March 26, 2017

It’s always fun to watch our children and grandchildren grow. They get so excited about their progress: “Grandpa, watch me do this!” “Grandma, I drew you this picture!” (Which usually goes on the refrigerator). As they get older, especially with the girls, it’s like watching a beautiful flower unfold before your eyes.

It’s also gratifying to watch believers grow in Christ. I especially enjoy watching someone who has come out of a difficult past gain victory over some sin or see them serving the Lord in some way. And while as we grow older in the Lord the changes may not be as visible, Christian growth should continue until the day that we are with Jesus.

As Paul wraps up this second letter to these new Thessalonian believers, he offers his fourth prayer for them in three chapters (see 2 Thess. 1:11-12; 2:16-17; 3:5). He prays (2 Thess. 3:16), “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” Then, after a verse authenticating himself as the author of this letter, he adds (2 Thess. 3:18), “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”

Paul’s frequent prayers show that we must depend on the Lord’s grace and strength in every situation, both for our own growth and for the growth of others we care about. Also, God’s grace and love are recurring themes in Paul’s prayers. Those qualities are the prime motivation for spiritual growth. While it’s not comprehensive, Paul’s concluding prayer and his authenticating signature to this letter give us a short pattern for Christian growth:

To grow in Christ, seek His peace in every situation, seek His presence every day, submit to His word as your authority, and saturate your life with His grace.

1. To grow in Christ, seek His peace in every situation.

2 Thess. 3:16a: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.” The Thessalonians were going through persecution, battling false teaching, and dealing with unruly church members. Each of those situations can create tension and strife in a local church. In this battle, Paul prays for the reality of the Lord’s peace continually and in every circumstance. While his prayer has an individual application, the primary application in this context is for the church to experience God’s peace.

This is the only time the phrase “the Lord of peace,” (referring to Jesus) occurs in the New Testament (but, see Eph. 2:14). More often, the expression is, “the God of peace,” referring to God the Father (Rom. 15:33, 16:20; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20). The Holy Spirit is also the source of peace, which is part of the fruit He produces in us (Gal. 5:22; see, also, Rom. 14:17). So all three members of the trinity are the source of peace for believers. The Hebrew concept of “shalom,” which was behind Paul’s thinking, referred not just to the absence of strife, but to overall well-being or wholeness. Peace has three dimensions:

A. Peace with God is a gift that comes from Christ through justification by faith and through sanctification.

By birth and because of our sins, we all were hostile toward God, alienated from Him in our thoughts and deeds (Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21). But by His grace, Christ obtained our peace with God through the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). Thus Paul states (Rom. 5:1), “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

People outside of Christ may have a false sense of peace because they think too highly of themselves and too lowly of God, who is absolutely holy. They assume that their good works will get them into heaven. After all, they’re not mass murderers and rapists! They’re basically good people! And there have always been plenty of false prophets who tell people, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace (Jer. 6:14; 8:11). But as Isaiah (57:21) declares, “‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” The Puritan Thomas Watson put it (A Body of Divinity [Banner of Truth], p. 262), “The seeming peace a sinner has, is not from the knowledge of his happiness, but the ignorance of his danger.” So peace with God comes first through justification by faith in Christ.

Also, peace comes through sanctification by the Holy Spirit. As Paul prayed (1 Thess. 5:23), “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We cannot enjoy peace with God while we’re living in known disobedience to His commands. David was clearly a believer when he sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband murdered. But in Psalm 38, he goes on for verse after verse describing the turmoil and lack of peace that engulfed him because of his sin. Again, as Thomas Watson graphically puts it (ibid.), “You may as well suck health out of poison, as peace out of sin.”

The solution, as Watson again pointedly states is (ibid., p. 265), “If you would have peace, make war with sin.” But then, once you’ve confessed your sin and turned from it, don’t trust in your own righteousness for peace. Rather, as Watson goes on to remind us (p. 266), “Go to Christ’s blood for peace…. That blood of Christ which pacified God, must pacify conscience. Christ’s blood being sucked in by faith, gives peace.”

B. Peace with God also results in peace with other believers, even if they are very different than you are.

Concerning the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles in the church, Paul wrote (Eph. 2:14), “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.” The dividing wall was a chest high wall in the temple that divided the court of the Gentiles from the court of the Jews. There was a sign on it warning Gentiles that if they ventured beyond that point, they were responsible for their own deaths! But in Christ, that barrier is removed, so that in the church (Col. 3:11), “there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”

But even though Christ is our peace, peace among believers is not automatic. Because of our different personalities, backgrounds, and perspectives and because of residual sin in our hearts, we need constantly to work at peaceful relationships (Col. 3:12-15). Paul’s command (2 Thess. 3:14-15) for the church to discipline unruly brothers who refused to work could have resulted in discord in the church, as people who were friends or relatives of the disciplined members may have come to their defense. But Paul’s approach was not to achieve peace by avoiding confronting sin. That would have resulted in bigger problems later. Rather, his approach was to deal with sin and then pray for the Lord’s peace to be experienced in every circumstance.

I’ve seen believers who avoid conflicts with other believers by just moving on to another church. Sometimes after repeated conflicts, they become so disillusioned with the church that they drop out altogether. I’ve also seen marriages where the husband and wife allow tension to build up over the years without working at resolving conflict God’s way. I’ve seen pastors who dodge conflict by not confronting sinning members. But dodging conflict without dealing with sin never results in lasting peace. We should do all that we can to seek peace with others (Rom. 12:18), but not by glossing over sin or major doctrinal errors.

C. Peace with God also results in inner peace even in difficult situations.

I hope that you apply often Paul’s prescription for anxiety (Phil. 4:6-7): “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Don’t forget the “thanksgiving” part! Even though you may not feel thankful for a trial, you can thank God by faith that He will work it together for your good. Thankful prayer results in inner peace, even in the midst of difficult trials.

So to grow in Christ, seek peace with God through faith in Jesus’ shed blood and by turning from all known sin. Seek peace with others, not by avoiding conflicts, but by working through them in a godly manner. And seek inner peace through thankful prayer.

2. To grow in Christ, seek His presence every day.

2 Thess. 3:16b: “The Lord be with you all.” One of my seminary professors once told us that he thought that it was dumb to pray for the Lord to be with us, since He promised to be with us always. But we pointed out this verse to him and he had to recant! On the one hand, Christ has promised to dwell in us forever (John 14:18, 20, 23; 15:4); yet on the other hand, Paul prays that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith (Eph. 3:17). I think that he’s praying for us to know experientially the fact of Christ’s indwelling presence. He dwells in every believer, but we need daily to experience the reality of His indwelling presence. Note three truths:

A. Christ’s experienced presence is essential for the journey toward heaven.

In Exodus 33, after the incident with the golden calf, the Lord tells Moses to continue on toward the land of Canaan, but the Lord says (Exod. 33:3), “I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.” But Moses, who spoke with the Lord face to face (Exod. 33:11), pled with God and said (Exod. 33:15), “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.” He goes on and boldly asks the Lord that he might see His glory.

