It commands every action and every duty to be done without complaining, grumbling or repining, and without arguing, quarreling, contention or strife. It requires not merely believing God's Word but being doers of it in all of life, and it binds everyone who claims His love and not preachers only. It belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do His pleasure, which no one can do alone and God will not do without earnest human cooperation. It is part of having the mind of Christ in lowliness, esteeming others better than self and living in unity and love, by which believers become blameless and harmless as sons of God shining as lights in the world. Complaining and quarreling are sin that dishonors God and misrepresents Him as harsh and uncompassionate, hinders His work, and must be put away and replaced with gratitude, praise and thanksgiving.
Command's Plain Meaning
All things are to be done without murmurings and disputings, every action and every duty without exception. Murmurings means complaining and grumbling and repining. Disputings means arguing and quarreling, contention and strife. Complaining and quarreling in this sense are sinful and must be put away.
The command is thankful obedience to God's will that leaves no excuse for walking contrary to it. It is clear and important, and the best instruction for this time. It must not be passed over indifferently but must be earnestly heeded and fulfilled. It is to be guarded individually and collectively in order to meet its high standard. It is to be read and studied together with the whole of Philippians 2 and 3, and is especially for leading brethren to heed, while belonging to personal practice in words, spirit and action for all.
The verse requires not only believing God's Word but being doers of it, carrying out its injunctions in life in all things. It belongs not merely to preachers of the gospel, though they in a special manner should carry out its principles. It belongs to everyone who claims to have God's love in the heart and to be connected with Christ. Taken home to self in esteem of one for another, and made perfect, it would make a very different state among believers. It probes whether they are indeed members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King, of that number Christ is not ashamed to call brethren, standing in such close relation to Him that He looks upon their work and labor and shows how they stand and what is their position before God.
Context in Philippians
Doing all things without murmurings and disputings belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do His good pleasure. It requires earnest cooperation and harmonious action of mind and heart with divine forces, with no one able to work it out alone and God not doing it without human cooperation. This cooperation means bringing all abilities and talents into working order with divine agencies, letting self die, and battling every harmful practice and habit until overcome so that character is perfected after the divine Pattern. Those who leave their work in God's service for others to do and free themselves from religious responsibility will not experience God working in them, but when a person works earnestly God works with him giving power to become a son of God. The earnestness is called for because of great light, privileges and encouragement received, and for personal good and for the good of those looking for a right example it requires refusing to make crooked paths for the feet and standing on no other ground than the sure Word of God.
The verse is part of having the mind of Christ, being likeminded with the same love, of one accord and one mind. It means doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than self and looking also on the things of others, with mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness and charity. This follows Christ who though in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross. That humility, unity and unselfishness belong with obediently working out salvation, since God works in believers both to will and to do what pleases Him.
Obeying the verse makes believers blameless and harmless, with blamelessness first in order to be harmless, as sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation or generation. Among them they shine as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life in words sanctified by the Spirit and in accordance with gospel principles, in Christian example and in helping and blessing others and keeping the eyes fixed on Jesus. This conduct is tied to helping one another be of good cheer and reflecting His likeness as He is beheld.
Faithfulness to the verse gives evidence that gospel labor has not run nor labored in vain and gives grounds for rejoicing in the day of Christ, even if poured out in service of faith. That rejoicing comes through practically setting forth a Christian example by a closer walk with God and being led by the Spirit of Christ at all times. For those in responsible positions it calls for maintaining the elevated character of the work by godly example, showing fidelity and the highest attainments of piety, with patience and kindness instead of tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality and exercising more authority than justified, lest failure give a distorted image of Christ and become a stumbling block.
Sanctification and Character
Bible sanctification is the will of God and is not merely outward show but truth received in the heart carried out in life by doing everything without complaining or quarreling. After justification as pardon that purges the heart from dead works, sanctification is received through this obedience. Truth received, believed and practiced in doctrine and practice forms character that prepares for the great work to be done in this life and gives fitness for eternal service to God. This obedience belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do of His good pleasure, giving both desire and power to do what pleases Him. Those who so obey are pure and faultless, blameless and harmless, sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a corrupt, crooked and perverse nation or people, shining as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life through power received from Christ, of whose fullness all receive grace for grace.
