Sunday, February 21, 2010
NO COMPLAINING
Phil. 2:14
I. Seeing Phil. 2:14 in Context
Last week we took a look at Isaiah 40. We concluded by simply reading verses 12-31. What a God we serve! He is the Almighty and the All-Wise. Who can you possibly compare to Him? There is none like Him. That is the God who says, “Comfort my people.” It is a comfort just to know that the God of Isaiah 40 is our God. He is our Shepherd!
Now let’s come back to Philippians. When we took our little two-week detour, we were at 2:12-13. Let’s read it again as a reminder. Read Phil. 2:12-13, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure."
Now let me ask you a question? What will it be like, as we work out our own salvation? Remember that it is God who works in us! Surely it is going to be exciting, as the Lord blesses us day after day. How exhilarating to watch Him grow the fruit of His Spirit within us -- love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Wow! We are going to be so thrilled that we might just float away into heaven today or tomorrow. Right?
I fear that some of you aren’t with me. Is that not an accurate description of working out your own salvation? You don’t think so? Is God not blessing you every day? Is He not growing the fruit of His Spirit in your life? Well, how about it? Oh, I think I see. God is doing what He says He will do, but you aren’t that excited about it? Is that it? So why aren’t we excited about His glorious work in us? Sometimes our problem is the way God chooses to do it. The working out of our salvation is not a smooth road. As time goes along, we find out that God has deliberately arranged it so that through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom (Acts 14:22).
So let’s try to put it into perspective. God tells us to work out our own salvation, to work out the practical implications of the salvation He has begun in us. He tells us to work out that salvation by bringing it to its completion. With the command we have the promise that He is working in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. The truth of scripture, as well as our experience, soon teaches us that God uses difficulties to accomplish His purpose of conforming us to the image of His Son. Remember, Paul doesn’t say, “Play out your own salvation;” he says, “Work out your own salvation.” If there weren’t obstacles, it wouldn’t be work. In other words, working out our own salvation is not a piece of cake, not a bed of roses, not a life of ease. So with that in mind, does God have a word for us? Indeed, He does. To find it let’s just start in Phil. 2:12 and read Phil. 2:12-14…
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
There it is. “Do all things without murmurings and disputing.” You say, “What things?” Paul has already answered your question. We read it in the context. Work out your own salvation without murmurings and disputing. That is the “all things” he is talking about, because everything that comes into the life of the believer is directly related to working out his own salvation. Work out your own salvation, and in that process do all things without murmurings and disputings.
Now think about it. This little command in verse 14 should be unnecessary. We aren’t stupid people. God wants to make us like His Son. That is His wonderful and glorious goal for our lives. You do want to be like Jesus, don’t you? If you don’t, you have every reason to question whether you have His salvation. Can a man love Jesus and not want to be like Him? We recognize that glory of being made like the Son of God, but we look at ourselves and we also realize that there is a considerable amount of work to be done. Right? So regardless of what God brings into my life, can’t I say, “Father, it’s worth it, no matter what the cost. I have my eyes set on the ultimate goal. As you take me through the hard times, I am simply going to trust that you are doing all things for your glory and for my good.” Can’t we have that attitude? If that is the case, then why this blunt little command, “Do all things without murmurings and disputing”? Surely such words are totally unnecessary for sensible Christians like us.
II. What Are Murmurings and Disputings?
Let’s pause. So you want to know what murmurings and disputing are. The first word refers to muttering, grumbling, griping, complaining. It is an expression of emotional discontent. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this is the word that is used to translate the Hebrew word for the “murmurings” of the Israelites. The second word (disputings) is on a more intellectual level. We get our word “dialogue” from it. It speaks of a debate with God. It refers to questioning and criticism. So Paul indicates that we will be tempted to complain about things and argue with Him about why it has to be this way. It is a case of emotional griping and intellectual debate.
