Articles From Our Bulletins
Lights in a Crooked and Perverse World
Please read carefully, Philippians 2:12-16.
You don’t need me to tell you how “crooked and perverse” our generation is- the examples are all too numerous, too graphic, too shameful, and too inhumane. Recent horrific events unfortunately simply punctuation an already dire and dark world-scape with more examples. In a “big-picture” kind of way, those who are heart-broken and yet repulsed by the putridity of our society might feel powerless to affect any real progress toward change for the better. But when Paul penned the phrase, “crooked and perverse generation” to the brethren at Philippi, he obviously wasn’t describing 2019 in El Paso or Dayton. Nonetheless, whether Philippi in the latter part of the first century, or the U.S. (or the world, for that matter) in the early twenty-first century, the duty and privilege of the Christian is the same: “appear as lights in the world,” Philippians 2:16. But how? Paul doesn’t fail to provide details and specifics to brethren both then and now…
Though there are certainly a multiplicity of ways we can let our lights shine in this dark world, let’s not overlook the ones provided in the immediate context:
v.12, Work out your own salvation. In a world filled with “Christians” who have been fed and swallowed the lie that salvation is only a matter of belief with no mixture of works, the inspired apostle patently disagrees. But think further with me on this point: If one believes that no works of obedience are required to become saved, then he likely also believes that he has no further obligation to work toward staying saved, and lives accordingly. What light is therefore produced by such “Christianity” in a dark world to guide it higher morals, let alone Christ? “Little to none” is the clear answer. So, get busy getting your light burning and stocking up on oil, cp. Matthew 25:1-13!
v.13, God is at work in you. It’s relatively easy to let your light shine in the assemblies for bible class and worship when other lights are burning brightly. But when we are at work, in school, or at virtually all of the other places life typically takes us, that’s another matter entirely. It’s then that we tend to feel more like a candle in the wind. It’s also then that doubt and diffidence try to take over and convince us that “this little light of mine” can’t withstand the tempest, and that even if it does, it won’t do any real good anyway. During these times, especially, we need to hear and heed Paul’s words, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” and just keep on shining!
v.14, Stop grumbling and disputing and just do. Constantly complaining about and arguing with one another or the world about its degradation and the causes thereof does little to no good for the world, and it just depresses and demoralizes us. Instead, Paul simply says, “do all things”- in other words, stop talking and start just doing the right things. In these regards especially, a “sermon” is often better taught by living than by speaking, cf. James 3:13.
v.15, Prove yourselves blameless and innocent. It should be axiomatic, but to be “lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation” we have to stop living in darkness, cf. 1John 1:6. We have to quit justifying and excusing our sinful lives and “walk in the light” (1John 1:7) in order to be lights in and to the world. Paul made it plain to the Corinthians (and us!) in 1Corinthians 15:34, “Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God.” We’ll never lead anyone, let alone the world, out of darkness and into the light by hiding ours (cf. Matthew 5:14-16) in sin-filled lives.
v.16, Hold fast the word of life. Societally, we’re rapidly becoming functionally illiterate. We’re losing the ability, both in speech and writing, to communicate clearly and distinctly. We’ve become so addicted to slang and contractions and words that really aren’t that proper language, and its power to precisely convey thoughts, is being lost. If we can “see” this deterioration, then surely we can also perceive the necessity of teaching and holding tightly to proper language that we might retain its power to communicate. How much more important, then, is the effort to learn, teach, and hold tightly to God’s message of light and life. It, too, is being replaced with slang terms that diminish its majesty, by contracted versions that lose its precision, and by terms and descriptions that distort its message and diminish its potency. We no longer yearn for truth that fully reproves, rebukes, and exhorts (2Timothy 4:2ff) but instead prefer smooth words that flatter and fit with our own desires (Romans 16:18). Such leads only to spiritual illiteracy. Now, as long ago, God’s people “are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” Hosea 4:6! And the more spiritually illiterate God’s people become, the more the light (and hope) fades for a sin-darkened world. Hold fast the word of life and keep shining the light of truth, cf. Ephesians 5:7-17!
“Yes,” we, like the Philippians, live in a “crooked and perverse generation.” But there is a huge difference between living “in” and living “like” the world. So, shine on, brethren, shine on- this dark world needs your light! God can and will shine in and through you, if you will let Him.
- Lights_in_a_Crooked_and_Perverse_World.pdf (90.72 kB)