Complaining and quarreling are sinful and must be put away. Domineering words and actions, hard dealing, severity, roughness, tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality, discouraging words, evil speaking, envy, unbelief and dishonesty must also be put away, with no stirring up of strife. Defective unchristlike traits hinder the advancement of God's work and can produce only diseased corrupt fruit spreading contamination like leprosy, a danger many church members do not recognize. They show lack of Christ's Spirit and discernment, please the enemy, and bring backsliding, calling for humiliation, confession and restitution. Keeping the command to do all things without murmuring honors Christ and makes believers true missionaries who cherish pure holy principles, reveal Christ in every phase of character, and shine as lights by Christian example so labor is not in vain but brings rejoicing in the day of Christ.
Murmuring and complaining dishonor God, for every complaining word or thought reflects upon Him and dishonors His name. Gathering gloom and sadness, unbelief, despondency and distrust give a false representation of God and the Christian life by implying He is harsh, demands what He has not provided, is not pleased to have His children happy, and lacks compassion, pity, willingness and power to save. Such gloom makes religion appear toilsome and difficult, bears false witness against the heavenly Father, and seconds Satan's falsehood, who exults when God's children mistrust His providences and feel He will harm them. Tempting thoughts may come but can be resisted and withheld from expression in words or actions, and instead life should be marked by gratitude, praise and thanksgiving with heart, soul and voice. Amid earthly strife and discord God's people in all service must work without a single murmur from the lips, renewing heaven's harmony so as to fulfill Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
The command requires a thorough change of character before God can acknowledge believers as His children, shown in order in the church, in having the mind that dwelt in Jesus in order to conduct aright in the church of God, in correct keeping of the Sabbath, and in putting away murmurings and disputings toward brethren and sisters through confession, hearty repentance, and shame and confusion of face before God for the unrighteous course pursued. It requires bringing all ability and talents into working order with divine agencies, letting self die, and battling every harmful practice and habit until overcome, so character is perfected after the divine Pattern, with blamelessness coming first in order to be harmless. Those who take the name of Christian have pledged to be true to God, bound to Him in family relation by deliverance from oppression, and must discard everything unbecoming and live a new and holy life in every action as saints, ruling self well, overcoming every hindrance to high and holy resolves, treating mind and body with respect as Christ's property, improving day by day, obeying like a brave soldier his Captain even at cost of life, and preparing in this life for the higher life in the kingdom. It requires being living embodiments of the grace of Jesus Christ, governed by the divine law of righteousness, wisdom, mercy and love, doing to others as they would be done to, and keeping the commandments of God to prove religion genuine and correctly represent Christ. Applied to selfish, worldly, self-indulgent professors whose nominal faith, close bargains and speculation discredit the Master and rear barriers turning souls from salvation, it calls for transformation of character and practical exhibition of transforming truth to win souls, warning that without such change they will never see the kingdom, because Satan constantly works to pervert ideas of eternal things and lead souls away.
Humility Unity and Service
Doing all things without murmurings and disputings means putting away domineering words and actions, hard dealing, severity, roughness, tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality, alienation, bitterness, envies and jealousies, and all stirring up of strife. In their place it requires meeting disordered human minds with tact and with wise, well-directed, Christlike labor to set things in order, and seeking a closer walk with God in meekness, humility, and refining grace while being led by the Spirit of Christ at all times. Those in responsible and important positions in the church must maintain the elevated character of their work by godly example, showing fidelity, the highest attainments of piety, and a practical illustration of the holy character of the truth professed as representatives of Christ and patterns to all within their influence. They are forbidden tyranny and exercising more authority than the position justifies, and are called instead to the patience and kindness of Jesus. Failure brings guilt and unfaithfulness, for a defective and indolent character gives a distorted image of Christ, an unfavorable impression of the truth, and becomes a stumbling block instead of leading men by good works to glorify God.
