Philippians 2:14-15

When Paul continues in his instructions to the Philippians he is either fleshing out what it means to “work out your salvation” (2:12) or he is building upon this command with more concrete directives. It is natural at this point that he should urge activity that is devoid of “grumbling and dispute” (2:14), for he has elsewhere characterized his association with the Christians at Philippi as a “partnership” (1:4) and has lobbied for a spirit of unity (1:27) and like-mindedness (2:2) among their ranks. What is striking, however, is Paul’s insistence that the purpose here of such harmony is that the Philippians “should be blameless and pure” (2:15a). Such conduct—and this status that results from it—marks Christians out as “God’s children, who are without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” (2:15b).

Surely there are other characteristics that should signal this or that person is a Christian and is different from those around him or her. The absence of this or that sin. The practice of this act of kindness. The joy that accompanies this person in all types of circumstances. Here, though, Paul interestingly pinpoints harmonious living amongst Christians as the ultimate badge of their unique relationship to God. While we who are Christians today often place this low on our list of priorities, Paul intimates that it is what causes the Philippian believers to “shine as lights in the world” (2:15c).