Ryan Lister’s excellent, The Presence of God [Crossway], convincingly argues that from the Garden of Eden to the New Jerusalem, the theme of God’s presence with His people ties together the storyline of the Bible. He says (p. 25), “God is working to establish a people and a place for his presence.” The church is God’s temple, where He dwells. What distinguishes the church from every secular group is the presence of God in our midst! But, do we experience this? We should have a sense of holy awe when we come together each Lord’s Day because the living God is here in our midst!

B. Christ’s presence cannot be experienced when we harbor sin in our hearts.

This is true both individually and as a church. Of course, we wouldn’t ever sin if we remembered that God is with us! When David sinned with Bathsheba and finally came to repentance, he cried (Ps. 51:11), “Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” While the Lord promised that the Holy Spirit would be with us forever (John 14:16-17), we forfeit the experience of His presence if we harbor known sin in our hearts. If we have bitterness toward those who have wronged us or if we have not asked forgiveness and sought to restore relationships where we have wronged others, we will not experience God’s presence in this church, in our homes, or in our personal lives. Don’t let any sin rob you of experiencing Christ’s presence!

C. Christ’s presence should be experienced both individually and corporately.

Individually, Jesus promised His followers who help fulfill His Great Commission (Matt. 28:20), “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Hebrews 13:5 assures us, “for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” At the end of Paul’s life, when he faced execution and everyone had deserted him, he wrote (2 Tim. 4:17), “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me ….”

David Livingstone, who suffered incredible hardships taking the gospel into the uncharted heart of Africa, relied often on the promise of Matthew 28:20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” He said (cited in A Frank Boreham Treasury [Moody Press], compiled by Peter Gunther, p. 107), “On those words I staked everything, and they never failed!” The same text also supported John Paton, who encountered many life-threatening dangers as he took the gospel to the cannibals of the New Hebrides Islands (ibid. p. 123). The promise of Christ’s presence should sustain us in every difficulty we face.

But also, as a church we need to experience God’s presence in our midst. Anything less is just going through the motions. Paul said (1 Cor. 14:25) that when an unbeliever comes into our assembly, the result should be that “the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.” My prayer is that we won’t just run through the program each week, but that God will show up and that everyone will know that He is certainly among us.

So to grow in Christ, seek His peace in every situation. Seek His presence every day.

3. To grow in Christ, submit to His word as your authority in life.

2 Thess. 3:17: “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write.” Paul had been dictating this letter to a secretary. Now Paul takes the quill and writes the rest of the letter in his own hand to authenticate that the letter was truly from him. This was necessary because the church had already received a letter purporting to be from Paul that was spreading false teaching (2 Thess. 2:2). So, as Gene L. Green (The Letters to the Thessalonians [Eerdmans/Apollos], p. 359) writes, “Much more than being a personal note, the subscript was a weapon in the war against heresy.”

That war continues. False prophets today in charismatic churches claim to have revelations from God that are on a par with or even override Scripture. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches elevate their traditions over Scripture. But the apostolic testimony as found in the New Testament is our only authority in matters of faith and practice. Make sure to compare every teaching against God’s authoritative word. John Stott (The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians [IVP Academic], p. 196) writes, “There is nobody in the church who has an authority which even remotely resembles that of the apostles of Christ; nor has there been since the last apostle died.” He concludes (p. 199), “For to despise the Word of the Lord is to despise the Lord of the Word, to distrust his faithfulness and to disregard his authority.”

Submission to God’s word is our only compass in this confused and rebellious world. How do we know that abortion is wrong? We know because God’s word reveals that He is the giver of life and that every person is created in His image. How do we know that homosexual behavior is sin? We know because God’s word clearly spells that out over and over again. I recently had a woman from another city call me. Her husband is planning to become a woman and wants her to stay married to him and she was wondering what she should do! God’s word, not modern opinion, is our only guide. The same applies to every other moral and ethical issue we face in this world that has rejected God’s word of truth.

To submit to God’s word, you need to know His word by continually reading and studying it. To apply it correctly, you first must interpret it correctly. To grow in your Christian walk, submit all of your life to all of God’s word or you will be carried along by this godless culture. Finally,

4. To grow in Christ, saturate your life with His grace.

2 Thess. 3:18: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” This closing verse is identical with 1 Thess. 5:28, except for the addition of “all,” which includes even the unruly. They need the Lord’s grace. The entire church needs the Lord’s grace to deal with persecution, false teaching, and with the unruly members. As Gary Shogren (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 1 & 2 Thessalonians [Zondervan], p. 343) writes, “For Paul there is no experience of God apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and his grace.” And John Stott (p. 198) observes, “There can be no peace without grace.” Three brief observations:

A. Both legalism and licentiousness are enemies of God’s grace.

I’ve often heard Bible teachers say that grace is the balance point between legalism on the one hand and licentiousness on the other, but that is not true. Legalism and licentiousness are flip sides of the same coin, because both are manifestations of the flesh. God’s grace operates through the Holy Spirit, changing our hearts, giving us the desire to please and obey Him. Jesus Christ is the Lord Jesus Christ, so His grace is not opposed to submitting to His lordship over every area of your life. God’s grace does not give us the freedom to sin (Rom. 6:1); rather, it frees us from sin (Rom. 6:14).

B. God’s grace in the gospel is the motivation for holiness and serving the Lord.

In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul wrote, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” He would later write to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:1), “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Paul usually begins and ends his letters by invoking God’s grace on the readers, which was more than a formula or formality. He never got over the wonder that as the chief of sinners he found God’s undeserved favor at the cross.

Neither should you! That’s especially true for those of us from Christian homes. It was God’s grace that gave us Christian parents who loved us, shared the gospel with us, and taught us the ways of the Lord. It was His grace that convicted us of our sins, opened our eyes to the love of Jesus, and saved us from trusting in our own righteousness. Bathe yourself daily in the Lord’s abundant grace so that you’re motivated to obey and serve Him.

C. God’s grace shown to you should flow through you to others.

If you have experienced the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through the gospel, you’re now a channel for that grace to flow to other sinners. With the self-righteous, who think that they’re good enough to get into heaven, you may need to preach the law, as Jesus did to the Pharisees. But with the broken, who are burdened with their sin and guilt, Jesus always extended grace, and so should we. He invites all sinners (Matt. 11:28), “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” The almost final verse of the Bible (Rev. 22:17) invites, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” And the very last verse of the Bible is (Rev. 22:21), “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.”