Such obedience belongs to being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, letting nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than self, with mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness and charity. By this believers become practically blameless and harmless as sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, shining as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life in Christian example, a personal work no one else can do that must be done with diligence in the short time of this life for eternity, so that labor is not run and labored in vain but brings rejoicing in the day of Christ. God's workers are to do their work without complaining or arguing. A cold, formal, unbelieving manner of labor is an offense to the Spirit of God.
Those who labor in offices of publication, and all who name Christ, must faithfully perform assigned duties and make the most of their privileges without murmuring or complaining. This means having high aims and a deep and rich experience in the knowledge of God's will, ever standing on the side of right and exerting a saving influence. It means elevated conversation that leads other minds in the right channel and freely speaks of divine goodness and the love of God from a heart where Christ dwells and is enshrined, rather than showing ingratitude by silence.
Those going into new places where the gospel has not yet been proclaimed must work as Christ worked, with the lowly mind that esteems others better than self and looks to the things of others, following Him who though in the form of God took the form of a servant and humbled Himself to obedience unto death on the cross. In Christian institutions believers show commitment to Christ through high principles and unity with others, becoming a convincing witness to His grace. There workers should not dispute the guidance of Christ and conscience. When murmuring and strife are put away, the Holy Spirit can work on hearts that need conversion, while those who murmur and find fault are not blameless or harmless.
Daily Life Applications
Believers are not to bring murmurings or disputings into gatherings before the Lord, but before assembling are to earnestly search the heart and lay aside doubts, complaints, differences, alienation, estrangement and disputes among one another. To carry such attitudes into the gathering is to carry darkness wherever one goes, to bring evil influences and even evil angels into the camp, and to hinder its spiritual good.
The verse gives God's directions for doing His appointed work intelligently, especially the work of fathers and mothers in training children. This means working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do of His good pleasure, honoring the Redeemer and glorifying His name. For parents it requires forming correct habits, living an example that leaves children no excuse for wrong, counseling and reproving in the fear of the Lord, and seeking in prayer a spirit God can commend, so that when the whole human family meets the Judge over His broken law they will meet a record they are not ashamed to face in the judgment. In home life it means putting away all murmuring and complaining at home and away from home as unworthy of children of the heavenly King, members of the royal family who are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and practicing Christ's character instead of selfish or objectionable traits, with courtesy, gentleness, patience, forbearance, meekness, courage and love. This belongs to keeping the will in subjection to God's will and disciplined by the Holy Spirit, showing love in the home and carrying the same pleasant disposition elsewhere, by which believers are sanctified, refined, made meet for the society of saints in light and fitted for heaven and for being a light to the world. Those at disagreement in home life are unfit for the heavenly mansions unless transformed by the grace of Christ, for those mansions are prepared for those who are pure and who love and obey the Word of God.
Whatever crosses, work, suffering, labors and hardships God requires or assigns are to be accepted, submitted to and endured without complaint. This includes trouble, feeling misjudged, meeting ingratitude, having plans hindered so one cannot do as one would, and serving people in need willingly with one's abilities to honor God, trusting that the Lord knows one's desires and yielding obediently instead of acting like a stubborn child. No murmuring thought is to escape the lips except against oneself, and no breath of censure is to be given to anyone, for God lives even when the future is dark and is ever ready to meet human infirmity with His presence and encouragement when entire surrender has been made to Him, so He is to be made a sure Friend instead of being murmured against. Trials so received and endured work for good by separating from love of the world and leading to fuller trust in God, with gratitude for His mercy and help guarding words and actions and turning the mind to praise Him and trust Him for grace rather than dwelling on what others have done. Danger to faith and hope does not come from opposition of the world, nor from loss of earthly things for truth's sake, nor from suffering great inconvenience for loyalty to principle, but from friendship with the world and imitating those who love not God, and from being deceived and overcome by Satan's temptations.
Murmuring and repining are to be cast aside to be filled with praise, hope, courage, perseverance and good cheer, with eyes fixed on Jesus whose likeness believers reflect as they behold Him. God's will is to be done without murmuring or complaining through sincere self-denial and self-sacrifice to extend truth, with thanksgiving from the lips and love cultivated to bless and save others, and those who serve willingly in this spirit receive the Lord's blessing. This freedom from murmuring comes by inward training that gives the Spirit of Christ abiding within, clearing away the rubbish and barriers piled before the door of the heart so Christ can enter and sup within, so that when wounded one does not rise up in rebellion, which makes saving souls possible. Such unselfish work frees the mind from selfishness and discouragement, and every action done without grumbling or arguing helps believers be blameless and harmless, shine as lights among a crooked and perverse people, and hold out the word of life.
