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We should do all things without murmurings and reasonings in order that we may become blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish—v. 15:
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Blameless describes our outward behavior, and guileless our inward character; to be guileless is to be simple, artless (not political), or innocent—Matt. 10:16.
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As children of God, we have God's life and nature—John 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:4.
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In the midst of the dark and corrupt world, which is usurped by Satan (1 John 5:19; 2:15-17), our function is to shine as luminaries, holding forth the word of life—Phil. 2:15-16:
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Christ is the sun, with the church as the moon and the believers as the planets to reflect Him by holding forth the word of life.
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To hold forth the word of life is to apply it, to present it, and to offer it to the world by living out Christ—Acts 5:20.
Morning Nourishment
Phil. 2:15-16 That you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world, holding forth the word of life, so that I may have a boast in the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.In Philippians 2:15 Paul continues, “That you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world.” The Greek word rendered “that” means “in order that.” We should do all things without murmurings and reasonings in order that we may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish. The Greek word translated “guileless” also means “simple, artless, innocent; hence, harmless” (cf. Matt. 10:16). It comes from a root which means “unmixed.” The word blameless describes our outward behavior, and the word guileless, our inward character. To be artless means not to play politics. No one who is political can rightly be called guileless. If we are artless, we are also guileless and harmless. (Life-study of Philippians, p. 108)
Today's Reading
In Philippians 2:15 Paul refers to “children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation.” As children of God, we have God's life and nature (2 Pet. 1:4). Being children of God with the divine life and nature, we are luminaries which reflect the light of the sun (Christ). As such, we are without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation. “Without blemish” is the total quality of being blameless and guileless. The Greek word translated “perverted” means “warped or twisted.” There can be no doubt that today's generation is twisted and warped. In this kind of generation we should shine as lights in the world. (Life-study of Philippians, p. 108)[In Philippians 2:15] luminaries reflect the light of the sun. As such luminaries, the believers shine in the world. They do not possess any light in themselves but have a heavenly ability to reflect the light of Christ. Christ is the sun, with the church as the moon and the believers as the planets to reflect Him by holding forth the word of life (v. 16). (Phil. 2:15, footnote 5)
In verse 16 Paul goes on to say, “Holding forth the word of life, so that I may have a boast in the day of Christ that I did not run in vain nor labor in vain.” The Greek word for holding forth also means “applying, presenting, offering.” As God's children, we need to present the word of life to others.
To hold forth Christ is to live out Christ, to express Christ, and to work out our salvation….To work out our salvation is to obey the Triune God who is operating within us both the willing and the working for His good pleasure. Here we have five important, interrelated matters: working out our salvation, obeying God, living Christ, expressing Christ, and holding forth Christ.
As a result of God's operating in us, we spontaneously have a life in which the word of life is held forth to others. To hold forth the word of life is to present it to others, to offer it to them, to apply it to them. If God operates in us and we are filled with the Word, then wherever we are and whatever we say or do, we shall be an expression of the living God. This is to hold forth the word of life. This is also to live Christ.
In verse 16…the Greek word rendered holding forth means to apply, present, offer. To hold forth the word of life is to present it to others and offer it to them, applying it to them in their situation. Wherever we may be, we need to hold forth the word of life; we need to present the word of life to others. What we offer to those around us should not be words of murmuring or reasoning, nor anything related to crookedness or perverseness. We should offer nothing other than the word of life. To hold forth the word of life is identical to living Christ. Whenever we live Christ, we hold forth the word of life. (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 108-109, 390, 415)
Further Reading: Life-study of Philippians, msgs. 44, 47