Murmurings and disputes lead to bigger problems that can divide God’s people and hinder our public testimony. We should earnestly seek to not disappoint God with our attitude and actions as well as words we speak to each other. A believer who thinks he or she is always right and everyone else should accept that as a fact, can stop joy and fellowship very quickly. Moral living and patience maintains peace in an assembly and enables it to be a guiding light in the world. A small light in a strategic location is what is needed to give guidance. One lighthouse on a point of land is a better guide than the bright lights of a busy street. The one shows where to go. The other lights only show where people are, not the place to which they are going. To be a light is really our only relationship to the world. We are to shines as lights among those in the world…: that the Father may be glorified [Mat.5:16]; that the Lord Jesus will be magnified [Phil.1:20]; that we may be lost sight of [Jn.3:30]; that sinners may be saved [Jer.33:8]; that life be not in vain [Phil.2:16].
An assembly is like a guiding star to ships at sea in the darkness. We are to be blameless so no charge can be laid against us as to whether we are scriptural or not. We are also to be harmless, without guile and with sincerity so that grace is evident among God’s people. