Children of God in a Warped & Crooked Generation

Philippians 2: 14-15   ¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”^[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 

Paul's instruction  to the church in Philippi is for the purpose of building up believers so that Christ's Church is truly a light in the world.  If the church in not in unity and oneness with one another and Jesus, we will look more like the warped generation instead of the family of God.  I grew up in a family where four of us siblings were all in high school at the same time.  Each of us was very aware that our behavior, our accomplishments, and our values were always being compared to our brothers and sisters.  I imagine my younger brother, who followed us, faced the comparisons as well.  Our successes helped the family name and the failings either hurt the family name or we were labeled as the rebel child.  As I look back on those days, I know that I behaved better and tried to live up to the family name when I identified myself with my family.  That is Paul's purpose here...as believers we need to claim our identity and the adoption as children into the family of God.

The result of embracing that identity can be found in verses 19-21  ¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also 'may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Paul shows us his heart and points to Timothy's heart as hearts filled with "genuine concern" for others.  I embrace God's word when he uses words like "genuine" because He is sharing His assessment and His joy in Paul and Timothy.  They are looking out for others, just as Christ does.  As Christ's church, we need to put His concerns above our own, and He demonstrated that concern as He hung on the cross between two sinners.  He died so that He could make those who believe blameless, as He did with the thief who believed He was the Son of God.  All of mankind is represented by those two thieves.  We will either be the one who believes and finds salvation, or the one who mocks and defies His Love and Sacrifice and will be forever separated from the love of God.  Jesus' desire is that all should come to believe, so as His children that desire should be our own.  We need to seek His transforming power that comes by the Holy Spirit so that we  may become blameless and pure, children of God so that we will shine among them like stars in the sky  .