The Challenge To Behave As Children Of God

by Pastor Mark
February 16, 2023

Living in a crooked and perverse generation

The Apostle Paul gave the Philippian brethren an insightful evaluation of the world that they were living in. It was a dark and challenging world, and he saw it as a “crooked and perverse generation” (Philippians 2:15). The people were living in a world that was twisted and corrupted.

Today, our world is not much different. It continues to be crooked and perverse. The world’s wickedness has grown darker and will continue to get worse and worse. These are challenging times for us to live out our faith as children of God. But we must not be daunted in any way, but look to the Lord as our heavenly Father who will guide us through His Word in how we should behave in this world.

Cultivating the right behaviour as children of God  

1. The right manner of doing God’s work

“Do all things without complaining and disputing,” (Philippians 2:14)

  1. Paul gave a strong challenge to us as children of God.
  2. All that we attempt for the Lord should be done without complaining.
    1. There ought not to be grumbling or murmuring.
    2. These are the world’s way of doing things.
  3. Also, we should do the Lord’s work without disputing.
    1. Being quarrelsome is not becoming of us as children of God.
    2. Tensions among us should be allayed.
  4. Let us be challenged to have the right spirit in doing God’s work.

2. The right way of living

“That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault” (Philippians 2:15)

  1. It matters to God our Father how we live our lives as His children in this world.
  2. We will please Him if we live our lives in the right way before all men.
  3. In living a blameless life, our ways would be different from the world’s ways.
  4. We seek to be harmless as doves in our actions and interactions with people.
  5. Our behaviour should be without fault as we seek to follow the Lord’s ways.
  6. Let us be challenged to live and behave righteously as children of God.

Bearing witness as children of God

“Among whom you shine as lights in the world,” (Philippians 2:15)

We are meant to shine as lights in this world of darkness. As children of God, we are light-bearers in this world. Our light will shine when we live righteously and do His work uprightly.

This is very much in line with what the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to shine as lights in this world (Matthew 5:14). They were meant to shine through their lives and good works. Others would see the light and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). As children of God, let us live our lives distinctively and differently from this world. Our challenge is to shine our light in this crooked and perverse world.

Let us be encouraged to bear witness as children of God…to shine as lights in this world of darkness.

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