Philippians 2:15, commentary and pictures

Believers are to do all things without grumbling, complaining or arguing, and this freedom from fault-finding is what makes them blameless and harmless without rebuke among a twisted and corrupt people. To be blameless and harmless means to be faultless, innocent, pure and gentle in character, with transformed morals, self-control and a sanctified tongue that gives others no excuse to stumble. They are sons of God as acknowledged children of the heavenly King in close relation to Christ as brethren, made one with Him in spirit and purpose by receiving Him until Christ is formed within. Shining as lights in the world is done by holding forth the word of life and practicing gospel principles, with light not their own but received from Christ through the Holy Spirit and the Word as they abide in Him. Even the roughest and most unpromising become such children by new birth through receiving Christ and by beholding Jesus until changed into His likeness, in the lowliness that esteems others better than self, and their good works, kindness and fruits of righteousness lead others to glorify God.

Words and Immediate Context

Doing all things without murmurings and disputings — without grumbling, complaining, fault-finding or arguing — is what makes believers blameless and harmless. Freedom from murmuring is the condition for being without rebuke or reproach as God's children, and by that obedient life they shine as lights in the world. Obedience to this instruction is doing God's instruction, and it makes God's truth visible through the life.

To be blameless and harmless, without rebuke or reproach, is to be faultless, innocent, pure, gentle and harmless in character. It means transformed morals, self-control, and a sanctified tongue, with truthfulness, honesty, patience, chaste thoughts, pure and well-chosen words, humility, kindness, courtesy and refinement, and no oddities, eccentric manners or rough speech. It is adorning the doctrine of Christ by manifesting His grace, meekness and attributes outwardly in manners, words and spirit as the fruit of inward sanctification, bearing love, joy, peace and the other fruits of the Spirit. Such a life gives no excuse for stumbling others, bears no thorns to wound others, refuses anger, harshness, coarse and hasty wounding speech, murmuring, strife, impatience and faultfinding, and is patient with the spiritually blind while remembering former blindness. It is wise and harmless so as not to increase opposition, doing all possible to remove prejudice while making no concession that lessens truth, distinct from the world without inventing needless tests or crosses and without sacrificing principle for worldly approval.

Sons of God are members of the royal family, children of the heavenly King in such close relation to Jesus Christ that He acknowledges them as brethren and looks upon their work and labor. This sonship comes through receiving Christ, being given power to become sons of God born not of blood nor of flesh nor of man but of God, receiving of His fullness grace for grace, having Christ formed within and being changed to be one with Him in spirit and purpose. God acknowledges believers as His children only after a thorough change of character that makes them blameless and without rebuke, with all that is unbecoming discarded in a new and holy life. Those who take the Christian name pledge themselves to be true to God, bound up with Him and the heavenly angels in family relation as those delivered from a tyrant's oppression, no longer their own property but treating mind and body with greatest respect as Christ's and improving them day by day.

In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation means living among a twisted, corrupt, disobedient and perverse people, in a morally crooked society where many neglect God. It includes living among rebels and enemies, yet leaving no just ground for condemnation when all face judgment for breaking God's law. Believers must keep continually in mind that they live in such a generation and what their duty is in it, examining closely their standing and position before God. Their conduct there is to reflect their identity as God's children, practically showing a Christian example while holding forth the word of life.

The verse belongs to Paul's appeal to have the mind of Christ in lowliness, with likeminded love, unity, and esteeming others better than self, after the pattern of Him who made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself to obedience unto death, even the death of the cross. It calls for full obedience and for working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works within both to will and to do of His good pleasure, humbly resisting evil, laboring together with God in union with divine agencies, and bringing every ability and talent into working order. Self must die and every harmful practice and habit, however innocent the world regards it, must be battled until overcome so character is perfected after the divine Pattern, with believers guarding strictly individually and collectively to meet the high standard of Scripture. This requires learning God's way by prayer, refusing to make crooked paths for the feet, standing on no other ground than the sure Word, receiving, believing and practicing pure unadulterated truth in doctrine and practice, revealing Christ in every phase of character, and hating the sin that cost Christ's blood, since murmuring and disputing are sinful and defective unchristlike character hinders God's work and bears only diseased corrupt fruit that contaminates like leprosy.

Becoming Blameless Children

Even the roughest and most unpromising can become blameless and harmless, marked as children of God, for no one is passed by as worthless. This sonship comes through receiving Christ, being born not of blood nor of flesh nor of man but of God, receiving power to become sons of God and receiving of His fullness grace for grace. It is new birth and transforming grace that makes a new man with a transformed pure life, a new life seen in good works, loving not in word or tongue but in deed and in truth and glorifying God in words and works rather than mere profession. In this change the believer becomes one with Christ in spirit and purpose, with Christ formed within, hungering after righteousness and becoming more like Jesus. It is made possible because God works within both to will and to do of His good pleasure as the believer works out salvation with fear and trembling, doing all things without murmurings and disputings.

This change comes by keeping the eyes fixed on Jesus and beholding Him until changed into His likeness. It is Bible sanctification in which truth is received in the heart and carried out in practical life in constant obedience, not merely displayed outwardly. After justification has given pardon and purged the heart from dead works, doing all things without complaining and arguing makes believers faultless and harmless as children of God without reproach while living among a twisted and corrupt people. A thorough reformation sought through earnest prayer and dependence on God produces the fruits of the Spirit that make this witness possible, so Christians help and bless rather than hinder.

It requires the mind of Christ who made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself to obedience unto death, even death of the cross, in lowliness that esteems others better than self. Believers are likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord and of one mind, letting nothing be done through strife or vainglory, bearing Christ's name in actions as well as words and following His example of humility instead of exalting self. This is shown in bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing and forgiving one another as Christ forgave, and above all putting on charity as the bond of perfectness. It forbids stirring up strife by domineering words and actions, hard dealing, severity, tyranny and sharp dictation, and calls for meekness, humility, patience and kindness that does not repel souls but wins them by silent influence, proving new birth by good works and fruits of righteousness, doing every duty in faith, obedience and cheerfulness with hope and courage without seeking supremacy. Fidelity and the highest attainments of piety are required, for an indolent life and defective character give a distorted image, make an unfavorable impression, and become a stumbling block.

The blameless life correctly represents Jesus Christ to the world by transformed character, as living embodiments of His grace governed by the divine law of wisdom, mercy and love, keeping the commandments and doing to others as one would have them do. Conduct reflects Christ, who revealed God by living His law, through clean character and uncorrupted influence that makes life a convincing witness to His grace. Lives and character display God's goodness, mercy, justice and love, drawing near to God and revealing His will distinctly from the world's customs, showing the superiority of loving, fearing and serving Him. Conduct and influence must not lead others astray, so counsel and discipline are to be accepted rather than faults defended, without excusing traits that deform Christ's character. Without this practical exhibition of transforming power, profession is only nominal faith, living without God and without hope, bringing discredit, rearing barriers that turn souls from salvation, and scattering instead of gathering. In deep apostasy this obedience reveals its transforming power all the more brightly, even when pressured under threat of death to accept a false rest day, among every nation, tongue and people.

Shining as Lights

Shining as lights in the world is done by holding forth the word of life, which means presenting and practicing the principles of the gospel in sanctified words spoken in harmony with those principles and in continual striving to help and bless others. Only what is first received can be imparted, for believers reveal Christ in every phase of character, honor Him, and cherish pure holy principles that make them missionaries, giving evidence by accepting labor and profiting by it that faithful ministry has not run in vain. This witness requires doing all things without murmurings and disputings, since murmuring and disputing are sinful and a defective unchristlike character hinders God's work and bears only diseased corrupt fruit that contaminates like leprosy. It is shown in likeminded love and unity, esteeming others better than self, having the mind of Christ in lowliness, letting God work within both to will and to do, guarding strictly both individually and collectively to meet the high standard of Scripture, and walking in its light in universal humility and benevolence with self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works. The practical Christian example is Christlike meekness rather than domineering words, hard dealing, or strife.

The light with which believers shine is not their own but received from Christ the Sun of Righteousness through divine truth, the Holy Spirit, and the Word, and communicated to others. When the soul is kept clear heaven's light can shine through it, and as believers abide in Him, walk softly before God, grow in faith and courage, trust God's promises, overcome temptation by strength from above, and bring life into harmony with God and His law, they shine in clear steady rays that never flicker and never grow dim. Their example makes Christianity real, displays the power of Christ's grace, and witnesses to the truth so that others recognize they have been with Jesus and learned from Him. Each step must be weighed for its influence not only on self but on others, asking what its effect will be.