Not only should we extend the grace of the gospel to others, but also, those who have experienced God’s grace should be gracious toward difficult people and toward people who are enslaved to sin. It grieves me when I see Christians being harsh, judgmental, and condemning, whether towards other believers or towards those in the world. Yes, we need to hold the line on God’s absolute moral standards. But if it were not for God’s grace, we’d all be violating those standards. Everyone you meet has difficult struggles of some sort and so everyone needs God’s grace. You’re the channel for that grace to flow to them.

Conclusion

Someone has defined a rut as a grave with the ends knocked out. It’s possible that some of you are in a spiritual rut. But the Lord wants you to be growing. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, the Russian writer who survived the Gulag, wrote (goodreads.com), “The meaning of earthly existence lies not, as we have grown used to thinking, in prospering but in the development of the soul.”

The Lord wants you to develop your soul by seeking His peace in every situation, by seeking His presence every day, by submitting to His word as your absolute authority, and by saturating your life with His grace.

Application Questions

1. Do you have any relationships where you need to seek peace? How can you begin that process this week?
2. Discuss: Should the Lord’s presence be something we feel, or a matter that we count on by faith?
3. Does God give prophetic revelation to people today? If so, is it authoritative, like Scripture? Support your answer biblically.
4. Where is the balance between being gracious people and yet confronting people with their sin?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2017, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

Do everything without complaining or arguing, 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 I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:14-18)

Why should Christians do everything without complaining or arguing?

Paul in the previous text called for the Philippian church to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (v.12). Here he calls for them to continue the work of conforming to the image of Christ through doing everything without complaining and arguing (cf. Phil 2:6-11). This was especially important because situations in the church were threatening to stagnate or even destroy their spiritual life. They were experiencing persecution for the faith (1:28). False teachers were present in the church (3:2), and there was a division between two women in the congregation (4:2). Many threats to the spiritual growth of this congregation existed, and he calls for them to work out their salvation to completion by not “complaining or arguing” (v. 14).

This is very important for us to hear. We live in a world and society that is prone to complaining. In companies, the employees complain about their bosses and one another. In homes, husbands complain about their wives. Wives complain about their husbands. Children complain about their siblings and their parents. In churches, the members of the congregation complain about one another and the pastor. The pastor complains about the congregants. We live in a world full of complaining and arguing.

This tendency began at the Fall. Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve never complained about anything. They didn’t complain about God putting a tree in the garden that they were forbidden to eat. They didn’t complain about not having any clothes on. Nor did they complain about the command to only eat vegetables. One of Satan’s first temptations was to get Adam and Eve discontent with God’s plan for them. He says, “Is it true that you cannot eat of every tree in the garden?” He tries to make God’s plan for them feel restrictive and domineering. He then tries to make them feel that God is trying to keep them from the best. He said, “God knows that when you eat of this tree you will be like God.” Satan’s overall temptation was to get them to not trust God and to become discontent with what they already had.

Isn’t that the state of the world today? We are discontent about everything. We are discontent about our job, our home, our TV, our phone, our family, our church, etc. For some people it is hard to find anything that they are content with. In fact, right when Adam sinned we see the tendency of man’s new sin nature to complain. He says to God, “The woman you gave me, gave me the food and I did eat.” When God asked him if he had eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge, he didn’t respond with, “Yes.” He responded by blaming God and the woman for his failure. The woman then blamed the serpent.

What we now see in the world is a tendency to complain. As a veteran of the U.S. military, I can say that the military is probably the place where I have experienced the most complaining. While I was on active duty and now as a reservist, it seems to be part of the culture. We all complained about the military, and this complaining bonded us together. We had a common animosity. I would say the church is at times not too far behind the military. We complain about the worship, the sermon, the seating, the lighting, the offering, the leadership, the members, and anything else we can complain about. Paul realized this tendency was in the Philippians, and Christians overall, and therefore, he challenged them to do “everything without complaining and arguing.” He didn’t say “some things” but “everything.”

Is this realistic? Why should we do “everything” without complaining? In this text Paul teaches us why we should do everything without complaining. His hope was to motivate Christians to live in a manner that would properly reflect our relationship both to God and the world.

Big Question: Why should Christians do “everything without complaining or arguing” according to Philippians 2:14-18?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Obey God

Do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14)

Again, Paul says that Christians should do everything without complaining and arguing. “Complaining” can also be translated “grumbling.” “‘Grumbling’ (goggusmon) is an onomatopoeic word that sounds like what it means similar to words such as: buzz, boom, meow, or murmur.”¹ It “describes the low, threatening, discontented muttering of a mob who distrust their leaders and are on the verge of an uprising.”² It is a verbal expression of one’s dissatisfaction with circumstances.

The word “arguing” in the Greek is the word “dialogismos” which is where we get the English word “dialogue”.³ It describes both one’s inner reasoning as we argue in our minds and one’s outer reasoning with our mouths. When we are discontent, we argue both in our minds and with our mouths—with ourselves, other people, and with God. Paul says this is one of the things we must get rid of as we work out our salvation.

The classic story on complaining and arguing is seen in Israel’s wilderness wanderings. When God delivered them from slavery in Egypt and they went into the wilderness, they complained about a lack of water (Ex 15) and a lack of food (Ex 16). In Numbers 11 they complained about their trials in the wilderness, and how they wanted meat. And throughout their time in the wilderness, they complained against Moses and God. Because of their complaining, God judged them and many died. Paul said this about Israel’s experience in 1 Corinthians 10:9-11:

We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Paul said God killed them because of their grumbling through a destroying angel. In Numbers 11 God brought a fire and a severe plague in the camp that wiped out many of them. I don’t think many of us have truly meditated on Israel’s wilderness experiences. Think about this, they wandered in the wilderness without water for three days, and when they found some, it was bitter (Ex 15:22-23). For us, we are accustomed to having a drink anytime we want, just as the Israelites were in Egypt. It would be very hard for us to not complain when lacking fluids. Then God gave them manna from heaven for food, but the problem was that was all they ate for days at a time. What if they didn’t like the taste or the texture of it? Wouldn’t it be normal to complain and even acceptable? Plus, even if they liked the taste or the texture, they still ate the same food every day. Who wouldn’t complain? “Come on, God, isn’t your anger and punishment a little unreasonable—to kill them? Father, that just seems like a little too much.” And, also let us consider the fact that they wanted some meat (Num 11:4). I complain all the time while living here in Korea because many meals have no meat or very little meat. To me a meal without meat is not a meal. It is a snack. I want a meal. I figure that if I was in the wilderness with them, I would have complained alongside them.