The verse belongs to the Word of God that must be practiced personally in words, spirit and action, and it is instruction for the church and its young people for devoted, orderly service and preparation for coming trials rather than conduct that distracts from God's work. It calls believers to work together in harmony and unity, with obedience to God and the grace of Christ seen in the way they labor together without complaining or arguing. It calls them to put confidence in the ministers of the conference where they live and in the officers of the church where they worship, to draw nigh to brethren, to love them with a true heart fervently, and to encourage them to bear responsibilities faithfully in the fear of God, being an example in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity.
Philippians 2:1-16 gives a lesson all must study to learn the way of the Lord by looking to God and seeking wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer as no human voice or counsel can teach, to see that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem the sinner, to hate the sins that wounded Jesus, and to preserve a contrite heart while viewing Jesus as a compassionate, tender High Priest. In that light murmuring must not be encouraged, and complaints about the General Conference and excuses for neglecting duty must be repressed and not allowed to continue. In all service to God His people must work without a single murmur from the lips, because murmuring dishonors God, and amid earthly strife and discord they are to renew the harmony of heaven and so fulfill Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. This requires keeping close to the Redeemer, learning His meekness and lowliness to find rest and peace, making God the Counselor and wisdom, counseling with brethren instead of pushing one's own way in one's own strength, leaving supposed wrongs with God, staying calm in test and trial, being patient, easily entreated and not easily provoked, speaking no angry words, and learning to suffer annoyances, disappointment and hindrance from others without irritation, unhappiness, wretchedness, tumult or restlessness.
It commands every action and every duty to be done without complaining, grumbling or repining, and without arguing, quarreling, contention or strife. It requires not merely believing God's Word but being doers of it in all of life, and it binds everyone who claims His love and not preachers only. It belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do His pleasure, which no one can do alone and God will not do without earnest human cooperation. It is part of having the mind of Christ in lowliness, esteeming others better than self and living in unity and love, by which believers become blameless and harmless as sons of God shining as lights in the world. Complaining and quarreling are sin that dishonors God and misrepresents Him as harsh and uncompassionate, hinders His work, and must be put away and replaced with gratitude, praise and thanksgiving.
Command's Plain Meaning
All things are to be done without murmurings and disputings, every action and every duty without exception. Murmurings means complaining and grumbling and repining. Disputings means arguing and quarreling, contention and strife. Complaining and quarreling in this sense are sinful and must be put away.
The command is thankful obedience to God's will that leaves no excuse for walking contrary to it. It is clear and important, and the best instruction for this time. It must not be passed over indifferently but must be earnestly heeded and fulfilled. It is to be guarded individually and collectively in order to meet its high standard. It is to be read and studied together with the whole of Philippians 2 and 3, and is especially for leading brethren to heed, while belonging to personal practice in words, spirit and action for all.
The verse requires not only believing God's Word but being doers of it, carrying out its injunctions in life in all things. It belongs not merely to preachers of the gospel, though they in a special manner should carry out its principles. It belongs to everyone who claims to have God's love in the heart and to be connected with Christ. Taken home to self in esteem of one for another, and made perfect, it would make a very different state among believers. It probes whether they are indeed members of the royal family and children of the heavenly King, of that number Christ is not ashamed to call brethren, standing in such close relation to Him that He looks upon their work and labor and shows how they stand and what is their position before God.
Context in Philippians
Doing all things without murmurings and disputings belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do His good pleasure. It requires earnest cooperation and harmonious action of mind and heart with divine forces, with no one able to work it out alone and God not doing it without human cooperation. This cooperation means bringing all abilities and talents into working order with divine agencies, letting self die, and battling every harmful practice and habit until overcome so that character is perfected after the divine Pattern. Those who leave their work in God's service for others to do and free themselves from religious responsibility will not experience God working in them, but when a person works earnestly God works with him giving power to become a son of God. The earnestness is called for because of great light, privileges and encouragement received, and for personal good and for the good of those looking for a right example it requires refusing to make crooked paths for the feet and standing on no other ground than the sure Word of God.
The verse is part of having the mind of Christ, being likeminded with the same love, of one accord and one mind. It means doing nothing through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind esteeming others better than self and looking also on the things of others, with mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness and charity. This follows Christ who though in the form of God made Himself of no reputation, took the form of a servant, and humbled Himself in obedience unto death on the cross. That humility, unity and unselfishness belong with obediently working out salvation, since God works in believers both to will and to do what pleases Him.
Obeying the verse makes believers blameless and harmless, with blamelessness first in order to be harmless, as sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation or generation. Among them they shine as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life in words sanctified by the Spirit and in accordance with gospel principles, in Christian example and in helping and blessing others and keeping the eyes fixed on Jesus. This conduct is tied to helping one another be of good cheer and reflecting His likeness as He is beheld.
Faithfulness to the verse gives evidence that gospel labor has not run nor labored in vain and gives grounds for rejoicing in the day of Christ, even if poured out in service of faith. That rejoicing comes through practically setting forth a Christian example by a closer walk with God and being led by the Spirit of Christ at all times. For those in responsible positions it calls for maintaining the elevated character of the work by godly example, showing fidelity and the highest attainments of piety, with patience and kindness instead of tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality and exercising more authority than justified, lest failure give a distorted image of Christ and become a stumbling block.
Sanctification and Character
Bible sanctification is the will of God and is not merely outward show but truth received in the heart carried out in life by doing everything without complaining or quarreling. After justification as pardon that purges the heart from dead works, sanctification is received through this obedience. Truth received, believed and practiced in doctrine and practice forms character that prepares for the great work to be done in this life and gives fitness for eternal service to God. This obedience belongs to working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do of His good pleasure, giving both desire and power to do what pleases Him. Those who so obey are pure and faultless, blameless and harmless, sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a corrupt, crooked and perverse nation or people, shining as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life through power received from Christ, of whose fullness all receive grace for grace.
Complaining and quarreling are sinful and must be put away. Domineering words and actions, hard dealing, severity, roughness, tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality, discouraging words, evil speaking, envy, unbelief and dishonesty must also be put away, with no stirring up of strife. Defective unchristlike traits hinder the advancement of God's work and can produce only diseased corrupt fruit spreading contamination like leprosy, a danger many church members do not recognize. They show lack of Christ's Spirit and discernment, please the enemy, and bring backsliding, calling for humiliation, confession and restitution. Keeping the command to do all things without murmuring honors Christ and makes believers true missionaries who cherish pure holy principles, reveal Christ in every phase of character, and shine as lights by Christian example so labor is not in vain but brings rejoicing in the day of Christ.
Murmuring and complaining dishonor God, for every complaining word or thought reflects upon Him and dishonors His name. Gathering gloom and sadness, unbelief, despondency and distrust give a false representation of God and the Christian life by implying He is harsh, demands what He has not provided, is not pleased to have His children happy, and lacks compassion, pity, willingness and power to save. Such gloom makes religion appear toilsome and difficult, bears false witness against the heavenly Father, and seconds Satan's falsehood, who exults when God's children mistrust His providences and feel He will harm them. Tempting thoughts may come but can be resisted and withheld from expression in words or actions, and instead life should be marked by gratitude, praise and thanksgiving with heart, soul and voice. Amid earthly strife and discord God's people in all service must work without a single murmur from the lips, renewing heaven's harmony so as to fulfill Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.
The command requires a thorough change of character before God can acknowledge believers as His children, shown in order in the church, in having the mind that dwelt in Jesus in order to conduct aright in the church of God, in correct keeping of the Sabbath, and in putting away murmurings and disputings toward brethren and sisters through confession, hearty repentance, and shame and confusion of face before God for the unrighteous course pursued. It requires bringing all ability and talents into working order with divine agencies, letting self die, and battling every harmful practice and habit until overcome, so character is perfected after the divine Pattern, with blamelessness coming first in order to be harmless. Those who take the name of Christian have pledged to be true to God, bound to Him in family relation by deliverance from oppression, and must discard everything unbecoming and live a new and holy life in every action as saints, ruling self well, overcoming every hindrance to high and holy resolves, treating mind and body with respect as Christ's property, improving day by day, obeying like a brave soldier his Captain even at cost of life, and preparing in this life for the higher life in the kingdom. It requires being living embodiments of the grace of Jesus Christ, governed by the divine law of righteousness, wisdom, mercy and love, doing to others as they would be done to, and keeping the commandments of God to prove religion genuine and correctly represent Christ. Applied to selfish, worldly, self-indulgent professors whose nominal faith, close bargains and speculation discredit the Master and rear barriers turning souls from salvation, it calls for transformation of character and practical exhibition of transforming truth to win souls, warning that without such change they will never see the kingdom, because Satan constantly works to pervert ideas of eternal things and lead souls away.
Humility Unity and Service
Doing all things without murmurings and disputings means putting away domineering words and actions, hard dealing, severity, roughness, tyranny, sharp dictation, partiality, alienation, bitterness, envies and jealousies, and all stirring up of strife. In their place it requires meeting disordered human minds with tact and with wise, well-directed, Christlike labor to set things in order, and seeking a closer walk with God in meekness, humility, and refining grace while being led by the Spirit of Christ at all times. Those in responsible and important positions in the church must maintain the elevated character of their work by godly example, showing fidelity, the highest attainments of piety, and a practical illustration of the holy character of the truth professed as representatives of Christ and patterns to all within their influence. They are forbidden tyranny and exercising more authority than the position justifies, and are called instead to the patience and kindness of Jesus. Failure brings guilt and unfaithfulness, for a defective and indolent character gives a distorted image of Christ, an unfavorable impression of the truth, and becomes a stumbling block instead of leading men by good works to glorify God.
Such obedience belongs to being likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, letting nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness esteeming others better than self, with mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness and charity. By this believers become practically blameless and harmless as sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, shining as lights in the world by holding forth the word of life in Christian example, a personal work no one else can do that must be done with diligence in the short time of this life for eternity, so that labor is not run and labored in vain but brings rejoicing in the day of Christ. God's workers are to do their work without complaining or arguing. A cold, formal, unbelieving manner of labor is an offense to the Spirit of God.
Those who labor in offices of publication, and all who name Christ, must faithfully perform assigned duties and make the most of their privileges without murmuring or complaining. This means having high aims and a deep and rich experience in the knowledge of God's will, ever standing on the side of right and exerting a saving influence. It means elevated conversation that leads other minds in the right channel and freely speaks of divine goodness and the love of God from a heart where Christ dwells and is enshrined, rather than showing ingratitude by silence.
Those going into new places where the gospel has not yet been proclaimed must work as Christ worked, with the lowly mind that esteems others better than self and looks to the things of others, following Him who though in the form of God took the form of a servant and humbled Himself to obedience unto death on the cross. In Christian institutions believers show commitment to Christ through high principles and unity with others, becoming a convincing witness to His grace. There workers should not dispute the guidance of Christ and conscience. When murmuring and strife are put away, the Holy Spirit can work on hearts that need conversion, while those who murmur and find fault are not blameless or harmless.
Daily Life Applications
Believers are not to bring murmurings or disputings into gatherings before the Lord, but before assembling are to earnestly search the heart and lay aside doubts, complaints, differences, alienation, estrangement and disputes among one another. To carry such attitudes into the gathering is to carry darkness wherever one goes, to bring evil influences and even evil angels into the camp, and to hinder its spiritual good.
