and I’ll do something about that!”
Seeing the Purpose
First notice the words, “A crooked and twisted generation.” With these words, Paul again makes a connection to Israel. In Deuteronomy 32, Moses was commanded to teach Israel a song that was to be their national anthem, teaching them and warning them of their future and how they would not live up to God’s purpose for them. In 32:4-6, the song reminds Israel that God’s work is “perfect, all his ways are justice. He is a God of faithfulness, and without iniquity, just and upright.” In contrast, they are “no longer his children because they are blemished; they are a crooked and twisted generation.” Now look especially at verse 6: “Is he not your Father, who created you, who made you and established you?” Verses 10-11 speak of what God did to bring them through the wilderness. The claim is that God took them through the wilderness perfectly! (Ecclesiastes 3).
Therefore, we need to get something straight; we live in a crooked and twisted culture. Please do not use the word “normal” when referring to the actions and thinking of people of our world. Note that he uses the word “generation” to refer to the way people are. They are crooked and twisted.
The word “crooked” is defined as something “torturous.” Our culture, as well as every culture without a proper understanding of God, has tortured what ought to be normal.
Therefore, what is the message? To grumble and complain is to mimic the crooked, twisted culture around us. To shine as “lights” is to live in joy in spite of the trials, even the trials that fit the category of what Paul had to endure. As with Paul, this gives us the character necessary to give “light,” to give the picture of what life ought to be so that we point the way to God. It may be the minority lifestyle, but it is the true definition of what ought to be normal.
“Among whom you shine as lights in the world…”
Now we see the primary purpose. Grumbling, arguing people do not shine as lights in the world, and being lights is the reason we exist in Christ! The only people who like to be around grumblers, are grumblers.
This is the primary failure of physical Israel. Therefore, our choice is to either fail as Israel failed and become a blemished, crooked and twisted people by living a grumbling and arguing life, or we can shine as lights in the midst of this crooked world by genuinely being lights and not participating in grumbling and disputing.
Now may I also point out a critical word: all. “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” Paul did not say “some things” or “most things,” he said “all things.” This does not mean there aren’t things that need changing, things that we can do better, etc., but it does mean we do not do it with grumbling and arguing. Just as in a marriage, behavioral corrections are constantly needed and we need to discuss those changes with one another, but the approach cannot be disrespectful, argumentative, and a “low, suppressed, muttering.” That is not light-shining.
“Holding fast (forth) the word of life.” It is the word of life that is the effective tool that brings light to the nations. We are lights, as living examples of what it looks like to follow the word of life. Then as light bearers, we hold forth the word so that God’s “salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6b).
“That I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Paul again borrows from Isaiah. In this text, the Messiah, and by extension the Messiah’s people, are concerned that their efforts will be in vain or useless. Paul’s emphasis is for the Philippians to see what is at stake in their joy, unity, and lack of grumbling and disputing. Do not frustrate either the work of the Messiah or the work of the Messiah’s messengers by being those upon whom the Messiah’s work did not bear fruit.
Conclusion: Here is the power in the command to do all things without grumbling or arguing. When our lives exhibit grumbling and arguing, we are not lights and the gospel message has been wasted on us.
Berry Kercheville