“That ye may be blameless and harmless”

Philippians 2:15

The darker the night the brighter the light, so our lights as born again Christians need to shine for the Lord Jesus Christ!

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” Philippians 2:13-15

A faint light appears bright when the darkness is deep.  A shining light appears even brighter in the deep dark of night.

Paul writes this letter when Rome is the most powerful nation in the world.  Paul describes the world in which they lived, both the world of the Jews and non-Jews.  It was a crooked world, people who lived lives of lies and perversion.

Even the rulers of Israel had cried out to crucify Christ.  The rejection of the light that God had provided led to troubled times.

In verse 12 the people are advised to "work out their own salvation".

• This did not mean that works saved them. See Ephesians 2:8-10
• Rather, each individual was, and still is, responsible for their own growth in the Lord!
• Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are saved unto (that is to do) good works. God has predetermined that the saved should walk in these good works.  How we live is important!

We are told time and time again in the Bible that we are to be careful how we live after we are saved.  For example, see Romans 6:1-2

It is God who works in the saved; however, God does not take away our ability to make choices!  During this Holiday Season, may our lights shine brightly and may people see and hear our witness for Christ! (Adapted JD Strain)