One of the things we learn from Israel’s wilderness wanderings is that complaining is incompatible with our salvation. They were saved from slavery in Egypt and God deemed it unreasonable for them to complain after such a large display of grace. However, we have received much more grace. We have been delivered from slavery to sin, the world, and the devil. We have been given eternal life and the status of children of God. How much more is our complaining a sin in the sight of God? Therefore, God calls us to work out the completion of our salvation without complaining and arguing.

We must understand that complaining is not a little sin; it is a big sin. The writer of Hebrews said this about bitterness, which again was possibly an allusion to the wilderness wanderings of Israel: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness and complaining is contagious. Not only does it blind us to all the ways God has graced us, but it also spreads to others. It spreads throughout a family, an organization, and a church—limiting and sometimes destroying spiritual growth.

Let us remember the time Israel was at the border of the promised land, and how they sent ten spies to survey the land. Two of them came back with a positive report of God’s faithfulness and how good the land was; while eight of them complained about the giants and the impossibility of taking the land. They then complained about God and Moses and convinced the Israelites not to go into the land (Numbers 13-14). “This task is too great!” they said. This root of bitterness coming from only eight Israelites defiled the whole nation and led to God’s judgment. The Israelites were judged by God and called to wander in the wilderness for forty years while everybody over twenty died for their rebellion.

Many people in the church are in a wandering experience in their spiritual life. They are not progressing; they are not going anywhere. And the reason is because there is a bitter root destroying their harvest and inviting the chastisement of God on their lives. It also might be bringing God’s chastisement on others’ lives as well. Maybe this bitterness is an anger against somebody that harmed them. Maybe it’s simply discontentment with their circumstances or lack of trust in God’s goodness. Whatever it may be, it must be known that this complaining spirit is a very dangerous sin that brings God’s discipline.

Personally, the gravity of this makes me very strict as a parent. My baby daughter is at an age where she likes to throw tantrums and fall on the ground when she doesn’t get her way or simply because she doesn’t like her circumstances. Because of God’s anger about this in Scripture, this is very serious to me. Some parents think tantrums are cute, but it is a very dangerous sin that if not remedied will carry on into adulthood and invite the chastening of God. By training my daughter, I realize that this could save her life—the Israelites died because of their complaining spirit. If I allow her to continue this practice, she will not only complain about us—her parents—she will complain about her teachers, her boss, her husband, and ultimately God, potentially leading to severe discipline.

Some Christians, because of a tendency to complain, are constantly under God’s discipline. God, like a loving parent, is seeking to turn them away from their petty tantrums and their distrust of him. Complaining is like telling God he doesn’t know what’s best and that he doesn’t care. It is an affront to God. Therefore, Christians must forsake complaining and arguing because it is forbidden by God.

Interpretation Question: How can we get rid of this complaining disposition?

1. We get rid of a complaining disposition by learning to trust God more.

Solomon said this: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov 3:5). The reason we complain and argue essentially is because we don’t trust God with our circumstances. We don’t trust that he is working all things out for our good (Rom 8:28). Some of us like Adam and Eve doubt God’s essential nature—his goodness (Psalm 135:3). The Lord is good and everything that is good comes from him (James 1:17). He is how we define good, and therefore, to complain is to challenge his nature—his goodness. When we trust that we have an all wise God working all things out for our good, then this trust will deliver us from complaining—complaining about God and others.

2. We get rid of a complaining disposition by acknowledging God’s sovereignty in all situations.

Ephesians 1:11 says God works “all things” according to the counsel of his will. Scripture teaches that God is in control of everything. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” God controls the heart of man like a person moving around water in his hand. He is sovereign.

We should recognize that the sovereignty of God is a difficult and controversial doctrine and for that reason many don’t like it. However, let it be known that this doctrine is crucial for us to “do everything without complaining and arguing,” and therefore, it is an essential doctrine for our holiness. It is also an essential doctrine for prayer. If God isn’t in control of everything, why pray? It is the backbone of a deep prayer life. If we don’t see God is in control of everything, then we will not pray as we ought.

In order to not complain we must not only trust in God’s goodness but also acknowledge God’s sovereignty. Only a person who is fully trustworthy and good is worthy to be sovereign over the affairs of all things. I may not understand why tragedies happen in the world, but I can have peace because my God is all together good, trustworthy, and sovereign over all situations.

3. We get rid of a complaining disposition by learning contentment with God’s provisions.

First Timothy 6:6-8 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

He says if we have food and clothing we should be content. The word “clothing” just means covering so it could refer to clothes and shelter. We live in a society that teaches us to not be content. Every commercial says, “You need this!” “You need that!”  Therefore, we live in a society not content with anything. We get a new phone that we are all excited about until the newer version comes out. Then we are back to being discontent. This society works off discontentment.

One of the disciplines we must develop is to be content with whatever God has provided even if it is only basic food and covering. This is a discipline Paul challenges Christians to grow in (1 Tim 6:6-8). This is exactly what God promises to provide us with in Scripture. He promises to meet our needs—to give us our daily bread. He doesn’t promise riches, wealth, and health on this earth in contrast with the “prosperity gospel.” Christ told his disciples that God would meet their needs for clothing and food as they sought first the kingdom of heaven (Matt 6:33). We see Paul himself had learned this reality in Philippians 4:11-13. He said he had learned to be content in every circumstance whether in prosperity or lack because of God’s strength working in him.

How do we learn contentment? We learn it by finding our fullness and satisfaction in God. We should ask ourselves these questions, “Is God really enough? Is he really all I need? Will I be satisfied with just him? Do I really need all the clothes, the shoes, the entertainment, the electronics, etc.? Can I be content with just him?” The writers of Hebrews says this: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

How can we be free from the love of things which is a common cause of discontentment? We can be free by believing God will never leave us nor forsake us. We can be content with what we have because we have God. Christians should be radically different than the rest of the world because they already have everything. They have everything in their relationship with God.

When you are not content with God and his provisions, it is then that you will be tempted to fall into all types of sin including complaining and arguing. Like Adam and Eve, you will spend your time looking at the one thing you don’t have or don’t like instead of the many blessings given to you by God. Trusting God, acknowledging his sovereignty in all things, and practicing contentment will help us to not complain and grumble.

Application Question: What are some areas that you are often tempted to argue and complain about? How would you rate yourself 1-10 on complaining and arguing?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Grow in Godliness

…so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault (Philippians 2:15a)

Paul gives further reasons for us to not argue and complain. In the next phrase, he gives the purpose clause “so that.” Paul says do not argue and complain “so that” or “in order that” you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault.

