PHILIPPIANS 2:15-16

(NKJV): “That ye may be blameless and har+mless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world: Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain”.

(CEV): “Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything that they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life. Then on the day when Christ returns, I can take pride in you. I can also know that my work and efforts were not useless”.

As a born-again Christian, you are Righteous in God’s Eyes, but being “blameless” refers to how you are seen in the eyes of men. And how do you remain blameless and pure? Well Paul told us several verses back it’s by having the Mind of Christ as you humbly serve others putting their needs before your own. The original Greek verb tense Paul uses here indicates that this is going will be an ongoing process to remain blameless and pure as a child of God. It means that you continually devote your life to doing God’s will and obeying His commandments. Paul knew the importance of the believers in Philippi to remain blameless and pure, in a world run disorganized with false gods and immoral behavior.

“Holding forth” means to apply, present, or offer, whereas “the word of life” refers to Christ Himself (1 John 1:1) with His Living Word. So, “to hold forth the word of life” means that the believers as children of God present The Living Christ to those around them. When we are filled with these “words of life” by prayerfully reading the Scriptures, we are supposed to present Christ to those around us. This is because the Scriptures and Christ go together: The Scriptures are God’s Living Breath (2 Tim. 3:16). In short, therefore, ‘holding on to the word of life’  means that we have believed and accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord, our only Way, Truth and Life Source.

Our Heavenly Father wants to Encourage us to hold on to the Word of Life. That is the only Way we can make it to The Day of Christ (Jesus’ Second Coming). In his Epistle to the Philippians, Paul explained that for them to be blameless and shine as lights to the world, they must hold on to The Word of Life. He continued that all his labour for them would be in vain if they lost grip on The Word of Life.

We may wonder what at all this Word of Life is. The Word of Life is The Good News of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life: having assurance in His Blessed Lordship over our lives and a Blessed hope of His Second Coming. That is the Gospel.

We know that as we put our trust in Him, He shall not put us to shame on earth. He will also Come back for us, so we live in eternal glory. In this 21st Century, holding on to Christ is not as easy as it sounds. Several challenges may come our way but the joy and peace Christ Places in our hearts are greater. If only we will allow the Holy Spirit to Transform us, we will shine as the lights of the world.

Saints, I have tasted of this Word of Life, and I can assure you that it is worth holding on to. Don’t let all the efforts your pastors and preachers be in vain. Let us all hold on to the Word of life and we will be Crowned with glory.

Dear Father: please Grant me the inner zeal and enthusiasm to serve you to the end. Strengthen me to hold fast to the Word of life and bless me so that I will stand out as the light of my world.

In Jesus’ Name. Amen.