In Part I we talked about how God desires for us to be blameless in all we do and to strive for a spirit of excellence to glorify Him and not bring reproach upon His good name.
In closing, I mentioned two messages I heard from two different teachers from two different churches on the same day. By the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they spoke of the same theme. Living a life without fault. Here are the two passages of scripture that were brought forth in teaching us how God would have us live and the character He desires us to have in this life.
Passage One
The first passage was shared by a guest speaker, a fellow brother who goes to work everyday just like the rest of us. Her is what he shared.
Philippians 2:12-16
"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 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."
Several main points came home to me as God spoke to my heart about these things I need to solidify in my life and in my walk with Him.
1. Do all you can to work out your salvation in reverent fear. Why?
Because it is God himself who dwells in you and He is working in you to both 'will' and 'do' of His good pleasure. In Matthew Henry's commentary, he remarks the following;
"And work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for he worketh in you.' All our working depends upon his working in us. "Do not trifle with God by neglects and delays, lest you provoke him to withdraw his help, and all your endeavours prove in vain. Work with fear, for he works of his good pleasure.'-To will and to do: he gives the whole ability. It is the grace of God which inclines the will to that which is good: and then enables us to perform it, and to act according to our principles. Thou hast wrought all our works in us, Isa. 26:12. Of his good pleasure. As there is no strength in us, so there is no merit in us. As we cannot act without God's grace, so we cannot claim it, nor pretend to deserve it. God's good will to us is the cause of his good work in us; and he is under no engagements to his creatures, but those of his gracious promise."
Secondly;
2. Live in such a way that you are totally without fault and without offense to others.
Are we striving to do everything, when we go to work and go about our daily life, to the best of our ability. Are we doing everything we put our hand to completely and thoroughly so there can be no mistake or excuse why something was overlooked or forgotten?
Does the work you do reflect quality and perfection so it reflects God's glory? Are we taking that extra pain and toil to do a little more than everyone else in the world? Dotting every 'i' and crossing every 't'? Taking the extra time and effort to do your job and your everyday work, whatever it may be, with excellence and precision?
This is how God wants us to do everything in life to bring glory to His name. The name you claim and bear. Like taking the time and pain in reading this whole article to see if there is something God's want you to know or hear. Searching your own heart and reviewing your own life and work to see if you have fallen short.
He is a few words from Matthew Henry's commentary about this matter;
"The apostle exhorts them in these verses to adorn their Christian profession by a suitable temper and behaviour, in several instances.
1. By a cheerful obedience to the commands of God (v. 14):
"Do all things, do your duty in every branch of it, without murmurings. Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind your work, and do not quarrel with it.'
God's commands were given to be obeyed, not to be disputed. This greatly adorns our profession, and shows we serve a good Master, whose service is freedom and whose work is its own reward.
2. By peaceableness and love one to another.
"Do all things without disputing, wrangling, and debating one another; because the light of truth and the life of religion are often lost in the heats and mists of disputation.'
3. By a blameless conversation towards all men (v. 15):
"That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke; that you be not injurious to any in word or deed, and give no just occasion of offence.'
We should endeavour not only to be harmless, but to be blameless; not only not to do hurt, but not to come under the just suspicion of it. Blameless and sincere; so some read it. Blameless before men, sincere towards God. The sons of God. It becomes those to be blameless and harmless who stand in such a relation, and are favoured with such a privilege. The children of God should differ from the sons of men.
Without rebuke - amoµmeµta. Momus was a carping deity among the Greeks, mentioned by Hesiod and Lucian, who did nothing himself, and found fault with every body and every thing. From him all carpers at other men, and rigid censurers of their works, were called Momi. The sense of the expression is, "Walk so circumspectly that Momus himself may have no occasion to cavil at you, that the severest censurer may find no fault with you.'
We should aim and endeavour, not only to get to heaven, but to get thither without a blot; and, like Demetrius, to have a good report of all men, and of the truth, 3 Jn. 12. In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; that is, among the heathens, and those who are without.
Observe, Where there is no true religion, little is to be expected but crookedness and perverseness; and the more crooked and perverse others are among whom we live, and the more apt to cavil, the more careful we should be to keep ourselves blameless and harmless. Abraham and Lot must not strive, because the Canaanite and Perizzite dwelt in the land, Gen. 13:7."
Passage Two
The second passage of scripture was brought forth by a Pastor at the second church I attended that same morning. And guess what the title of His message was? "A Spirit of Excellence".
He shared on the scripture in Daniel 6, I will not write out the scripture here but let you look it up and read it. The background of the story is that King Darius choose 120 princes to watch over his kingdom. Then he appointed three presidents to oversee the 120 princes and they reported back to the presidents so that King Darius would have no damages to his kingdom.
Daniel was preferred over the other two presidents and all the other princes. Do you know why? Because he has a 'spirit of excellence' in Him. I wonder who and what this spirit of excellence was? Stop and give that a though for a few minutes.
Daniel 6:3 "Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm."
Now the king though of putting Daniel head over the whole kingdom because of this and the other presidents and princes where jealous and sought to find something wrong with Daniel so they could accuse him of something and bring it to the king in hopes that the king would find fault with Daniel and then fall out of favor with the king.
Let's see what those jealous men found out about Daniel.
Daniel 6:4-5 "Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
You get the picture? I think there is no explanation needed and these verses speak for themselves clearly.
Then the story goes on how they hatched a plan against Daniel to try to get him killed. ou can read the chapter if you are not familiar with the story.
I will just draw your attention to one more detail about Daniel. Not only was he faultless, he also was courageous and bold. After his enemies tricked the king into signing a decree, a royal law, that if any man petitioned a God or another man in the next 30 days, they were to be thrown into the lions den. Pretty silly law, don't you think?
The point? Once Daniel found out about this law, he continued to pray and petition God as he always done, regardless of the danger, and did so in an open window in view of the public. Very bold and very couragous to say the least.
I hope and pray you find these scriptures challenging as I did. That you will heed the call and out of joy in obedience, strive to be excellent in all you do. Remember, it is God's Spirit who dwells in you and He is that Spirit of Excellence. Surrender yourself to Him and ask Him to do this work in you.
And what is the cause and reason? As we said before, to bring Glory to God and His name. But there is a second reason. It can be found in Philipians 2:15 and 16.
Philipians 2:15-16 "That ye may be blameless and harmless, 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."
We must remember also, we are being watched and we are lights in this world. We have a duty to hold forth the word of life to others. To shine for Jesus and to shine 'Jesus' to others.
Be excellent and shine.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.