What does Paul mean by becoming children of God? We are already children of God when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and are born again. He simply means that we will manifest that we are children of God. What we are in position, we must become in practice. Children by nature bear the characteristics of their parents, and they are identified by these characteristics. People look at my daughter and immediately say, “She looks just like Greg.” She has many of my features. In the same way, we should both by nature and practice look like our Father in heaven. Paul said this, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Eph 5:1). We, therefore, demonstrate the character of the Father when we live without complaining and arguing—we grow in godliness.

Observation Question: How do children of God grow in godliness according to Philippians 2:15?

Paul seems to be giving descriptors of children of God who are growing in godliness by not complaining and arguing. We will look at the descriptors Paul gives.

1, Christians grow in godliness by becoming blameless.

The word “blameless” does not mean perfection, but it does mean that a person is practicing holiness. It means that no charge can be sustained against a person. It is very similar to what we saw in the life of Daniel. Daniel 6:4-5 says this:

At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

While in Babylon, Daniel demonstrated that he was a child of God. The administrators had nothing to accuse him of other than his faith in God—the character of his Father. It should be the same with us.

We see this blamelessness in Paul as well. He said he would not eat meat nor drink wine if it caused another to stumble (Rom 14:21). He was willing to give up even things that were not sin in order to not cause others to stumble. This is a blameless life—a person seeking to live above accusation not only with sinful things but even with things that are his or her right.

Again, this has particular reference to not complaining and arguing. A person who is a complainer or an arguer will often be worthy of blame or accusation. They cause conflict and division and promote murmuring. This should not be the character of a child of God.

2. Christians grow in godliness by developing purity.

The word “pure” means unmixed. “The term was used to describe pure wine that was unmixed with water and pure metal that was not alloyed. The believer’s life is to be absolutely pure, unmixed with sin and evil.”⁴ Paul said in Romans 16:9, “I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent [pure] about what is evil.” Not only must we seek to be free of wrongful actions but we must seek to have right hearts before God. We must keep them from becoming mixed. Jesus said this in Matthew 15:18-19:

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

God always looks at the heart, and therefore, we must practice being pure in our hearts and our minds. Again, this especially has reference to doing all things without complaining and arguing. Some of us may not complain outwardly, but we are bitter inwardly. God is always looking at the heart to see if it is pure—unmixed with sin and evil.

3. Christians grow in godliness by being without fault.

“Without fault” can be translated “without blemish, spot or defect.” “This is a word that is taken from the Old Testament sacrifices made to God.”⁵ The concept behind this is that the believer is to live and walk as a sacrifice to God by keeping himself from divisive behavior such as complaining and arguing. Romans 12:1 similarly teaches that believers must seek to live as acceptable sacrifices to God. It says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

The implication that Paul gives is that complaining and arguing is a practice that blemishes our offerings before God and makes them unacceptable. In describing public worship in 1 Timothy 2:8, he said that he desired “men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.”  When men led the congregation in prayer, it had to be done “without anger and disputing.” Anger and disputing would corrupt the offering. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:23-24:

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

If you have an offering to give God (prayer, worship, tithe, etc.) but you realize somebody has something against you, Jesus said first go make that right. Again, the implication is that the offering will not be accepted by God if we are living in discord with others. In order to grow in godliness, we must make sure our offerings are without blemish by being free of complaining and arguing. We must seek to be acceptable to the Lord in all we give him, and by doing this, we manifest ourselves as children of God—we grow in godliness.

Christians must seek to be without blame—having no fault in them that others can point to. They must seek to be pure in their motives and actions. Finally, they must seek to be without fault and blemish as acceptable sacrifices to God. And, all these things are done so that they can grow spiritually—manifesting themselves as “children of God.” Complaining and arguing hinders spiritual growth.

Application Question: In what ways is God calling you specifically to grow in godliness by being blameless, pure, and without fault? What practical steps is he calling you to take?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Witnesses to Unbelievers

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 (Philippians 2:15b-16)

The next reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is our witness to unbelievers. He pictures the world as a dark place and believers as stars in the universe. The word “crooked” is an interesting word in the Greek. John MacArthur said this about the word:

Crooked is from skolios, referring to what is bent, curved, or twisted. The medical condition scoliosis involves an abnormal curvature and misalignment of the spine. The term was used metaphorically of anything that deviates from a standard or norm, and in Scripture, it is often used of things that are morally or spiritually corrupt.

This world is twisted—it deviates away from God’s original plan. Paul also says the world is “depraved” meaning “corrupt and wicked.” This world is a dark place primarily because they refuse to acknowledge God. Romans 1:28 says this:

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. 

The world is a dark place filled with every kind of evil because they choose to not acknowledge God. This leads them not only into complaining but into all kinds of perverse sin: idolatry, sexual immorality, homosexuality, disobedience to authorities, murder, and the approval of all these things (cf. Romans 1:28-32).

However, because believers have a relationship with God, they should shine as stars. The word “stars” can also be translated “lights” as in the ESV. We don’t shine because we are light in ourselves, but because we reflect the light of God. In practice, we are more like the moon than stars, as it radiates the sun’s light off its surface. Throughout history people have always recognized that there was something special about the moon. On its own it is just a big pile of rock and dust, but when it is in just the right spot, the sun shines on it and the moon radiates. All of a sudden in the radiance of the moon, people stand in awe, take pictures to remember the moment, and some even fall in love. In one sense, the moon is no different than us. There is nothing special about us on our own. We are just a big ball of dust, but in the light of Christ, magical things happen—people’s lives are changed, people find strength and encouragement, and people are led to Christ. That is the type of light Christians are to manifest in this crooked and depraved world. They should manifest the light of Christ as they dwell daily in his presence (John 15:5).

As long as we are dwelling in the light of God, we reflect his light and his glory. Paul implies three particular ways that we are lights: (1) by not complaining and arguing (2) by growing in godliness—being blameless, pure, and without fault as previously discussed, (3) and by holding out the word of life. “Holding out the word of life” is probably better translated “holding forth” the word of life which seems to refer to evangelism—the preaching of the gospel. However, the primary way we shine as lights to the world in the context is by not complaining and arguing which leads to all the other characteristics.

As Christians live a lifestyle of light, they draw people to Christ. People should look at believers and see a stark difference. This light will either push them away or draw them closer so they can learn about Christ—the reason for this light (cf. John 3:19-21). Again, the primary way we live as lights is by not complaining. When we practice complaining and arguing, we look more like a child of this world.

Scripture actually describes the world as not being “thankful.” Paul said this in Romans 1:21: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Paul describes the world as those who knew God but refused to glorify or give thanks to him. By denying the knowledge of God, the world has become a thankless place. They refuse to acknowledge the Giver of all good gifts, and therefore, their hearts become dark.

When Christians are in a work place, a family, or a ministry and they choose to be thankful instead of complainers, they demonstrate that they are children of God and lights in the world. They stand out. Their lifestyle becomes a witness to the world and therefore draws others to Christ.

