Philippians 2:15 “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
Believers at Philippi were instructed to live lives that shined as a light to the world of darkness around them. Now for the Philippian’s light to SHINE brightly Paul taught them to stop complaining (or murmuring or grumbling) and arguing with one another. (Phil. 2:14) To shine and shine brightly meant they needed to be BLAMELESS. To be blameless is not perfect but it does mean having a good testimony before those who were not saved. It has the idea that the door for attacking one’s character is closed. As one looks into the believer’s life one will not find anything that would discredit the believer’s testimony. Daniel and Job are examples of living blameless lives.
He not only wanted them to be blameless but also HARMLESS. The believer’s beliefs and behavior match. They are not a stumbling block to the lost. Much damage has been done to a believer’s evangelistic outreach by those who profess to believe but then do not live what they believe.
What Paul is ultimately after is that the Philippian believers would be without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse world. To be without fault is to be without blemish. Not perfect, but living in such a way there is nothing for the lost to say bad about them. In other words, they have a good testimony.
With the good testimony, they can now SHINE in the DARKNESS! And the place for LIGHT to SHINE is in the DARKNESS. Believers are to be AMONG those in darkness. Let that sink in. A light shining where there are many lights is not really noticed but a light shining where there are few lights, if any, will shine out brighter. Christians need to be shining in the areas where the perverse and the crooked live.
While we must not be like the lost, we must be with the lost so we can witness to the lost.
When we ISOLATE ourselves from the lost, we are hiding our light under a bushel basket!
We are still in the world to be a witness to this world.
What changes do you need to make to shine your light brightly to the lost world?
Now sing This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel – NO! I am going to let it shine until Jesus comes!
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus instructs His disciples (this includes you) to be lights in the dark world. Recall His words from Matthew 5:14-16. It states, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” The Apostle Paul here in Philippians 2:15 makes the same appeal to “SHINE as lights in the world.”
Continue Strong SHINING BRIGHT for JESUS
And remember to DATE The Word