Shining is seen in good works, kindness, cheerfulness, happiness, and fruits of righteousness that lead men to glorify the Father, recommend Christ, lift the fallen to know God and Jesus Christ, weaken prejudice, and draw others heavenward. Merely avoiding harm is not enough, for no one can be sure of doing no harm unless influence is actively positive and leads those around toward heaven. It means adorning the doctrine of Christ by manifesting His grace, meekness, and attributes of character, showing outwardly in manners, words, and spirit the inward work of sanctification, reflecting the light of truth to all around and glorifying God in words and works rather than mere profession. This calls for fidelity and the highest attainments of piety, becoming a new man with transformed pure life through actual well-doing and loving in deed and in truth, being patient with the spiritually blind while remembering former blindness, refusing anger, harshness, and coarse wounding speech, being wise and harmless so as not to increase opposition, doing all possible to remove prejudice without conceding truth, learning meekness and lowliness in Christ's school, being clothed with humility, bearing no thorns to wound others, and manifesting love, joy, peace, and the other fruits of the Spirit by which shining is known. An indolent life and defective character give a distorted image of Christ, make an unfavorable impression on the truth, become a stumbling block, and in those in responsible positions are guilt and unfaithful stewardship, blameworthy before heavenly intelligences waiting to cooperate in saving souls.

Those who thus shine become stars forever by turning many to righteousness and saving souls through active earnest work instead of folding the hands and taking ease. This requires inward training with the Spirit of Christ abiding within, clearing away rubbish and barriers piled before the door of the heart so Christ can enter, lifting high the cross of Calvary with mind absorbed and thoughts concentrated upon it, being charged with divine power direct from God, surrendering to Christ in union of human with divine to communicate incarnate love, and concentrating energies in genuine work while talking, praying, singing, and filling the world with messages of His glory and pressing to regions beyond with heavenly intelligences cooperating to show what human beings may become and accomplish for perishing souls. It means actively working to win souls, imparting precious light, turning souls from error, and representing Jesus in life and good works rather than being superficial, with enduring patience and unwavering faith when urging sinners to give up idols, keep God's commandments, and believe Jesus is soon to come, even when met with lack of interest, flimsy excuses, indifference, opposition, ridicule, contempt for God's law, and apparent defeat. Discouragement over repulses chills the soul, almost extinguishes the spark of grace, kills the sense of obligation, and causes believers to stop shining and do nothing, while those who do not murmur or complain and do not rise in rebellion when wounded keep their witness. Their faithful witness bears fruit that brings joy in the day of Christ that labor was not in vain, and even when only a few remain heartily devoted to God amid widespread decline and a dark troubled world, they shine like stars here and there amid clouds on a tempestuous night.

End-Time Faithfulness and Mission

In the last days, when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people in a time of deep apostasy, God has faithful people who have refused to bow to Baal scattered in every land and found among every nation and tongue and people. They remain blameless and harmless as sons of God without rebuke, and the darker the night the more brilliantly they shine as lights in the world, like stars of heaven that appear only at night. They are a reserved firmament of chosen ones in heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, in India, in the islands of the sea and in all the dark corners of the earth, even now appearing to reveal clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to God's law. In the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan makes his supreme effort to cause all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, under penalty of death to receive the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, their obedience makes them shine all the more brightly amid the darkness. The church that is to be that light is imperfect and in need of correction, yet those who yield themselves to God are changed from darkness into lights, become fellow workers with Christ in drawing others to God, and are prepared by a Christlike life to suffer with Him and share His glory.

That shining comes down to the minutiae of life and keeps feeble faith from dying, for the light is God's light communicated through His instruments to people who greatly need it amid the perils of the last days. To keep shining undimmed by surroundings, believers must daily gather strength from God to be fortified so that surroundings do not dim or eclipse the light, for Satan makes it his special object to prevent this light from reaching God's people. Shining includes giving the last message of mercy and warning to make ready for the great day of God which is right upon them, with every soul who has a knowledge of the truth practicing the truth and appreciating and rejoicing in the truth amid moral darkness covering the world like the pall of death. That witness includes a clear, distinct message, supplied with holy oil when they are prepared to receive it, that awakens people dead in sin, exposes error unsupported by Scripture, and makes plain the truth about conversion and people's relation to God's law.

It means actively proclaiming the third angel's message and warning people about the Sabbath and their danger with Christlike zeal, rather than hiding the truth given them or letting worldly cares hide their light or delay their work. God's commandment-keeping people live blamelessly and distinctly among a crooked and perverse society so that conduct makes faith visible rather than denies it, and doing Sabbath business that unbelievers see as ordinary business contradicts that witness. Those who accept the truth and begin to observe the Sabbath become shining lights amid moral darkness, holding forth light in a wicked city and the regions round about where earnest work remains to gather in many more souls. Thorough instruction is needed so new converts show what truth has done and do not give a wrong mold.

Disciples are to live as God's representatives among people in a dark world, shining through faith and works and testifying that the Saviour is coming soon, scattered among towns, cities, and villages and new mission fields where the gospel has not yet been proclaimed rather than settling together in large communities. Those who go must work as Christ worked, doing all things without murmurings and disputings in lowliness of mind, so that they remain blameless and harmless as sons of God and shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Those called to be laborers together with Christ must be imbued with the Spirit of Christ to fit them for the great and solemn work of bearing the message of salvation to men, so that divine light shines forth from them as they witness for the truth from generation to generation amid moral darkness that has enveloped the world. They are to be scattered as witnesses, so their lives, testimony, and example can bring others the message of truth and become a savor of life or of death, using their gifts to share the truth, learn it so they can share it, and bring sinners to righteousness.

Their brightness shows the strong contrast between righteousness and sin, between the gold of truth and the dross of error and tradition, and between God's perfect standard and Satan's false standard which leads to misery, degradation, disease, and death for body and soul. They are to keep advancing in the light God gives and hold His standard high by teaching and example while remaining in the world yet distinct from those who follow worldly customs and practices, united to Christ and carrying His presence wherever they go. If they refuse that light, it becomes darkness to them, and they lose their witness and their way and are lost in the darkness around them. That light is exceedingly annoying to the world, for those who refuse to obey the truth themselves do not want others to obey it, because the course of the faithful is a continual reproof to the unbelieving and disobedient.

Those who live godly in Christ shine by practical purity and holy conduct that sets them apart from a world that rejects the truth and hates the spirit of Christ, bringing reproach and persecution which mere profession or form of godliness does not provoke. Their light comes directly from Jesus and spreads as they shine; when lights grow dim or go out heaven is saddened, and when they grow brighter and others are added heaven rejoices. These lights hold back the immediate judgments of God on those who break His law.

Examples of Shining Lives

Joseph showed purity, faithfulness, and integrity in idolatrous Egypt, making heavenly grace visible amid heathen darkness in contrast with the character of idol worshipers. Daniel stood as a precious light in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation by taking his position on the right side because it was right, refusing the king's table because childhood training had taught him not to becloud the brain with improper diet. His life was one of equity so that enemies seeking accusation could find none except concerning his religion, and his integrity, earnest prayer three times a day with no man between him and God, and suffering for truth were handed down as an example. Those who now have the great beams of light opening the future that were given to Daniel ought to do much better and shine in the same way. God has always had a light shining in the world, and Noah was that light to the crooked and perverse generation of his day, given special light to tell the world that a flood was coming and that they must find refuge in the ark, though few heeded the warning.

Enoch walked with God amid the wickedness of his age by keeping his mind stayed upon God and turning away from the pleasure of the world to gain eternal life, living blameless in a wicked age as great as the days of Noah, and God did not leave him but took him from this sinful world. He represents those who will be translated to heaven when Christ comes to gather His people, so readiness for Christ's appearing requires washed robes made clean in the blood of the Lamb. Children are to keep themselves pure in a crooked and perverse generation by seeking only what is pure and lovely and refusing everything that would stain, spot, or corrupt them. Like the white lily that keeps its whiteness by striking its stem down into pure white sand and leaving all defilement behind, they must be educated by fathers and mothers to this purity so they may stand pure and white before the throne and enter the city where nothing defiling is admitted.

Christ's own harmless, undefiled life among people of every kind illustrates how people can become blameless and harmless as children of God even among corrupt people within a morally crooked generation. He set before the thoughtless, rude, unjust, unrighteous, burdened, rough, and unpromising the assurance that they too could attain this character, sharing their burdens, speaking sympathy to the weary, and teaching the love, kindness, and goodness of God. His pure, harmless life worked among them like leaven to draw them to that character and gave hope to those who seemed least promising. His childhood and later life exemplified blameless sonship through faithful service in both private life and broader work, revealing God's character by example and precept. Right principles and obedience in a humble sphere prepare people for wider service, each person's course of action shapes future position and destiny, and God grants discernment and an eternal perspective that elevate and purify character so that His favor can be known as Christ knew it.

Geneva illustrated the verse as a center from which teachers and reformers carried the truth to bring light to their lands. Freedom from complaining and arguing produces a faultless and innocent character as sons of God in the middle of a twisted and sinful age, and every person claiming the love of God and connection with Christ must shine as a light in the world, not only those who preach, though they must carry out its principles in a special manner. This requires keeping continually in mind life in a crooked and perverse generation and duty in it, with close self-examination of standing and position before God, whether one is truly a member of the royal family and a child of the heavenly King in such close relation to Christ that He acknowledges them as brethren and looks upon their work and labor. God requires every disciple, not ministers only, to be lights whose speech and manner are heavenly, and while enjoying communion with God they will seek contact with others to show by words and acts the love filling their hearts. The light given through them will not go out or be taken away, but it becomes darkness to those who refuse to walk in it while shining with growing brightness on the path of those who obey and walk in the light.

Christians are not to live like butterflies gratifying self but to put on the whole armor of God and stand loyally on the battlefield fighting valiantly the battles of the Lord as lights to a crooked and perverse nation. They are gathering increased light not only for today but for some special occasion ahead and must let it shine upon all around them, not living for self-gratification but standing loyally in the spiritual battle, even though many they try to reach will not accept the truth because it involves a cross. All who accept the truth, including poor new converts in difficult mission fields, are to be lights by careful speech and circumspect conduct giving evidence of what truth has done for them and shedding light on those in darkness. This requires placing a high standard before them and giving thorough and faithful instruction in every part of Christian experience and duty, so they do not remain ignorant and defective in character and give a wrong mold to others. When holiness of character keeps pace with the pure doctrines taught, light grows brighter and still brighter as believers walk in the light shining with increasing clearness, truth does its refining work, darkness is dispelled, confusion and strife of tongues disappear, and power for good works is constantly received, while blamelessness involves accountability to God for the minutest acts of thought, word, and deed, including good left undone. Even a church of poor, uneducated, and unknown persons shines when its members are believing and praying, go forth in simple faith relying on the promises of the Word, and have a sense of individual accountability to God, so that letting light shine glorifies Christ in them, advances His kingdom, gives influence effect for time and eternity, and makes them examples of sincerity and zealous fervor in working out God's plan for salvation by seeking opportunities to work.

Practical Godly Living

Shining requires sanctified speech and manners, with compassion, generosity, kind tender words, courtesy, patience, humility and cheerful service, and with the mind of Christ in lowliness, likeminded love, unity and esteeming others better than self. It is revealed in words spoken by the Spirit and in accordance with gospel principles, adorning doctrine by manifesting grace, meekness and the fruits of the Spirit, with outward manners, words and spirit showing the inward work of sanctification. This means doing all things without murmurings and disputings, bearing patiently with the inconsistencies, perversities and errors of others as Christ has borne with human hearts, with less of self and more of Jesus, refusing anger, harshness, coarse speech, hasty wounding words, gloom and sadness. It requires guarding strictly individually and collectively to meet the high standard of Scripture, walking in its light in universal humility and benevolence, self-denial and self-sacrifice in good works, so that faithful ministry does not run in vain nor labor in vain. Quietly living religion for God's glory without being forward or causing needless friction lets conduct match profession, while murmuring, complaining, unbelief, mistrust, despondency and doubting God's willingness and power to save misrepresents Him as unwilling to make His children happy, dishonors Him, makes religion appear gloomy and toilsome, and seconds Satan's work. Those in responsible positions must by godly example maintain the elevated character of their office and present an illustration of the holy character of the truth professed, holding forth the word of life, for failure is guilt and unfaithful stewardship before heavenly intelligences waiting to cooperate in saving souls, and an indolent life and defective character give a distorted image of Christ, make an unfavorable impression and become a stumbling block.

The life is lived in church fellowship and unity, with all powers of intellect and spiritual endowments consecrated to God and humanity, as partakers of the divine nature and colaborers with Christ showing a character after the divine similitude. Believers do this work best when vital energies are organized in church fellowship after Christ's example, raised up together to sit with Christ in heavenly places to reveal an enduring representation of the eternal world to men and angels, bound by Christian fellowship and bound with Christ in God, with the power of the Holy Spirit open to doers of the Word. Humble, careful conduct and love, patience and gentleness reveal reverence for God and represent His rule, and walking humbly with God, putting aside self-directed plans and living out the Word in fellowship makes the Christian life a convincing witness. Even a church of poor, uneducated and unknown persons shines when its members are believing and praying, go forth in simple faith relying on the promises of the Word, and sense individual accountability, thereby glorifying Christ, advancing His kingdom and giving influence effect for time and eternity. Daily conversion, earnest prayer and entire consecration make believers perfectly converted so they can strengthen brethren, illuminate darkness, increase faith, awaken zeal in cold languishing hearts, and stand as loyal obedient children distinct from those who make void the law.

