Philippians 2:12-18

COMMENTS

Ever since the first time I studied Philippians, I’ve loved the “shine like stars in the universe” passage that’s a part of today’s reading.  But that’s not all that’s in here.

NOTES

Salvation is a gift.  There’s nothing I have to do repeatedly to earn it.  He gave it; I accepted it.  Done deal!  Right?  Not really.  There was a moment in time when He gave it, and I accepted it; but Philippians 2:12 tells me that I have to “continue to work [it] out”.  What does that mean?  I believe it means that, yes, I was saved in that moment; but I am not yet complete.  There’s still a lot of work for the Spirit to accomplish in me before I conform to the image of Christ.  That “salvation” I received was a beginning, not an end.

In this passage, the “pay attention to this, Brenda” passage was Philippians 2:14-16a:

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation….”

Yes, I know.  The “shine like the stars” passage is next; but I stopped where I did on purpose—so that these verses don’t get lost.

I’m realizing that I complain too much.  I’m not so much an arguer (although I can do that at times—ask James), but I complain.  It’s easy.  There are a lot of things to complain about.  Sometimes, I even start with “I don’t mean to be critical but….”  As I was reading this, God said LOUDLY (but kindly!), “PAY ATTENTION!  DON’T COMPLAIN!!!!!”  As Antonio Banderas said in Zorro, “This is going to take a lot of work.”  Amen to that!  This may not be accomplished before the Lord returns, but it’s one of those “working out my salvation” things we discussed earlier.

What’s interesting, is that this precedes that favorite “stars” teaching.  What happens?  I stop complaining and arguing.  Then I become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault (really?).  But what does the world around me look like?  They’re complaining and arguing!  Paul says it’s a crooked and depraved generation.  (Okay, the world is doing more than complaining and arguing, but that’s part of it!)  Because I’m becoming blameless and pure, I’m a contrast to the world around me.  As a result, I “shine like stars in the universe”.  So what do I do?  I “hold out the word of life”.  My life—because I don’t look like the world around me—testifies of my Glorious Lord!

Help me, Holy Spirit, to be a contrast to the world around me….