Philippians 2:14-15 states, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” “That you 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;” The Bible admonishes Christians to be blameless. Without fault; innocent; guiltless; not meriting censure.” We are not talking about being sinless! Free from sin; pure; perfect. We are to be blameless in our conversation or conduct before men and blameless in our conscience before God. Before Paul’s conversion to Christianity he writes about being religious, “Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:6. After his conversion he writes, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.” Acts 24:16. Before his salvation, Paul was blameless outwardly, but not inwardly. Blameless toward the law, but not blameless toward the Lord. To live without offense does not mean to be sinless for that would contradict I John 1:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” God in His mercy has forgiven all those who receive His Son Jesus as Savior and has taken away the penalty.
Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
To be blameless is indeed a high standard of conduct. We live for God and His glory, not to be saved, but because we are saved. Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” II Corinthians 7:1, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Blame shifting is not how to be blameless. Blaming others is not how to be blameless. A father of four boys came home to find them all engaged in something of a free-for-all. Addressing his remarks to the most aggressive of the four, he asked, “Butch, who started this?” “Well, it all started when Harold hit me back,” exclaimed Butch.
Philippians 2:15, “That you 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;” Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” II Thessalonians 1:3, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith growth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”
“Christianity is designed to refine and to soften; to polish off the rudeness and arrogances of our manners and tempers; to make us blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke.” John Jay