Does God Command Us to Do All Things Without Complaining?
I heard it mentioned in a sermon that Christians should do all things without complaining. Is this actually a command from God Himself or an expression of legalism?
You heard correctly. Philippians 2:14 gives us a bold imperative: Do all things without grumbling or arguing. In some of our English Bible versions, the word grumbling is translated as “complaining.” Grumbling is rooted in an attitude of resentment toward God about life circumstances. Even though the resentment is Godward, we often express our displeasure with negative comments about other people, most often behind their backs. Ironically, this grumbling drips from the redeemed lips of God’s people, even in the hallways and parking lots of churches. Some Christians may underestimate the damage that complaining does, but it hinders the cause of Christ and hurts people in the process.
BY Dr. Winfred O. Neely
Dr. Winfred Neely is Vice President and Dean of Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School. An ordained minister, Winfred has served churches across the city of Chicago, the near west suburbs, and Senegal, West Africa. He is the author of How to Overcome Worry (Moody Publishers) and a contributor to the Moody Bible Commentary and Moody Handbook of Preaching. Winfred and his wife Stephne have been married for forty years and have four adult children and nine grandchildren.