Genuine Christianity: Lights in the World

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

(ESV)

The Christmas season has just passed, and I trust everyone had a joyous and merry Christmas.  After New Years Day, it is amazing how quickly the lights come down and everything returns to normal.  Normal for the secular world in which we live unfortunately means a return to the crooked and blemished sins of a fallen world.  However, the call for Christians to be lights in the world is a 24/7 365 day calling and something genuine Christians have a calling to do (Philippians 2:14-15). 

The theme of Philippians 2:12-18 is lights in the world.  The Apostle Paul is in jail and fears the light of Christ that ignited when he established the Church in Philippi would grow dim or go out completely.  Therefore, this passage begins with a call to continued obedience during Paul’s absence.  However, the second portion of Philippians 2:12 calls for believers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.  Disputes over interpretation of this verse have caused many to believe they could lose their salvation if they sin, causing them to live in a constant state of nervousness and anxiety.  (1)  While sin does dim the light of Christ in a person’s life, living in a constant state of anxiety at losing one’s salvation hardly makes one’s light shine brighter. 

It is therefore important in the context of letting the light of Christ shine from our lives to determine what the Apostle Paul means by working out one’s salvation in fear and trembling.  Clarification of meaning comes through returning to the original text.  The Greek word translated fear in Philippians 2:12 also means reverence or respect and the word used in 2 Corinthians 7:15 in describing Titus’ reception by believers in Corinth with fear and trembling.  Titus was not coming to Corinth bringing fear and trembling through retribution making it proper to interpret Philippians 2:12 not to mean fear of retribution but fear of disappointing God through disobedience.  Additional support of this meaning comes from the context of obedience in the first portion of Philippians 2:12. 

Another light dimmer in the life of a believer is grumbling or complaining (Philippians 2:14).  While this includes believers grumbling among themselves, the passage says not to grumble or have disputes in all things.  However, genuine Christianity does not mean absence of disagreements that have the potential to result in grumbling and disputes but the desire to work out these disputes.  The crooked and twisted culture in which a believer lives has more than enough grumbling and disputes making the light of Jesus in one’s life that does not have these light dimmers shine even brighter. 

The Apostle Paul concludes this teaching on being lights in the World with encouraging believers to keep their light shining bright by adherence to biblical principles.  Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12).  Therefore, to keep our spiritual lights shining bright, we must stay close to the source of that light Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the Word become flesh (John 1:14) making the Word of God the fuel feeding the spiritual light that shines in the life of a believer. 

The spark that ignites the light of Christ in a believer is acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior.  While Jesus died for all sinners, we must claim the gift to ignite Jesus' light in our lives.  To claim this gift, please pray with me now and redeem the gift of salvation,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

One of the duties of the Levitical priests was tending the lamps in the temple to keep them lit.  To accomplish this the Israelites were to bring pure olive oil with the High Priest continually tending the lamps to keep them burning (Leviticus 24:1-4).  As with all the Levitical rituals, this symbolized the need in the life of all believers to feed their lives with the Light of God’s Word fueled by the oil of the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  For those that just prayed to accept Jesus as their savior, this means prayer, study of the Bible, and regular attendance at a church teaching the Bible to gain understanding of the Word of God and be with fellow believers.  May this new year be full of God’s peace, joy, and especially His grace. 

1. Got Questions. What does it mean to work out salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)? www.gotquestions.org. [Online] Got Questions. [Cited: December 30, 2018.] https://www.gotquestions.org/fear-and-trembling.html.