Truth Today Newsletter: Philippians 2:15

Paul does not want the people just to believe; he wants them to live it out. James wrote something similar.

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So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear. (James 2:17-20)

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?

Paul is encouraging a lifestyle that lines up with the new life, and telling them this is the lifestyle that lines up with the new life. James is coming at the same problem from a different angle; he is saying lifestyle change is not optional.

Paul is encouraging, James is demanding. Paul is appealing, James is drawing a sharp line. Paul is acting like a friend, James like a coach. Paul is appealing to societal reputation, image before society, that you should be different from other people; James is using sharper language, saying you should be different from demons.

Paul is using a carrot, James is using a stick. James words, who is the brother of Jesus is similar to the language that Jesus used in Revelation 2-3, the kind of sharp line in the sand language, that demands urgent change and like a cold water poured on the face of someone sleeping so that you come from being sleepy to being wide awake in an instant without going through the drowsiness phase, while Paul's method is like trying to wake someone from the sleep through gentle tugging.

This was the same Paul who was a violent man (1 Timothy 1:13), but now using gentle words - almost. Make of that what you will. And Paul draws our attention to the difference in the operations of the Holy Spirit in different ministers so that we do not base our judgment on the surface presentation and pit one against the other.

Galatians 2:8: (for he who empowered Peter for his apostleship to the circumcised also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles)

1 Corinthians 12:5: And there are different ministries, but the same Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:6: I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow.

Therefore, a difference of approach does not mean one is wrong and the other is right. Listen to what Jesus said:

Mark 9:40: For whoever is not against us is for us.

Let's notice some of the words that Paul used in the focus verse:

Blameless and pure

Paul puts this phrase there to show how distinct these people are supposed to be from the world. They are not supposed to blend in with the world; they were not supposed to be just a shade different from the world. They were supposed to stand out, and he used a similar language that Jesus used.

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You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

People come to the light because of its difference.

So Paul and Jesus are saying, forget trying to blend into the crowd. You are called to be different, think differently, live differently, be different, and speak differently. And it's not just for one day, one week, or one year, but day in, day out, year in, year out. Understand that.

"Blameless and pure" is not just good advice; it is the divine expectation, it is the fruit that Jesus said when he said "by their fruit we shall know them (Matthew 7:15-20)." Christians are the harvest of the sowing of Jesus, and if you sow Jesus, the blameless and pure one, what we have as the harvest are us Christians, who take on the shape of the pure and blameless one himself.

Children of God without blemish, though you live in a crooked and perverse society,

Paul is setting up as sharp a contrast as possible. He is saying we are children of God, meaning we have His genes in us and are ordained to reflect who He is, but the same is not true of the world around us, and he does not want us to forget that. WE are the children of God. Not everyone. Don't lose sight of that. And Jesus has sent us out as sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16). You are different, is what I am saying.

Paul does not want us to forget that and is encouraging us on the path of distinction, and to tell us that God is not neutral in his thinking about the way the world is. Paul calls it crooked and perverse, similar to the words of Jesus (Matthew 17:17); while you are children of God, acknowledging the grace of god that has been channeled towards you so that we can live to the praise of the glory of God (Ephesians 1:12-14).