Final Musings on Gospel Servanthood
Philippians 2:14-18
Working out your salvation entails cultivating by faith in Christ a life of Christ-like humility and maturity. Such Christ-like humility and maturity will enable you to consider others to be more important than yourself so you can put their interests before your own. This is what it means to have in you the mind of Christ. This is the mark of genuine servanthood. It is this Christ-like maturity that fosters real unity in the church and in our relationships as believers. Working out your salvation entails cultivating the mind of Christ, the mindset of one who in love seeks to serve others for the sake of the Gospel and to the glory of God. Now this not only will promote the unity of the church it will also strengthen and advance the witness of the church.
Not only are you to obey the Lord by cultivating the mind of Christ, you also are to obey the Lord in living out what having the mind of Christ means. You are to obey the Lord in all things from this mindset and frame of heart. Such Christ-like humility leads you to obey the Lord in all things without grumbling and complaining.
Why is Paul concerned that you obey in all things without grumbling and complaining? This is a concern because the spirit of true obedience is killed when we grumble and complain as we obey. Paul has in mind the experience of the first generation of Israelites who were delivered from Egyptian bondage. Here they were following the Lord who delivered them from bondage and was bringing them to freedom while murmuring and complaining at the first sign of inconvenience or trouble. Such a carping spirit killed their faith and obedience. You do not possess the mind of Christ when you grumble and complain. This is contrary to the nature of Christ-like humility and maturity.
The second reason that Paul is concerned about the matter of rendering obedience to the Lord with grumbling and complaining is the effect this has on your witness. Grumbling and complaining is the language of the world – of the crooked and twisted generation. Christ-like humility and maturity are demonstrated in speech that is gracious and filled with thanksgiving and praise to God. The reason that Paul admonishes you not to grumble and complain is so that you might present a real overt contrast to the crooked and twisted generation that demonstrates their rebellion to God in speech marked by grumbling and complaining.
If you do all things without grumbling and complaining then in the eyes of the world you will be blameless and innocent. You will be known as children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. This is how Christ was seen by the generation to which he ministered. Not all of them liked this about him. Many hated him because of his humility and holiness. Yet he offered a clear and overt contrast to his generation.
To claim to be a follower of Christ at work, at your school, in your neighborhood or among your peers, yet complain and grumble about perceived hardships, setbacks, mistreatment by others or even inclement weather discredits your claim. It is as you demonstrate Christ-like humility and maturity in your speech and conversation that people will take note of the contrast and will see you as children of God without blemish. This is further described in terms of you shining as lights in the world. This is the substance of your witness. You in your own life, manner, conduct and especially your speech offer a stark yet bright contrast in the midst of the crooked and twisted generation. By doing this you are doing what Jesus taught when he said, “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15).
It is only as you work out your salvation by cultivating the mind of Christ, which includes gracious and God-glorifying speech that you become blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish. Of course in your person there is still much darkness and need for growth but here you are offering a clear contrast to the men and women of this world. In this way your life, which includes your responses, attitudes, behavior and speech means that you shine like lights in the world. Being blameless and innocent, children without blemish parallels shining as lights in the world.
Now it is as you do this that you give support and credence to the message and promises of the word of life, which is the Gospel. It is as you shine as lights in the world due to having the mind of Christ within you that exhibits speech that is gracious and God-honoring that your holding out the word of life becomes effective. If you hold out the word of life without cultivating the mind of Christ including doing all things without grumbling and complaining then your life and speech discredit the Gospel.
Working out your salvation therefore by cultivating genuine Christ-like humility and maturity enhances the unity and witness of the church. Yet the service that you render as you seek to follow Jesus Christ in this way is also likened to a sacrifice of faith. Paul saw the suffering and hardship he endured in order to present all believers as mature or complete in Christ to be a drink offering poured out on the sacrifice and service coming from their faith. In this sense having the mind of Christ and imitating Christ in your behavior will mean that your life and work are to be seen as a sacrifice coming from your faith. It is not meritorious because it comes from your faith in Christ. Nor is it dreary and morbid. Rather Paul encourages you that as you pour out your life in ministering from the mind and heart of Jesus Christ then there is real and lasting joy to be found. So Paul reminds you that working out your salvation by cultivating Christ-like humility and maturity is for the purpose of shining as lights and offering your life as a sacrifice of faith. This is what it means to be a Christ-like servant of others for the glory of God.
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