However, it should be heard that when Christians choose to complain and be thankless like the world, they dim the light of the gospel. They instead look just like the world which is characterized by not glorifying and giving thanks to God.

While Job was suffering and he declared, “The Lord giveth and he taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” he shined like a star in the world (Job 1:21). It pointed those watching him toward faith in God. When Paul was in prison singing worship songs to the Lord in Acts 16, he shined like a star in that prison, and when the jailor accepted Christ, no doubt Paul’s unique, joyful disposition was part of the reason (Acts 16:25-31).

Does how you respond to uncomfortable situations draw people to Christ or does it push people away? Christ said we either gather or scatter (Matt 12:30). There is no in between. One of the reasons we must choose to not complain and argue is for the world—so that they may know Christ.

Application Question: Is unthankfulness a valid descriptor of the world? Why should thankfulness characterize believers?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Honor Our Leaders

in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing (Philippians 2:16)

Surprisingly, the next reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is in order to honor the apostle and his ministry to them. He says “in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” The day of Christ means the second coming of Christ and specifically the day that Christ will reward believers for their works (2 Cor 5:10). It is a picture of Paul’s future happiness at his disciples’ faithfully following Christ. We see him reiterate the prospect of this future joy both to the Philippians and also to the Thessalonians. Look at what he says:

Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! (Philippians 4:1)

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

The word Paul uses for “crown” in both of these texts is not a royal crown for ruling but a wreath given to the winner of an athletic contest. Paul says essentially that his “victory” on the day of Christ—his greatest “reward”—will be seeing that his disciples were faithful. Paul asked them to give him that joy as they worked out their salvation without complaining and arguing.

To some this may seem selfish, but Scripture teaches that those who teach us, especially our elders, will one day give an account for us before God. It also teaches that we should obey them so their work will be a joy and not a pain. The writer of Hebrews says this: 

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)

In this text, the writer’s primary incentive given for the Hebrew believers’ obedience was their leader’s “joy.” For many pastors and leaders their work is not a joy, in part, because of the constant complaining and arguing of the members of the congregation. The nation of Israel constantly pointed their finger at Moses and complained about his leadership. Even his own family complained against him. Moses became so burdened by the people’s complaints one time, he simply asked God to let him die. Consider what he said:

Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” (Numbers 11:10-15)

The people were receiving manna from heaven, but they decided that they wanted more variety in their diet. They were tired of bread and wanted meat. Therefore, they complained against Moses and against God. Moses finally responded, “Lord, are these my children? Why do I have to care for them? Why me?” One of the reasons we shouldn’t complain is because of our leaders, not only for their joy on the day of Christ but for their joy now.

Scripture commands us to be considerate of our leaders and to bless them. Galatians 6:6 says, “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” We should honor those who feed us and care for us even though they are not perfect. They sin and make mistakes just like everybody else. I think it is their imperfections that should make us honor them even more. They need grace. Paul implies that one of the reasons we should not complain and argue is for our pastors’ joy—so they may boast on the day of Christ.

I can relate to this both as a member of the church and now as a pastor. As member of the church, I look forward to one day meeting with my former Sunday school teachers and pastors who imparted into my life, even just to say, “Thank you.” I also want to encourage them by saying, “I was the apathetic student in your Sunday school class, but one day I got serious about God. Thank you for your labor. Thank you for your prayers.” With that, my other great joy will be those I have labored for and served as a pastor in ministry. Like Paul, I will rejoice to see how they progressed in their spiritual lives. They will be my crown of rejoicing in heaven.

Application Question: Which spiritual leaders have made the greatest impact in your life?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Joyful in Every Circumstance

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:17-18)

Finally, the last reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is in order for us to have joy. Paul says “even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith.” The drink offering was the final part of an offering (Lev 23:18, 37). A person would offer a burnt sacrifice to the Lord and then pour some wine on top of the offering as a sweet smelling savor to the Lord. It was the final act of the offering. Paul here was referring to both his and the Philippians’ suffering for the Lord as a sacrifice (Phil 1:27), and he may be alluding to the possibility of his future death as the drink offering. He essentially says, “Even if this is my final offering to the Lord as I face potential death, I rejoice with you and you should rejoice as well.” He commands them to not complain and argue so that they can have joy in their mutual offering to the Lord.

This is the reality: complaining and arguing not only affects others negatively, but it also affects us. It ruins our own joy. Most Christians are up and down in their spiritual life based on the events that happen. Therefore, their joy is not constant. One cannot have joy if he is constantly complaining and arguing. Paul says that even if the worst thing happens, his potential death, the Philippians should still rejoice.

Paul will command them to rejoice three more times in the letter (Phil 3:2, 4:4). He says in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He wants them to have joy in spite of their suffering and in spite of the difficulties happening in the church (Phil 4:2). But in order to do that, they must stop complaining. It is the same for us, God wants us to learn to have joy even in the worst circumstances, and one of the ways we do this is by choosing not to complain and argue.

Do you realize that complaining steals our God-given joy? Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22); however, it can be lost when we choose to complain and argue. We grieve the Holy Spirit and forfeit the grace that God wants to give us. Paul said this:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29-30)

The implication is that we grieve the Holy Spirit when we let anything unwholesome come out of our mouths—cursing, lying, complaining, and arguing. When we grieve the Spirit, we lose the supernatural joy and peace that we should have in our circumstances. Paul says one of the reasons we must not complain or argue is so that we can have joy. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (8:10). Therefore, to complain and argue can actually weaken and cripple us for God’s work.

Application Question: Is it really possible to have joy in every circumstance? If so, how do we develop this? Does being joyful mean never mourning or being sad?

Conclusion

Arguing and complaining is a characteristic of the world. We live in a world that has rejected God and therefore abides in a state of unthankfulness. Many homes and work environments have a culture of grumbling and complaining. However, for Christians this should not be true. God has called us not only to not complain and argue but to be thankful. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s will is for us to be thankful in every situation.

Why should Christians do “everything” without grumbling and complaining?

1. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Obey God
2. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Grow in Godliness
3. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Witnesses to Unbelievers
4. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Honor Our Leaders
5. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Joyful in Every Circumstance

---

¹ Hughes, R. K. (2007). Philippians: the fellowship of the gospel (p. 99). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

² Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated., p. 51). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

³ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). Philippians (p. 180). Chicago: Moody Press.

⁴ MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). Philippians (p. 182). Chicago: Moody Press.

⁵ Teacher's Outline and Study Bible - Commentary - Teacher's Outline and Study Bible – Philippians: The Teacher's Outline and Study Bible.

In leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide it can be done in various ways. One format for leading a small group is the “study group” model where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

1. Each week the members of the study group will read through a select chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
2. Prior to each meeting, a different member can be selected to lead the group, and share question 1 of the reflection questions, which is to give a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop their gift of teaching. It also will make them study harder during the week. Or the other option is that each week the same person could share the summary.
3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week will facilitate discussions through the rest of the reflection questions and also ask select application questions from the chapter.
4. After discussion, the group will share prayer requests and pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is the fact that the members will be required to prepare their responses before the meeting, which will allow for easier discussion. In addition, each member will be given the opportunity to teach which will further equip their ministry skills. The study group model has distinct advantages.

April 2, 2017

Since I plan to spend the next few weeks preaching on what the Bible says about the church, it’s important that we begin by making sure we’re all on the same page regarding the question: What is the church? The answer is not as simple as you may think!

If you were to ask people on the street, “What is the church?” you’d probably hear, “It’s that building on the corner of Beaver and Benton Streets.” Sometimes we use the word in that way: “I go to the old stone church that is next to NiMarco’s Pizza on South Beaver Street.” But we all know (or should know) that the church is not a building, but rather the people who meet in that building. The building may look like a typical church, with a steeple and a cross on top. Or, it may be an industrial building remodeled into an auditorium and classrooms. In many countries, churches meet in houses, as the early church did. So buildings are not the church. Rather, it’s the people who are the church.

But, even if we all agree that the church is the people, we still need to clarify what the church really is, or at least, what it’s supposed to be. Some might think that the church is the place where you go to meet other nice people. Hopefully, the church generally has a crowd that’s a notch above the local bar! So the church meets a social need.

Others might go to church in the hopes that if they attend church, God will help their lives go better. He will help their businesses. He will bless their families. Some guys go to church because it makes their wives happier. As long as his buddies aren’t doing something more interesting, he’ll tag along to please his wife.

Among those who claim to be born again, the prevailing American view is that you attend church to worship God and get spiritual nourishment. It’s a lot like going to the theater, but with a spiritual focus. When you go to the theater, you sit and watch the show that the film makers and actors have put together for your enjoyment. You may see a few of your friends in the lobby before or after the show and stop to chat. But that’s about the extent of your involvement. You’re a religious consumer and the church provides religious goods. So you attend the church that provides what best meets your and your family’s needs.

Over thirty years ago, I wrote an article titled, “The Best Show in Town?” (You can read it on our church website.) I critiqued the way that many pastors cater to this consumer mindset by trying to put on “the best show in town” every Sunday. The goal is to attract more and more people to attend your “show” so that the offerings increase and you can hire more staff to make the show even more attractive to potential customers. So pastors and their staff members rack their brains and comb through ministry magazines for new ideas on how to get more people to come to your “show.” The church with the most people wins.

The result of this approach is mega-churches with parking lot attendants, a coffee bar that rivals Starbucks, professional “worship” teams that perform with concert level quality, short sermons that speak to the felt needs of the “customers,” and facilities offering midweek exercise programs, along with free babysitting.

But even with all these amenities, many millennial Christians would rather just stay home in their pajamas, sip gourmet coffee, and maybe catch their favorite preacher online. They think, “Why do I need the church? The church is out of touch with where I’m at. It’s full of judgmental old people who are obviously uncomfortable with my tattoos and body piercings. I’d rather just stay home and surf the web for spiritual input or meet with my friends and talk about subjects that concern us.” They don’t see any point in being committed to a local church.

One of my aims in this series is to change your understanding of the church from the prevalent consumer mindset to a biblical view so that you will commit yourself to a local church that, although imperfect, is seeking to be what the Bible prescribes. In this message, my main point is that …

To be committed properly to the local church, you must understand biblically what the church is.

I’ll offer biblical definitions of the local and universal church and then cover a few of the biblical metaphors used of the church.

1. Biblical definitions of the local and universal church:

A. The local church is a gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who are committed to meet regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer, and who help make disciples of all people.

There are simpler definitions, but in my opinion, they either are not comprehensive enough or they miss the mark in other ways. For example, Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology [Zondervan], p. 853, italics his) gives a succinct definition: “The church is the community of all true believers for all time.” While that definition recognizes that the Greek word, ecclesia (literally, “assembly,” but usually translated “church”) is used of God’s people in the Old Testament, it fails to recognize the distinct nature of the church as beginning on the Day of Pentecost, consisting of all who are under the headship of Jesus Christ, having been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the one body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23).

While I agree that God has always had a community of true believers, we need to understand that there is a distinct difference between the Old Testament people of God and the New Testament church, which is the body of Christ. James Boice (God and History [IVP], p. 63) points out:

… the church has characteristics that cannot rightly be applied to the Old Testament assembly and which therefore set it off as something new. The church (1) is founded on the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) is called into being by the Holy Spirit, and (3) is to contain people of all races who thereby become one new people in the sight of God.

Mack Stiles is on target when he writes (9 Marks online article, “Nine Marks of a Healthy Parachurch Ministry”),

The church is the God-ordained local assembly of believers who have committed themselves to each other. They gather regularly, they teach the Word, celebrate communion and baptism, discipline their members, establish a biblical structure of leadership, they pray and give together. Certainly the church may do more, but it is not less than this.

Going back to my definition, note first that the local church is a gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This means that the church consists of those who meet together because they believe the gospel. Each member believes: I am a sinner who deserves God’s righteous judgment. He sent His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, who is God in human flesh, to pay the penalty of death that I deserve. He promises that all who believe that Jesus died for their sins and was raised from the dead receive forgiveness of all their sins and eternal life as a free gift. Genuine saving faith includes turning from my sins and growing in obedience to the commandments given by Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament. This belief in the gospel is at the core of true local churches.

Also, those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are committed to meet regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer. Acts 2:42 reports of the early church, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Elsewhere, Paul instructs the church (Col. 3:16), “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” These and other similar texts spell out the essential activities of the church when we gather each Lord’s Day.

Also, from my definition: The local church is a gathering of those … who help make disciples of all people. This is the Great Commission that the Lord gave us (Matt. 28:19-20a): “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” This command was not just for the apostles or for missionaries who are called to go to foreign cultures. Every Christian should be involved in the process of making disciples (obedient followers of Jesus), whether locally or globally. This includes sharing the gospel with those outside of Christ, helping other believers grow in Christ, and being informed and committed to the cause of Christ worldwide.

Also, it’s important to note that the Bible never uses the word “church” to refer to the building where God’s people met, but almost always to the cities where they met: The church in Jerusalem, Philippi, Corinth, Rome, etc. In many cases, there were probably too many believers to gather in one location each Sunday, so they met in numerous houses throughout the city. Probably each house church had at least one pastor or elder who was responsible for shepherding, oversight, and teaching that flock.