But surely the Spirit of God is not talking to us. Surely there is no way we would be guilty of griping and questioning God’s ways in our lives. Lord, we aren’t complainers, are we? I must confess to you that when He had Paul write this, He had my number. I have actually realized for a couple of years that this is a problem with me, but now this passage is really bringing it home. Now we are all different, aren’t we? For me, the temptation to grumble and question does not come in the big problems of life. When the big crisis comes, I find grace to help in time of need. God gives me grace to weigh what is going on, grasp the eternal perspective, and trust Him. My problem is in the little day-to-day things. Did you know that Walmart didn’t have the generic brand of cinnamon graham crackers for over two weeks. I had to make a decision -- either eat the plain graham crackers or pay an exorbitant price for the cinnamon flavor. (Most of you can guess what I did). I am not proud of the fact that such thoughts run through my mind, but I have to acknowledge that it is the truth. Most people in this world wouldn’t even know what a graham cracker is, but I am spending some of my precious time on earth thinking about what kind I will buy. Ron, as you work out your own salvation, do all things without murmurings and disputing.
So is this a new problem? Apparently it was a problem in Paul’s day, or the Spirit wouldn’t have directed Paul to write it. In reality, this is not a new problem at all. Again, all we have to do is go back to the history of God’s people Israel and we can see the tendency to grumble and debate with God.
One of the things we learn from the history of Israel is this -- their complaining was not really against Moses; it was against God. Who was it that delivered them from bondage in Egypt? Who was it that parted the Red Sea? Who was it that gave them water from the rock? Who was it that sent manna and quail? Who was it that delivered them from their enemies? In every case it was the Lord, and they knew it well. Nevertheless, every time they encountered difficulties, they griped and questioned. While they directed their complaints to Moses, they knew full well that Moses was representing God.
A good example is the situation in Numbers 21. Let’s read it in Num. 21:4-9…
And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Notice that they spoke against God and against Moses. When the fiery serpents bit them and they began to die, they knew exactly who was responsible. When they came to Moses, they acknowledged that they had spoken against the Lord Himself and against Moses (verse 7). They called it sin, for it was indeed sin. What did they ask Moses to do? They begged him to pray to God, that God might take away the serpents. In other words, they realized fully that Moses was only the representative of God. They were dealing with the Lord Himself. They knew that their complaints were against God.
And so it is with us. Whenever we grumble and argue, it may seem to be against people and circumstances, but it is ultimately against God. My graham cracker griping had little to do with Walmart; it was against God, for the He is the Lord of all circumstances. I was voicing my complaint that I was not satisfied with my daily bread. Adam did the same thing way back in the Garden of Eden, when he replied to the Lord, “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:12). Understand that every grumbling and debate is ultimately against the Lord Himself.
On the other hand, it certainly seems that this temptation is unusually powerful in our times. It seems that people in our day and time have a greater tendency to complain than at any time in history. Consider again the little things that people complain about today. And before you conclude that this is only true of other people, don’t forget about my graham crackers. Perhaps some of you have the same tendency. People in our society seem to have an infinite number of things about which to complain. What about traffic? Someone pulls out in front of him, and he complains. The kids are fussy, and she mutters under her breath. The phone rings for the third time during the meal, and he grumbles. Her husband tells her again that she needs to hurry up or they are going to be late, and she responds with a low growl. He looks at her checkbook activity and lets her have a piece of his mind. They rush to make it to the airport only to find that the plane is running two hours late, and they have a griping session. Little Randy breaks another dish, and Mommy can hardly control herself.
It seems that we have a tremendous ability to lose perspective. Perhaps if you get word that you only have 24 hours to live, you might need to give it some serious consideration. But your problem is that you can’t locate your favorite coffee cup! Did we ever stop to consider that most people in the world don’t own a favorite coffee cup? We hear of men in our society who are going through a mid-life crisis because they turned 40 or 45. What if they lived in a country where the average age span didn’t quite make it to 40? We need a bit of perspective, don’t we?
