James In Reverse
Do all things without murmurings and disputings, Philippians 2:14
Murmurings and Disputings – If any verse has been taken out of context, this is the one! Were you instructed by your parents that this verse was the reason you should comply with the household rules? Has anyone ever used this verse to shame you into obedience? Well, cast them off! The context of this verse tells us something different – and far more serious. This is James in reverse – the upside-down version of “count it all joy when you fall into various trials and temptations.”
Take a look at the previous two verses (Philippians 2:12-13). Paul is giving strong encouragement about one essential thing – obeying God in the process of nurturing your own salvation. His famous statement, that God is the One working in you to bring about His purposes (v.13), is the reason for this exhortation about murmurs and disputes. What Paul is saying is this: when God begins to shape your life and direct your thoughts and actions, don’t complain to Him! He is working His will through you for His good pleasure (and, by the way, your eternal benefit). Paul is certainly not telling us to do everything without objection. That is ridiculous. I object strenuously when someone commands me to take an action that is not in concert with the message of Jesus. I am called to protest against evil in every form. I am God’s rebel on earth, proclaiming His will in opposition to the world – and suffering the consequences for doing so. Christians are NOT wallflowers!
But when it comes to being obedient to God’s voice, then murmuring and disputing has no place at all. Paul uses the words gongusmos and dialogismos. The first reminds us of Meribah (Exodus 17:7), certainly a story that Paul recalled. The second was a frequent occurrence in the life of Paul as he often encountered those who argued and disputed the clear will of God. But behind both of these descriptive words lies something more insidious. It is the human desire to barter our way to sanctification. Behind the murmurs and the disputes is our desire to exercise our own will rather than immediately submit to the voice of the Master. Paul knows that God fully intends to lead us into conformity with His Son. Paul knows that God is not bashful or obtuse about His direction. But Paul also knows that as soon as we begin to complain or debate, cheerful submission is over. We might comply, but God is not interested in compliance. God is interested in just one thing: that we trust Him enough to voluntarily submit no matter what. You see, obedience is not really about what I am asked to do. It is really about who asks me to do it. When I resist, I am really saying, “I don’t trust you, God.”
The church at Philippi needed to hear this loud and clear. What about you? Are you like me? Do you resist that tiny whisper, the one that brings you up short and asks you to be immediately obedient, even if you don’t know why? Are you a complainer in your walk with God, or do you jump for joy when He brings another hurdle before you?
