Dr Paul Allen

What if the biggest danger ahead for Christians today is something we don’t expect, but should? Of course, there are some dangers of which we’re all very aware and conscious. In a pluralistic world, we know the pressure on Christians to abandon the truth that Jesus is the only way to God, so we proclaim loudly the exclusive salvation that we find in Christ . In the midst of a moral revolution, we see the temptation for Christians to deny or downplay the truth about sexuality and marriage, so we rightly seek to defend the Bible’s teaching on these issues. Naturally, we think that to be faithful in this time means shoring up our commitments in these spheres where cultural pressure is intense. But what if there’s a bigger danger on the horizon? Something that goes beyond the truths we uphold to the hearts that uphold them? An Unexpected Exhortation After reciting one of the most glorious hymns in the New Testament, showcasing the beauty of Jesus’s incarnation, crucifixion,...

Let’s examine the edges of sinful complaining and what makes it so heinous a sin.  Phil 2:14 “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.” The scope of the command is breathtakingly panoramic: all things. And no, the Greek affords no wiggle room . All things means all things. It is literally just as sinful to kvetch about trivial problems (like the weather, or traffic, or volume of the church music, or your spouse’s snoring, or the paucity of serious presidential candidates) as it is to vent about serious issues like the threat of terrorism, or the diagnosis of a terminal illness. Does this mean that any and every observation about a negative situation is a sin? No, that’s not what Paul said to the Philippians… THE SPECIES OF GRUMBLING Paul mentions two species of complaint: grumbling and disputing. In Greek grumbling is the word γογγυσμwv / gongousmōn. It’s an onomatopoeic term that refers to indistinct sounds of muttering or murmuring. So forbidden grumbling is not lodgin...

The joy-sapping sin of complaining: Phil 2:14-15 “ Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world .” Understanding that sedition is a form of rebellion , which spreads easily, the two reasons that complaining is so seditious are found in this passage… A. COMPLAINING IS CONTRARY TO GOD To God, our complaining about a situation he has allowed into our life is offensive. Because of Jesus’ death, we are in a relationship with God, he is our Father, we are his children, he loves us and he provides for us. To complain about what he has handed to us is to slap away the gracious hand of providence. Grumbling is saying that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross is not sufficient to bring me joy, I also need the right weather, spouse, finances, health or job in order to be joyful. When you grumble about the traffi...