Parents must do their God-given work intelligently, aroused from sleep to obey God's directions, honoring the Redeemer and glorifying His name, working out salvation with fear and trembling while God works in them to will and to do, setting an example that leaves children no excuse for wrongdoing. They must counsel and reprove in the fear of the Lord, seek the Lord in prayer for a spirit He can commend, and form correct habits and a record that will not bring condemnation when all meet the Judge over His broken law. Fathers and mothers must educate children to keep themselves pure in a crooked and perverse generation by seeking only what is pure and lovely and refusing everything that would stain or corrupt, like the white lily keeping whiteness by striking its stem into pure white sand and leaving defilement behind, that they may stand pure and white before the throne where nothing defiling enters. When parents treat children as purchased by Christ's blood and patiently and firmly train and discipline them for Him with love and forbearance, the children stand pure and undefiled before God, become a crown of rejoicing and bright lights in the world fitted for God's work, while neglected children become corrupt and defiled; and sons and daughters so trained in the home are fitted to shine through their work for God.

Ministers, physicians, teachers, students, sanitarium and publishing workers and all laborers shine by superior, exact and faithful work, bringing high principles into the work and holding forth the word of life, for without that faithfulness there is no light amid moral darkness. Cold, formal, unbelieving labor is a deep offense to the Spirit of God and fails to reflect this witness of living blamelessly and harmlessly without reproach among a crooked and perverse people and doing all things without murmuring or disputing. Conduct and influence must not lead others astray, and blamelessness requires accepting counsel and discipline rather than defending faults. Putting the Word into practice makes believers lights whose influence reveals reverence for God and service under His direction in a humble, careful life marked by love, patience, long-suffering and gentleness. Physicians, teachers, superintendents, officeholders and helpers are under solemn obligation by example and teaching, with zeal and burning love for souls, to reflect light and lead upward away from prevailing errors of a perverse generation as true disciples constantly learning and teaching in Christ's school, bringing minds into harmony with God's mind for glory, honor and immortality; to neglect this for selfish plans is to be a false guide, while sharing the knowledge of Christ's love through the Spirit abundantly given to those who ask in faith leads others to piety and devotion instead of leaving them in darkness.

Believers remain in the world but distinct from its customs and practices, drawing near to God and revealing His will, standing apart from moral darkness like stars so others may see good works, come to the light and glorify God. Their lives and character display God's goodness, mercy, justice and love so the world can see His character in them, and when His law is exemplified they show the superiority of loving, fearing and serving Him, living as His children with untainted morals among a corrupt people as His representatives claimed as sons and daughters before world, angels and men. This requires the mark of God's people in meekness and lowliness like Christ, in self-denial, purity, holiness and separation from the world, with pure thoughts, noble words and actions shaped by the gospel, communicating light to everyone met and becoming a praise on earth. Those who spend all on dress, concerts and personal pleasure conform to the world, have the same influence as the world, show they are not Christians and cannot give that light, for conformity prevents witness.

Lamps are kept burning by daily conversion, earnest prayer, watchfulness, entire consecration and diligent growth in faith, love and knowledge, with powers trained and consecrated for service in preparation for the coming day of trial. A thorough reformation sought through earnest prayer and dependence on God produces the fruits of the Spirit that make witness possible, so Christians help and bless the cause rather than hinder it, and feeble faith needs reminders of this calling lest it die. Walking humbly with God and steadily following truth leads to an experience that benefits others, faithfully using light and gifts according to grace received and meeting the responsibilities truth places on them, for refusing to walk in the light makes it darkness. Influence is thus to make those around wiser, purer and happier, a savor of life unto life for time and eternity. This includes putting confidence in the ministers of the conference and officers of the church, drawing nigh to brethren, loving them fervently with a true heart, encouraging faithful bearing of responsibilities in the fear of God, and being an example in word, conduct, charity, spirit, faith and purity.