I just re-read what I posted yesterday and realize that I really didn't cover how complaining is a sin as thoroughly as I usually do. That's mostly because I'm pretty sure we've covered this before, but I honestly don't remember. It might be that I studied it before and didn't share it here. So if anyone has questions or wants more info about it please feel free to ask.
Now let's try and pull all of those studies together: the ones about taking our thoughts captive and how our thoughts can be sinful; the one about swearing and the one about lies, and finally this about complaining. There are actually several common threads I see running through them all.
The first thread I saw running through all this was that we are to be like little children. You might ask how this relates to the taking our thoughts captive, lies and swearing threads though so I'll try to explain. First let me share one of the verses where Jesus tells us to be like little children:
Matthew 18:3-4 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Let's look for a minute at what characteristics a little child has that the Lord is looking for in us. Here I'm talking about a child of about toddler age who has good loving parents obviously and not someone who's been abused.
First of course a little one loves their parents.
A little child is trusting of their parents. When they have a problem or when they get hurt, they automatically come to their parents, tell them about it and they not only believe that their parents will "fix" it, it doesn't even occur to them that their parents might not! When Mama tells her little one that the doctor is going to give them a shot and that even though it hurts it will help them get better, they trust that their Mama (or daddy) knows what they're talking about and is telling the truth.
A little child believes whatever their parents tell them. If Mama says something's going to happen the next day or whenever, then they expect that's going to happen. It doesn't occur to the little one that Mama might lie.
Little children fear their parents. No, I'm not talking about being fearful as though they think they might get hurt by them. I'm talking about the kind of fear that the bible says is good-godly fear. That kind of fear could translate into meaning having respect for them, love, feeling awe of them, a reverence, a desire to please them, a feeling that they are above them and deserve honor etc. However, there is, as my oldest daughter pointed out to me, an aspect of that fear that does mean "being scared". As she said, a little child wants to please their parents for all the above reasons, but when they don't obey, the do feel afraid because they know that their parent is going to punish them and rightly so.
A little one would never consider not revealing everything to their parents. In fact, they usually can't wait to tell them in every bit as much detail as their vocabularies will allow, all that they've experienced that day. (once they learn to talk, it's getting them to stop that's the problem LOL)
Little children want to please their parents so they mimic their parents and generally obey them too. That's how little ones learn to talk, to walk, to feed themselves etc. They copy their parents and do what their parents tell them to do. Not only that, but they do it joyfully! Can you picture a parent with their arms outstretched to their little one, saying, "come to mama, walk to mama!"; and the little one tries to take their first tentative steps, knowing mama and daddy won't let them get hurt. Notice that the "almost" toddler doesn't require long explanations from their parents about how they really can do this, and that they really should trust them, and they need to be obedient etc.
I'm sure there are more, but I'm running out of time here lol. These are the things our Lord was telling us that we need to go back to being once we're born again. These are the attributes we're to have toward Him and our Heavenly Father. I don't think it was any accident that our Lord told us to call our Heavenly Father, "daddy" either.
Romans 8:15-16 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
Ok, so now let's take those attributes of a child and see how they relate to us in our relationship with God. These attributes of how a little one is toward their parents are describing how our relationship with our heavenly Father should be.
I'm really running out of time today so I'll have to finish this part on Tuesday I'm afraid. Before I go though let me give you all some verses that show how we need these attributes in our relationship with God. That way we'll have something to reflect on till Tuesday anyway!
Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths.
Proverbs 28:13-14 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 5:9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Complaining & How it all comes together
Now let's try and pull all of those studies together: the ones about taking our thoughts captive and how our thoughts can be sinful; the one about swearing and the one about lies, and finally this about complaining. There are actually several common threads I see running through them all.
The first thread I saw running through all this was that we are to be like little children. You might ask how this relates to the taking our thoughts captive, lies and swearing threads though so I'll try to explain. First let me share one of the verses where Jesus tells us to be like little children:
Matthew 18:3-4 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Let's look for a minute at what characteristics a little child has that the Lord is looking for in us. Here I'm talking about a child of about toddler age who has good loving parents obviously and not someone who's been abused.
First of course a little one loves their parents.
A little child is trusting of their parents. When they have a problem or when they get hurt, they automatically come to their parents, tell them about it and they not only believe that their parents will "fix" it, it doesn't even occur to them that their parents might not! When Mama tells her little one that the doctor is going to give them a shot and that even though it hurts it will help them get better, they trust that their Mama (or daddy) knows what they're talking about and is telling the truth.
A little child believes whatever their parents tell them. If Mama says something's going to happen the next day or whenever, then they expect that's going to happen. It doesn't occur to the little one that Mama might lie.
Little children fear their parents. No, I'm not talking about being fearful as though they think they might get hurt by them. I'm talking about the kind of fear that the bible says is good-godly fear. That kind of fear could translate into meaning having respect for them, love, feeling awe of them, a reverence, a desire to please them, a feeling that they are above them and deserve honor etc. However, there is, as my oldest daughter pointed out to me, an aspect of that fear that does mean "being scared". As she said, a little child wants to please their parents for all the above reasons, but when they don't obey, the do feel afraid because they know that their parent is going to punish them and rightly so.
A little one would never consider not revealing everything to their parents. In fact, they usually can't wait to tell them in every bit as much detail as their vocabularies will allow, all that they've experienced that day. (once they learn to talk, it's getting them to stop that's the problem LOL)
Little children want to please their parents so they mimic their parents and generally obey them too. That's how little ones learn to talk, to walk, to feed themselves etc. They copy their parents and do what their parents tell them to do. Not only that, but they do it joyfully! Can you picture a parent with their arms outstretched to their little one, saying, "come to mama, walk to mama!"; and the little one tries to take their first tentative steps, knowing mama and daddy won't let them get hurt. Notice that the "almost" toddler doesn't require long explanations from their parents about how they really can do this, and that they really should trust them, and they need to be obedient etc.
I'm sure there are more, but I'm running out of time here lol. These are the things our Lord was telling us that we need to go back to being once we're born again. These are the attributes we're to have toward Him and our Heavenly Father. I don't think it was any accident that our Lord told us to call our Heavenly Father, "daddy" either.
Romans 8:15-16 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
Galatians 4:6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
The word “Abba” is the Aramaic word for “Father.” It is the diminutive form used by small children in addressing their fathers. It is appropriate to see its similarity to the English word “Daddy.” Used by Christ (cf. Mark 14:36), this familiar form indicates intimacy and trust as opposed to the formalism of legalism.
The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures Ok, so now let's take those attributes of a child and see how they relate to us in our relationship with God. These attributes of how a little one is toward their parents are describing how our relationship with our heavenly Father should be.
- loves
- Trusts
- Believes
- fears
- reveals everything, doesn't try to hide things
- pleases
- mimics
- joyfully obeys
I'm really running out of time today so I'll have to finish this part on Tuesday I'm afraid. Before I go though let me give you all some verses that show how we need these attributes in our relationship with God. That way we'll have something to reflect on till Tuesday anyway!
Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 5:21 For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths.
Proverbs 28:13-14 He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 5:9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.
Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