So why is our culture like this? Why do we live in such a grumble and debate world? Perhaps there are lots of reasons, but not the least is the fact that we have become consumed with rights and happiness. To put it bluntly, from the time children are small, they are taught that they have a right to be happy. The ultimate goal is personal happiness. We see more and more of this in the American family. Instead of the family being directed by parents, it tends to be driven by the desires of the children. Parents often ask the kids what time they want to get up in the morning, what they want to eat for meals, what time they would like supper, etc. Many children don’t have to learn to be content with their situation, because they get to choose whatever they want. This change has been accelerated by the move to smaller families. Everything tends to be focused on the individual, on what will make me happy.
We could choose to believe that though this is true of society in general, it doesn’t influence the church. Such a choice would reveal deep deception. All of us are bombarded by this attitude every day. It is all around us; it is in the air we breathe. A good example is how a large segment of the church has adopted a psychological view of human behavior and relationships rather than a biblical one. Christian book stores are full of self-help books that tell us how we need to love ourselves and improve our self-esteem. Why is that? Because that’s what sells. Just take a good look at your life and your choices, and tell me you are not influenced by this happiness-seeking world in which we live. I’m not saying we bow to that pressure, but we are certainly tempted by it.
III. What’s So Bad about Complaining?
So let’s ask this question: What is so bad about murmurings and disputings? Why is Paul so blunt? Why doesn’t he say, “Do most things without much murmuring and disputing”? Is there any real harm in griping about the rising cost of groceries and gasoline? Is it really any big deal go complain about how loud your neighbors play their music? If it wasn’t a big deal, we wouldn’t find this command in the scripture? So what is the big deal?
Let me mention two very serious reasons why we are not to gripe and debate with God. First of all, the scriptures make it clear that God hates this sin. Yes, He hates all sin, but He seems to have a particular distaste for complaining and arguing. All we have to do is go through the history of Israel. We have already looked at Num. 21, where snakes bit the people and many of them died. Why? Because they were complaining against God. Go back to Numbers 13 and 14. Let me refresh your memory. The Israelites came to Kadesh-Barnea. It was time to go in and take the land that God had promised to their forefathers. Instead of saying, “Praise God, the time has finally come, let’s take the land,” they griped and grumbled and refused to go in. We will look at the details a bit later, but for now suffice it to say that God told them they would die in the wilderness and they would never see the land (except for Joshua and Caleb, as well as those under 20 years of age). God kept His promise. He delayed entry into the land for almost 40 years, in order that He might kill off that generation.
At first sight, we might get the idea that the Israelites were just a bunch of rebellious people and that what they did has nothing to do with us. But then we come to I Cor. 10. Let’s read I Cor. 10:1-13…
1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3. And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4. And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
That is what we just talked about. All except Joshua and Caleb were overthrown in the wilderness; they died because of their refusal to go into the land and their murmuring against God.
6. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7.Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Notice that the things Paul is writing here have a definite purpose -- that we should not act like they acted. How did they act? They lusted after evil things. Furthermore, they were guilty of idolatry. This is a specific reference to the golden calf they made while Moses was up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from the Lord.
8. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
Now he speaks of sexual immorality. You can read about it in Numbers 25, where they combined sexual immorality with idolatry. God killed 23,000 of them that day.
9. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
We have already read this story in Numbers 21, were we are told that “much people” died. They tempted the Lord.
10. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
And now we come to the specific sin of murmuring. It is kind of difficult to decide what specific event Paul was talking about. Perhaps he is referring back to Numbers 14, where God killed some men because of murmuring. Or maybe he is referring to the rebellion of Korah and his crowd. Do you remember how God dealt with them by opening up the earth and swallowing them alive? Perhaps the reason Paul doesn’t specify the specific event is because there were so many times that they grumbled against God. He didn’t need to specify one; just take your pick.
Will you also note the company in which we find this murmuring. He has talked about lust, idolatry, sexual immorality, and tempting God. Then he throws murmuring right in there with them. Do you get the idea that this murmuring against God is a very serious sin? We can’t miss that truth. Now verse 11…
11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
The Spirit of God gave us these examples for our admonition. In other words, these are warnings to God’s people of all time. We are susceptible to all these sins, including murmuring against God. And we can rest assured that God hates such grumbling as much as He did centuries ago.
