Only true believers of the Lord Jesus, who live according to the Word of God and who repent when they transgress, can be truly “blameless and harmless” (Phil 215). It is not that they will not be blamed by others at all, but that accusations against them will be false as they seek to live their lives free from sin (i.e. blameless). In response to these false accusations, the true believers, without the spirit of vengeance, will not retaliate, but will still do good and show more love and patience (i.e. harmless). If they retaliate, they will not be considered harmless. Instead, they will do “all things without murmurings and disputings” (Phil 2:14).

To murmur is to find fault with others when things do not go one’s way which cause one to have to endure certain hardships or discomforts. To dispute is to argue with another person with the intention of bringing him down. Both murmurings and disputings are negative dispositions which will affect our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as our testimony and witness for Him. This is because when we murmur, we are actually challenging God. It is a reflection of our faithlessness and lack of trust in God as we do not believe that God will “with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13). It also means that we are doing the devil’s work because our murmurings will sow seeds of unhappiness in the lives of our hearers, thereby wrecking their lives and causing them hurt. Murmurings oppose the purpose of the true believer’s life. True believers are salt and light for Christ in this “crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:15). Thus, true believers must seek to be blameless and harmless by not murmuring and disputing.

In order not to murmur or dispute, we must constantly remind ourselves that we, as children of God, bear God’s characteristics, i.e. grace, mercy, longsuffering, forgiveness, love, etc. We bear the image of Christ, and desire to conform to be like Christ more and more as we study and obey His Word. We will be mindful of, and careful with, our words as we speak, nipping any sin in the bud. And when we have fallen short and sinned against God, we must immediately seek His forgiveness and repent of our sin. And, for the sake of our Lord Jesus, we will seek remediation with the person whom we have wronged, seeking his welfare.

By not murmuring and disputing, we can be blameless and harmless, thus the world will see Jesus through our life testimonies as we hold “forth the word of life” (Phil 2:16). To hold “forth” God’s Word means to give attention to God’s Word and live our lives according to His Word. Then we “…have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain” (Phil 2:16). Our lives will be useful and fruitful lives for God, causing others to turn to God.