Outline
E
Murmurings and reasonings both frustrate us from experiencing and enjoying Christ so that He may shine in us and through us for His glory—2:14:
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Murmurings are discontented and secret mutterings and grumblings, including faultfinding, secret debate, displeasure, and complaining; "neither murmur, just as some of them murmured and perished by the destroyer"—1 Cor. 10:10.
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Reasonings are disputes and discussions that carry an undertone of suspicion or doubt; they include questionings and doubting and the drawing of inferences or conclusions—cf. 1 Tim. 1:3-6; 6:3-4; 2 Cor. 11:2-3.
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Rebellious and reviling words come from reasons; a servant of the Lord must be delivered from reasons, being enlightened by the Lord to have a "blessed blindness" to live under Christ's headship in the realm of life under the authority of light and not in the realm of right and wrong under the authority of darkness—Acts 22:10; Col. 1:12-13; Rom. 9:20-21; 11:34; cf. Acts 16:25.
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Man's rebellion is manifested in words, thoughts, and reasons; thoughts and reasons are the strongholds of Satan, God's adversary, within the minds of those who are disobedient to God; through the spiritual warfare, reasonings must be overthrown, and every thought must be taken captive to obey Christ—2 Cor. 10:3-5.
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Every time the Lord commanded His people to do something in Leviticus 18—22, He inserted the words "I am Jehovah" in between the commands; there is not even the word because—"I am Jehovah" is the reason.
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The way to be saved from murmurings and reasonings in order to live Christ and shine out Christ as His luminaries is to stay in contact with Him as our inward motivating power by enjoying Him as the word of life, staying in fellowship with Him in prayer, and living a rejoicing, thanking, and praising life in our wonderful spirit by the Triune God as the wonderful Spirit for the glorious Body of Christ—Phil. 1:19; 2:13; 3:10; 4:13; 2:15; 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:16-20.
Morning Nourishment
Phil. 2:14-15 Do all things without murmurings and reasonings that you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation…Murmurings are out of our emotion, mostly on the part of the sisters; reasonings are out of our mind, mostly on the part of the brothers. Both frustrate us from carrying out our salvation to the fullest extent, from experiencing Christ to the uttermost.
Obedience to God slays all murmurings and reasonings. In order to work out our salvation, we must obey the very God who operates in us. He Himself is our salvation, and our obedience to Him is the working out of our salvation.
Paul’s word in Philippians 2:14 about murmurings and reasonings is a further indication that his purpose in writing [this] book…was not related to doctrine but very much related to experience. Murmurings and reasonings are important factors that frustrate our Christian life…Often in important matters we may not murmur or reason. But in small matters we are prone to murmurings and reasonings. Any kind of murmuring or reasoning is disobedience to the inner working of the Triune God. How we need the Lord to save us from our murmurings and reasonings! (Life-study of Philippians, pp. 105-106)
Today’s Reading
Man’s rebellion is manifested in words, reasons, and thoughts. If a man does not know authority, there will be reviling words…Man speaks because he thinks he has a reason. Ham thought that he had a reason to revile Noah because he was naked. Miriam’s word concerning Moses marrying an Ethiopian woman was a fact; she had a reason. However, those who submit to authority and live under authority do not live in their reasons. Korah’s company and the 250 leaders said that Moses and Aaron should not put themselves above the others because the whole congregation was holy and Jehovah was in their midst. Again, their rebellion had a reason behind it. Reviling words often come from reasons. Dathan and Abiram had even more reasons. They charged that Moses had not brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, that he had not given them the inheritance of fields and vineyards, but rather that they were still in the wilderness. They charged that Moses was just covering up their eyes, saying, “Will you put out the eyes of these men?” (Num. 16:14). This meant that their eyes were very clear. The more they thought, the more reason they had…The more thinking there is, the more reasons are stirred up. In the world everyone lives in reasons. What difference is there between us and the worldly people if we also live in reasons?Are our lives based upon reasons or upon authority?…Once the light comes, all reasons are gone. Once Paul was enlightened on the way to Damascus, he became truly blind. From then on he did not care for reasons (Acts 9:3, 8). Moses’ eyes were not put out, but he was like a man without eyes…A servant of the Lord must be blind. He must be delivered from a life of reasons. Reasoning in the heart is the first cause of rebellion. Hence, if we do not deal thoroughly with reasons, it is impossible to stop the words.
Every time the Lord commanded the Israelites to do something in Leviticus 18—22, He inserted the words, “I am Jehovah,” in between the commands…There need be no other reason. “I am Jehovah” is the reason. If we see this, we will not live by reason from this day on. We have to say to God, “In the past I lived by my thoughts and reasons. Today I bow down and worship You. As long as it is of You, it is enough for me. I will worship You.” When Paul was struck down on the way to Damascus, all reasons vanished from him. Once light shines in, a person falls down. The first word that came out of Paul’s mouth was, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Immediately, he became obedient. Those who know God do not reason. When the light judges, the reason disappears. (CWWN, vol. 47, “Authority and Submission,” pp. 184-185, 189)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 9, issue no. 21; CWWN, vol. 47, “Authority and Submission,” chs. 9—10