This letter that Paul wrote to the congregation in Philippi is one of confirmation for spiritual maturity. There is little mention of doctrine. Correction is not a concern to his friends in the church that he established himself. In our text Paul is upholding strong spiritual living. He uses a touch of reverse psychology when he said, “that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.” However, he is drawing a distinct line between the dedicated and rebellious in the city. Look with me as we dissect these verses.
Whenever the question arises about our sincere service for Christ, we always seek to glorify God. In the case of this text Paul is making it perfectly clear what a believer must do as part of their conviction. He addresses the question of who we are. First of all, and most important, we are sons (and daughters) of God. We are not involved in some abstract fanaticism. Christianity is not a radical hyper form of human expression trying to reach the divine. We are members of his family. We are in the inside, not the outside of God’s homestead. Anyone who claims to be a Christian, obviously must be without blame, be harmless, and not experiencing rebuke. We have a specific standing with God which makes us an outreach from him to humanity because having Christ means that we are shining as lights in the world.
Being a Christian means that we have a change of attitude. We have discovered what must be avoided to grow spiritually healthy. That means we have an assignment which Paul said is to do all things. What could all things mean? It is not exclusive. It is inclusive. We are to do what must be done for the moment and for the cause of God. We are to do what must be done whether we first recognized it or not. On any particular day there must be a thing that presents itself such as the necessity of witnessing to the resurrection of Christ or, at the same time, provide clothing and food to the needy. Whatever comes what may; what happens to be waiting around the corner for us to address, that is our assignment for the day. However, as we function as Christ’s representative, we must do so without any blame directed toward us from anyone. Standing in Christ’s stead we must be harmless. (Matthew 5:16)
Where we are to do these things is a conscious decision, it is where we have planted our feet at the moment. As witnesses for Christ, we are in the world’s midst. We are in the world, but not of the world. Our energy, our strength, our purpose, and our declarations is in the world; in the middle of the world’s machinery with all its noise and brokenness. As the world twirls about our heads, it does with the gusto of crookedness and perversion. It is without hope while at the same time declares no need for hope. Where this occurs is not in a small corner. The sin of it all has expanded to like that of a nation. Everywhere there is sin! Each person is a citizen of despair. Every kind and any kind of sin is common to most. The world has no use for weak Christians but only those with muscles exercised in the Word. As believers we are not rocking in the boat of moral fluctuation. We are walking on the waters responding to the call of Christ.
Christian Writer 