But the church in a city was viewed as one local church, governed by a plurality of elders. Watchman Nee put it (The Normal Christian Church Life [International Students Press], p. 59), “A local church is a church which comprises all the children of God in a given locality.” To be honest, with all of the many Protestant denominations in every city, I don’t know how to recover this as a reality. But the overall point is, the local church is a gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, under His lordship, and committed to one another to help fulfill His saving purposes.

B. The universal church consists of all believers worldwide whom Christ has saved from the Day of Pentecost until He returns.

After describing God’s people at Mount Sinai (Heb. 12:18-21), the author of Hebrews (12:22-24) draws this contrast:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

The author was trying to impress on these Jewish believers in Christ, who were tempted to return to Judaism, the superiority of the church over the Old Covenant people of God. We are a part of this great company of all people everywhere who have believed in Jesus and His shed blood. While in one sense that includes Old Testament believers, who looked forward to Christ, in another sense there is a contrast between them and us, in that we are actually members of His worldwide body, the church.

You have no doubt had the same experience that I have had, where you have met someone from another country who is very different culturally than you are. They may only speak broken English. But when you discover that he or she is a believer in Jesus Christ, there is an instant bond of fellowship. Although you both normally meet with believers in very different places around the globe and your church meetings may look very different, you both are members of the one universal body of Christ.

To further help understand what the church is, let’s look at a few biblical metaphors for the church. There are dozens in the New Testament, but I pared it down to seven. Even at that, I can only comment very briefly:

2. There are many biblical metaphors that help us understand what the church is.

A. The church is the body of Christ, the head.

This is perhaps the most familiar description of the church. Paul uses it extensively in 1 Corinthians 12 to make the point that all believers are members of the one body of Christ. He states (1 Cor. 12:13): “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” He doesn’t mention in that chapter that Christ is the head of the body because his aim is to emphasize both the unity and diversity of the church. Just as in a human body there are many members but each has a different function, so in the body of Christ. Each member has a spiritual gift to be used for the overall good of the body. We’re different, yet we’re one body.

Going along with the point that the church is Christ’s body is the truth that Christ and the church make up the “one new man.” Adam, the first man, fell into sin. But what Adam (“the old man”) lost, Christ (“the new man”), recovered. While most modern translations convey an individual sense to the “new man” (NASB, ESV, NIV = “new self”), Paul’s point is that the new man is corporate: Christ and the church (Col. 3:9-11):

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self [man] with its evil practices, and have put on the new self [man] who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Paul also states that Christ is the head of His body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23): “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Among many practical applications is that each member of Christ’s body must be in submission to Him as the head and in a complementary relationship with other members of the body.

Also, the most important characteristic of bodies is that they are living. While bodies are highly organized, the organization is useless if there is no life. The church is the organic, living body of Christ. Its members must be alive spiritually through the new birth.

B. The church is the bride of Christ.

Paul presents this image in his discussion of the respective roles of husbands and wives (Eph. 5:22-33). Lest we think that he is limiting his discussion to marriage, he states (Eph. 5:32): “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” The apostle John presents the same imagery (Rev. 19:7-8; 21:2, 9; & 22:17): the church is the bride, the wife of the Lamb. The main application is that we are to relate to Christ in love, as a bride relates to her husband, and that we are to thrive in the knowledge that He loves us and chose us to be His bride.

C. The church is the family (or household) of God.

In Ephesians 2:19, Paul states, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.” (See, also, Gal. 6:10; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 4:17). The family imagery is also seen in the many places where God is called our Father and we are called brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are God’s children through the new birth (John 1:12-13; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:1-2) and also through adoption (Rom. 8:15, 23; Eph. 1:5).

In addition to assuring us of God’s fatherly love and care for us, this truth affects our mindset toward the church. If the church is a Sunday program that you attend, then you go for what you can get out of it. But if the church is the family of God, then you’re a member with your brothers and sisters. Families gather for fundamentally different reasons than audiences do. Families get together for relationships because of the common family bond. Family members don’t threaten to go join another family if there are conflicts or if the family gatherings aren’t meeting their needs. The family bond keeps them together so that they work out their differences in love. Or at least that’s what should happen in Christian families and in the family of God!

D. The church is the temple of God.

Referring to the church, Paul writes (Eph. 2:21-22): “in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” In one sense, a believer’s body is individually a temple of God, but in another sense, the entire church is God’s temple (1 Cor. 6:19; 3: 16-17). This means that He dwells in our midst and thus we must be holy in all our behavior.

E. The church is the flock of God.

Paul challenges the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:28): “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Peter commands the elders (1 Pet. 5:2), “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness.” This means that the church belongs to the Lord, not to any pastor or elder, and that church leaders are shepherds, responsible to the Lord to care for His flock.

F. The church is the pillar and support of the truth.

1 Tim. 3:15: “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” Paul mentions the metaphor of the church as the household of the living God, but then adds that the church upholds and supports the truth. In this day of widespread departure from the truth of God’s word, the church must stand firm in proclaiming and practicing the truth. A main task of elders is that they must hold “fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).

G. The church is the kingdom of God.

The relationship between the church and God’s kingdom is complicated, and many books have been written on it (George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom [Eerdmans], is helpful). In Colossians 1:13-14, Paul writes, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul states his aim, “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (See, also, Acts 8:12; 19:8; 28:23; 1 Cor. 4:20; Rom. 14:17). God’s kingdom has broken into the world through the church, but it awaits a completed form when Christ returns and rules over all the earth (What is the Mission of the Church? Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert [Crossway], p. 117).

The practical application for us is that in the church we live under the rule of Jesus Christ, our King. We serve His purposes. We proclaim His rightful lordship to others, seeking to bring them into submission to His rule. We do not make up our own ideas about what the church should be, but rather submit to the teaching that he has given us in His word.

Conclusion

The main thing that I want you to see in this message is that the church is not a place you attend for spiritual input two or three times a month if you don’t have anything better to do. We’re not here to provide the best show in town for your spiritual enjoyment. If you’ve trusted in Christ, you’re organically joined to other members, so that you’re one body with them under the Head. You’re a member of the family of God, related to other family members, with a God-given ministry to fulfill.

The idea that a Christian could live his or her independent spiritual life separate from the life of a local church is foreign to the New Testament. God wants every part of the body to work together, causing “the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16).

Application Questions

1. How would you define “the church”? How is the New Testament church different than God’s people in the Old Testament?
2. Think about and discuss some other applications for the various New Testament metaphors of the church. Which ones do you need most to apply?
3. Discuss the implications of this statement: Families gather for fundamentally different reasons than audiences do.
4. How can we change the common mindset of Christians so that they change from being spiritual consumers to serving members of the body of Christ?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2017, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation