Shining Like a Light in the Dark

This is the last in a series on Philippians 2. You can read previous posts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.


"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, 'children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation.' Then you will shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life." (Philippians 2:14-16)

These verses seem fairly straightforward. It's clear, but not so easy to live out. These verses go against our natural way of living.

Complaining and arguing are defaults for many of us most of the time. We easily see the negative in things. It's easy to join in on the conversations that focus on everything that's wrong with our lives and the world around us.

But Paul is saying that we should be doing everything without complaining or arguing. That's quite the task. Instead of seeing the negative and talking only about it, we need to be looking for the good in things - in everything.

The good news is that we don't have to try to live like this on our own. God in us gives us the strength to do everything without complaining and arguing. As the verses just before this one remind us, "it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to His good purpose." (vs. 13). It is God in us Who enables us to do everything without complaining or arguing.

As we continue to live the way God calls us to, we become blameless and pure. It's about the process of moving in this direction, not a one time thing.

We learn to live this way and we become lights shining in a dark world. Lights that point people to God. We hold onto God's truth and live out His ways. And as we do so, we become beacons of light in a crooked and depraved generation. Lights that point people toward the truth.

God Working in Us

This is Part 4 in a series on Philippians 2. You can read the previous posts here: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.


"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." (Philippians 2:12-13).

What does Paul mean when he says we should "work out our salvation with fear and trembling"? Why with fear and trembling? Why do we need to work out our salvation?

When we choose to accept the gift God offers us through Jesus Christ, we are saved - our salvation is complete. But, the process of learning to live the way Christ wants us to is just beginning. We are continually being changed to be more like Christ as we follow Him.

We need to take seriously the gift we have been given and seek God. We choose to follow and obey what He has told us. When Paul says we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling, this is what he's talking about. It's about taking seriously living the life that God has asked us to live as His followers.

The good news is that we don't have to do this in our own strength. We have God in us being our strength to live that out. It's not about us trying harder to do it. It's about us allowing God to work in us.

We choose to follow God and take Him seriously. That's our part. Then He becomes the strength we need to live the way He calls us to.

What is True Humility?

This is Part 3 in a series on Philippians 2. You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.


We don't like the word humility. We don't want to talk about it or think about it. But it comes up consistently in Scripture. Because of this, it becomes clear that humility is key in living our lives following Christ's example.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4)

Paul calls his readers to humility in how they treat one another. He then goes on to point to the ultimate example of humility - Jesus Christ - in the verses that come next.

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2:5)

Being willing to give up everything to serve others and love others. Not seeking to make a name or ourselves, but for God. This is what humility really is. Seeking to serve and love others to make God known, not ourselves.

So, what does it look like to follow Jesus' example of humility? How do we live if we are following His example?

Philippians 2:6-8 says,

     "Who, being in very nature God,
          did not consider equality with God
               something to be grasped;
     rather, He made Himself nothing
          by taking the very nature of a servant,
          being made in human likeness.
     And being found in appearance as a man,
          He humbled Himself
          by becoming obedient to death -
              even death on a cross!"

Jesus gave up all the rights and privileged that came with being God's Son and came to earth as a man. He experienced things as we do living on earth. He didn't come as a king expecting to be served. He wasn't born into a family with status. Jesus didn't come expecting the world to do everything He wanted and serve His every need.

Jesus came to serve and love us! He gave up everything He had so that He could purchase us back from the bondage we were in. He came to free us. And that meant coming to serve us.

This is what true humility looks like. Coming to serve and love others at personal cost. It's not about thinking of ourselves as having no value. But it is, as Paul says earlier, about "[valuing] others above ourselves." (vs. 3). We put others first, as we seek to love and serve them.