The Church - Part 5

Philippians 2v12-16

Following the wonderful song of praise to Jesus Christ in Philippians 2v5-11 that we looked at briefly last week, Paul continues:

Philippians 2v12-13
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.

This is, of course, about our relationship with God, and obedience to Him. But in this series, we're looking at a Christian's attitude to his church, and so I will move on, pausing only to mention that Jesus commands us to love each other. This means, of course, that all Christians should love their church.

Paul then writes:

Philippians 2v14-16
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, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life - in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labour for nothing.

How many churches can claim that all their members "do everything without complaining or arguing"?

Not many.

And we even find it hard to accept that we're supposed to "do everything without complaining or arguing". Can that really be the way God wants us to behave? Sometimes, we're right and the rest of the church is wrong (though not as often as we think). Shouldn't we complain when the church gets it wrong? Shouldn't we argue, to help the church to get it right? Are we supposed to just keep our mouths shut when stupid or unbiblical decisions are being made?

These are reasonable questions but we've already read the biblical answer: "do everything without complaining or arguing". Here's another verse that might help us to understand this:

Ephesians 5v21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Of course we should discuss things. Every member of every church has a valuable contribution to make, and every member should be heard. But this should be done in an attitude of mutual respect, not complaining and arguing, but submitting to one another.

Here are rather a lot of scriptures that I hope will demonstrate that our first duty in any decision-making process is to love our brothers and sisters. That's even more important than getting the decision right:

John 13v34-35
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 15:12
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.

1 Corinthians 11:33
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.

1 Corinthians 12:25
... there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.

Galatians 5:15
If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Galatians 5:26
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Philippians 4:2
I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord.

Colossians 3:9
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 Thessalonians 3:12
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

1 Thessalonians 4:9
... you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.

1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore encourage each other...

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:15
Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

2 Thessalonians 1:3
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.

Hebrews 13:1
Keep on loving each other as brothers.

James 5:9
Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

1 Peter 4:8
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

As always, the priority is love.

We are the light of the world (Matthew 5v14). As Paul says, we "shine like stars in the universe as [we] hold out the word of life". But we will shine more brightly still if we love one another, and stop complaining and arguing.

God loves it when we live in unity.