[Do everything without grumbling or arguing] so that you may become blameless and pure…
Summary: The road to being Christ-like requires that we travel a path of humility in God’s service.
It is interesting that Paul seems to summarize Christian living with two simple words. His words suggest that by doing everything without grumbling or arguing, we can become “blameless and pure.”
Is that true?
Let me rephrase the question:
If we do everything the Bible tells us to do, and by some miracle we were able to live a completely righteous life, would God consider us righteous if we obeyed perfectly yet grumbled and argued?
The answer is, “No, of course not.”
People who grumble and argue reveal an ugly truth about themselves: they do not approve of the way things are, and they want others to know it.
So, why is this a bad thing?
Do you remember how Paul described the “mindset” of Jesus? (See Philippians 2:5-11) He says Jesus made himself “nothing.” He says Jesus took on the “nature of a servant.” Then, Paul adds that Jesus “humbled himself.”
Even though Jesus is “in very nature God,” he is humble. Even though Jesus is king (Revelation 19:11-16), he makes himself nothing.
If we are to have the same mindset as Jesus, we have to do the same thing. People who make themselves nothing do not put others down. Humble people look for ways to build others up rather than grumble or argue about what they are doing or saying that is “wrong.”
Becoming “blameless and pure” is not an easy task. It means living above reproach with sincere motives, reflecting Christ’s humility. Such a life requires humility before God and man and requires a Christ-like mindset. It also requires that we serve our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
Application: Adopt a Christ-like attitude of humility.
Food for Thought: What else is needed to become blameless and pure?
What else is needed to become blameless and pure?
A God fearing husband who follows Christ.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Well said, Tim.
Putting others before “self” is the key — and happens to be the second greatest commandment, too. (Matthew 22:37-40)
What else is needed to become blameless and pure?
Gods standard of righteousness is beyond our ability to achieve and we of ourselves cannot become blameless or pure.
Isaiah 64:6, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Christ in us is the power to become blameless and pure before God.
Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Romans 8:10, But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness.
Nicely said, Ron!
It is Christ in us!
Thank you for the great devotion. Good comments R2T2. And a good specific example T.
I agree with R2T2 that we need Christ to be seen as blameless and pure before God, because He is the only one who lived a completely blameless and pure life. So we need Him and we need to submit to Him in obedience.
John 14: 23 – 24: Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Of course we also need the indwelling Holy Spirit who produces fruit in us that please God.
Galatians 5: 22- 23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Thank you, Rich!
I love this checklist from Jesus:
“… love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
It is a good test of where we are in our walk with our Lord.
What else is needed to become blameless and pure?
I agree with Ron; the blameless and pure ship has already sailed. Only through Christ are we counted as blameless and pure.
However, as we serve our Lord, we can strive to be blameless and pure before Him in all that we do, not because this justifies us, but because it is He that lives within us:
Psalm 15:1-3
O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
James 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.
Thanks Chris!
It is a cooperative effort, isn’t it?
Through Christ, yes … but we have to want to “do good” as your Isaiah quote points to.