Tag Archives: arguing

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…ATTITUDE – 8

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“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We must remember that Paul’s counsel to this church was not based on criticism or correction but on his desire to fine-tune their lives in their faith and obedience to Jesus as Lord. As we have already noted, it’s all about attitude.  

“In the Bible, attitude means the inner mindset, spirit, and disposition of the heart that guides a person’s actions and words. Key biblical attitudes include humility, love, and a Christ-like mindset.” Google AI. 

Complaining…murmuring…the subtle undercurrent of discontent. Not loud, or insistent, or vocal…just a quiet disturbance of harmonious, peaceful fellowship. Debate…introducing another subtle opportunity to question…and even to argue about doctrine, about the things they did or did not do or the way they did them. The subtle disagreements could  be as much about doctrine as about the peripheral things that caused them to rub against each other. 

Paul was not accusing these believers. He was cautioning them against allowing these subtly divisive attitudes to creep into their fellowship. They were to shine like pinpricks of light in very dark world full of rot and corruption. Their individual light might be minuscule but very noticeable in a dark environment. 

Any small attitude of darkness, any tiny deviation from the truth in their faith or behaviour would dim or extinguish the light that keeps them on track and points others towards Jesus. 

Once again, Paul makes clear that they are not the source of light but the bearers of the light that is in them. Practical and do-able…

“Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The light within them would expose and reveal…expose the deeds done in darkness and reveal the truth that would shine out of their words and behaviour. 

“Hold firmly to the word of life…”

“The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭130‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, Paul encouraged his beloved Philippian believers to cling to God’s word, the source of the light that was in them…to live by it themselves and to share it with others…because this was the only light that would guide them and others to Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life. 

The obedience and faithfulness of these Christians in Philippi to Jesus and His word was Paul’s only guarantee that his labour was not in vain. Their increasing likeness to Jesus showed him that they were firmly grafted into the true vine and bearing the fruit of that union. 

Attitude itself is not seen but revealed through the words and deeds of those who follow Jesus as much as through those who don’t. Attitude influences and drives the way we function and relate to others.

Attitude could be another way of understanding “spirit”…not a supernatural being in them, controlling them…but a mindset that underlies who they are and the way they live. 

And so with every believer who follows them…

To be continued

THE GOSPEL OF MARK – GREATNESS IS DOWN, NOT UP

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GREATNESS IS DOWN, NOT UP

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:33-37

The disciples had not yet learned to live in the realm of the kingdom of God as Jesus did. They were still very much a part of this world system with its understanding of power as force and control. In complete contrast to the yoke of Jesus, they contended for top political place in a kingdom that already had its hierarchy in place which Jesus had no intention of overthrowing.

By contrast, the kingdom of God drew its power from everything opposite to what they understood. Leadership and greatness flows from servant-hood. Power lies in gentleness and humility and love overcomes fear, light drives out darkness and government begins on the inside, in one’s heart first, by submitting to and embracing the rule of God over one’s life first.

By engaging in the on-going power struggle, the disciples were feeding the old selfish, greedy nature that reflected the darkness still in their own souls. It was obvious that they needed the transformation of the new heart but that experience for them lay beyond the cross and resurrection when they could finally “see” for themselves what God’s reign in the hearts really meant.

Jesus continued, patiently to sow the seed of truth because the Holy Spirit’s role in their hearts was to bring that truth to life in the on-going experiences of their lives. He would remind them of Jesus’ words and open the eyes of their hearts to see what they could not see now. Jesus did not despair of their “getting it “. He continued to lay the foundation of the real yet unseen kingdom in them into which they would finally be catapulted on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would put all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Their lack of understanding meant loss for Jesus at this point. He would have to endure the cross experience without their understanding or support. He knew that but it did not faze Him because He was fully confident of the Holy Spirit’s partnership in the ultimate success of His mission.