The word translated “ harmless" (vs. 15) means innocent, pure or without mixture. It is used in con nection with metals when a crafts man speaks of pure gold or pure silver. It is also used in the prep aration of pure clay for making pottery. Even so we are to be abso lutely pure before men. We are not to say one thing and do another. This good inward characteristic of being harmless has an outward ex pression of being blameless. Be cause our minds are to be innocent so our conduct is to be above re proach. There is to be nothing in our lives that will give occasion for scandal. We are to be like Dan iel who lived in the midst of an ungodly world. The Babylon of his day was as ungodly a place as one could imagine. The prophet lived for God in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. He lived in a king's palace. When his enemies tried to do away with him they could find no fault except his wor ship of the Lord. They tried to have him executed through a law that stipulated that for a certain period no one could ask a favor of either God or man except for King Dar ius. Daniel continued to pray and became a violator of their law. He was thrown to the lions only to be delivered by the hand of God. He was a man of purity and godliness. This is the way we are to live, too. In Ephesians 1:4 Paul says that God has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. This does not mean that there will ever come a time in our lives when we will be without sin. The real spir itual sanctification is in the in creasing realization of how sinful Page 45
consuming purpose is not for per sonal satisfaction. As a child of God we are to live in the midst of the world in com plete submission to the Lord. We carry out our tasks without mur- murings and disputings. Our tes timony is to let us be blameless before other people. We are to be without rebuke as God's own chil dren. As totally committed to Jesus Christ, submission is to be an atti tude of life. God does not want to argue with us. He wants us to lis ten to Him and willingly to do His bidding. The human heart, natur ally speaking, is in rebellion against the Lord. As believers we should not be guilty of disputing God. Murmuring is always synono- mous with rebellion. The word “ murmuring" in Scripture often describes rejection by the people of God's perfect will. This is seen from the Children of Israel during the days of their wandering in the wilderness. They were always com plaining. They murmured and com plained for forty years. When they got to the promised land they were still playing the same tune. Many of us are like that today. Although God blesses us there is always something about life we do not like. Murmuring is a curious word that sounds exactly like its mean ing. It is like such words as hiss or hum. To murmur is the same as saying, "God does not mean what He says." When the Lord says we are to do something then it should be accomplished without com plaining and murmuring. If we trust Him and want to be obedient to His call then we will accept from His hand what is best for us.
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