The verse gives God's directions for doing His appointed work intelligently, especially the work of fathers and mothers in training children. This means working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within to will and to do of His good pleasure, honoring the Redeemer and glorifying His name. For parents it requires forming correct habits, living an example that leaves children no excuse for wrong, counseling and reproving in the fear of the Lord, and seeking in prayer a spirit God can commend, so that when the whole human family meets the Judge over His broken law they will meet a record they are not ashamed to face in the judgment. In home life it means putting away all murmuring and complaining at home and away from home as unworthy of children of the heavenly King, members of the royal family who are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and practicing Christ's character instead of selfish or objectionable traits, with courtesy, gentleness, patience, forbearance, meekness, courage and love. This belongs to keeping the will in subjection to God's will and disciplined by the Holy Spirit, showing love in the home and carrying the same pleasant disposition elsewhere, by which believers are sanctified, refined, made meet for the society of saints in light and fitted for heaven and for being a light to the world. Those at disagreement in home life are unfit for the heavenly mansions unless transformed by the grace of Christ, for those mansions are prepared for those who are pure and who love and obey the Word of God.
Whatever crosses, work, suffering, labors and hardships God requires or assigns are to be accepted, submitted to and endured without complaint. This includes trouble, feeling misjudged, meeting ingratitude, having plans hindered so one cannot do as one would, and serving people in need willingly with one's abilities to honor God, trusting that the Lord knows one's desires and yielding obediently instead of acting like a stubborn child. No murmuring thought is to escape the lips except against oneself, and no breath of censure is to be given to anyone, for God lives even when the future is dark and is ever ready to meet human infirmity with His presence and encouragement when entire surrender has been made to Him, so He is to be made a sure Friend instead of being murmured against. Trials so received and endured work for good by separating from love of the world and leading to fuller trust in God, with gratitude for His mercy and help guarding words and actions and turning the mind to praise Him and trust Him for grace rather than dwelling on what others have done. Danger to faith and hope does not come from opposition of the world, nor from loss of earthly things for truth's sake, nor from suffering great inconvenience for loyalty to principle, but from friendship with the world and imitating those who love not God, and from being deceived and overcome by Satan's temptations.
Murmuring and repining are to be cast aside to be filled with praise, hope, courage, perseverance and good cheer, with eyes fixed on Jesus whose likeness believers reflect as they behold Him. God's will is to be done without murmuring or complaining through sincere self-denial and self-sacrifice to extend truth, with thanksgiving from the lips and love cultivated to bless and save others, and those who serve willingly in this spirit receive the Lord's blessing. This freedom from murmuring comes by inward training that gives the Spirit of Christ abiding within, clearing away the rubbish and barriers piled before the door of the heart so Christ can enter and sup within, so that when wounded one does not rise up in rebellion, which makes saving souls possible. Such unselfish work frees the mind from selfishness and discouragement, and every action done without grumbling or arguing helps believers be blameless and harmless, shine as lights among a crooked and perverse people, and hold out the word of life.
The verse belongs to the Word of God that must be practiced personally in words, spirit and action, and it is instruction for the church and its young people for devoted, orderly service and preparation for coming trials rather than conduct that distracts from God's work. It calls believers to work together in harmony and unity, with obedience to God and the grace of Christ seen in the way they labor together without complaining or arguing. It calls them to put confidence in the ministers of the conference where they live and in the officers of the church where they worship, to draw nigh to brethren, to love them with a true heart fervently, and to encourage them to bear responsibilities faithfully in the fear of God, being an example in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity.
Philippians 2:1-16 gives a lesson all must study to learn the way of the Lord by looking to God and seeking wisdom from Him in most earnest prayer as no human voice or counsel can teach, to see that transgression of the law caused the price of the blood of the Son of the infinite God to redeem the sinner, to hate the sins that wounded Jesus, and to preserve a contrite heart while viewing Jesus as a compassionate, tender High Priest. In that light murmuring must not be encouraged, and complaints about the General Conference and excuses for neglecting duty must be repressed and not allowed to continue. In all service to God His people must work without a single murmur from the lips, because murmuring dishonors God, and amid earthly strife and discord they are to renew the harmony of heaven and so fulfill Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. This requires keeping close to the Redeemer, learning His meekness and lowliness to find rest and peace, making God the Counselor and wisdom, counseling with brethren instead of pushing one's own way in one's own strength, leaving supposed wrongs with God, staying calm in test and trial, being patient, easily entreated and not easily provoked, speaking no angry words, and learning to suffer annoyances, disappointment and hindrance from others without irritation, unhappiness, wretchedness, tumult or restlessness.