12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
And if you think you are too strong to be overtaken by this sin of grumbling and arguing with God, think again. When you think you are beyond this sin, that is when you are most likely to commit it. When you think you stand, watch out, lest you fall.
13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Good news. When you are tempted to grumble against God and question His dealings with you, understand that you are in good company. You better believe that your brothers and sisters are being tempted to do the same things. But God is faithful. He who bought you with a price will sustain you by His grace. He won’t allow the temptation to be so overpowering that you cannot resist it, as you trust Him, the Almighty of Isaiah 40.
So as you are working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, do all things without murmurings and disputing, realizing that these are very serious sins, sins which God hates and deals with severely. But there is another compelling reason to avoid murmuring and disputing. It is a highly contagious disease that spreads like wildfire. Once it takes hold, it is very hard to get it under control.
Let me give you just one biblical example. Come back to Numbers 13 and 14, where the people of Israel were camped at Kadesh-barnea, poised to go into the Promised Land. You will remember that Moses sent out twelve men to spy out the land, one from each tribe. They were gone for 40 days and found it to be a rich and fertile land. Let’s read their report in Numbers 13:27-33…
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. 33. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Do you see what they are doing? They are murmuring and disputing. God has made it crystal clear that they are to take the land. The spies were not sent into the land in order to determine whether Israel would go in and fight. Nevertheless, they came back grumbling and arguing. They were debating the wisdom of God. They were murmuring against God because He had put them in such terrible circumstances, lining up terrifying enemies against them.
Now that isn’t the end of the story. Now let’s read Numbers 14:1-4…
And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3. And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4. And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Now all the children of Israel murmured against Moses. None of them had been into the land, but they were influenced by the griping and debating of the ten spies. We are talking about over half a million men, plus their wives. Notice that not a single one of them were influenced by Joshua and Caleb (Joshua is included in 14:6). In the verses that follow, Joshua and Caleb pled with the people, but they refused to listen. They had already been infected by that deadly disease “murmuring and disputing.” Only Moses and Aaron stood with the two faithful spies; the rest of the people followed them to their own destruction.
One more time, let’s see what God thinks of gripers and debaters who spread this deadly infection. Let’s read it in Num. 14:36-37, "And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 37. Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD." God killed them on the spot.
Brothers and sisters, we must understand that to grumble against God and question His working in our lives is the symptom of a deep spiritual problem. And what is that problem? It is the failure to trust and submit to the living God. It’s like slapping our Redeemer in the face. Don’t think that our grumbling and complaining is less serious than it was with Israel. It is far more serious, because we have been given greater light. In addition, we have the privilege of looking at their example and being warned not to be like that.
Conclusion
You may say, “Ron, why take so much time on this one little verse?” I have asked myself that question. Wouldn’t it be better to cover more ground, so that we can get through Philippians and on to more of the Bible? There is certainly a time and place for that, but I just sense that we need to camp here this week. This is no small thing.
I want to suggest to us that this is a far greater problem for most of us that we realize. You may not see yourself as a complainer and debater, and yet you may be. I want to challenge you this week to pray Ps. 139:23-24 with respect to Phil. 2:14. “Lord, search me and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there is any murmuring and disputing in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” That’s your assignment.
Now here is the good news. When you find yourself complaining, what do you do? We come directly to the promise of I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins (even our murmuring and disputing), he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” But is there hope that we will do any better, that we will complain less and less? Absolutely, for it is the God of Isaiah 40 who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure, and we can rest assured that griping is not what pleases our Lord.
Let's conclude by reading some passages whose truths will go a long way in choking out of our lives murmurings and disputings...
Phil. 4:4-8… "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Ps. 34:1-3… "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together."
Heb. 13:5-6… “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."
Rom. 8:28-39… "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
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