WITHOUT MURMURING AND DISPUTING!

WITHOUT MURMURING AND DISPUTING!

Phil 2:14-15

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 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;

          I know of at least three young preachers who are having significant and painful trouble with their church leadership. Two are Baptists but one is from a large mainline denomination, so the problem is not endemic to any one church polity. You are probably aware that there are deacons and other church officers who feel that their trade is to rule instead of to serve. Some have decided, without biblical basis, that they are the judicial branch of the church. As we look around at these conflicts we are tempted to think that they are without biblical precedent but we would be wrong. People have always been people and people who do not listen to God have always caused trouble.

          The Old Testament relates the story of an attempted coup d’état when Moses’ sister, Merriam and Aaron, his brother tried to force him out and take control of the wandering Jews. You will find the story in Numbers chapter twelve. God personally stepped in and put an end to this uprising, giving Miriam leprosy and Aaron a healthy dose of fearful respect. Typically, Moses, the victim in this coup attempt, interceded for his sister in prayer. God listened and took away the leprosy but the whole operation ground to a halt for seven days. This seems to be the Devil’s real goal. He doesn’t care who wins the argument as long as progress is stopped – even for a little while.

          Paul was not immune to church trouble either and it was the dysfunctional Corinthian church that provided his pain. The church was divided in their loyalties between Paul, Apollos and Cephas or Peter. Paul addressed this controversy in the first three chapters of his first letter to the Corinthians. He concluded that the root cause was carnality.

1 Cor 1:11-13

11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Cor 3:3-5

3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

          In our original text two words are used to describe these church problems. The word murmurings is the Greek word goggusmos (pronounced gong-goos-mos’) and it means grudging; holding a grudge and grumbling about it either openly or secretly. The other word is disputing and the Greek word is dialogismos. The Greek gives us a clue because we are familiar with the word “dialogue” or conversation but here it means angry arguments and debates.

          The purpose for church peace is not simply that the worship experience might be more pleasant. Paul says, in Philippians 2:15, that it is because we “shine as lights in the world.” If we extinguish our lights through wrangling, the darkened world will continue to stumble – and the Devil wins again.

Rom 12:18

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Dear Master, let me see my job clearly and perform my duties faithfully without glancing longingly at the position of others. Let me never be the cause of church conflict. Send peace to your churches today. AMEN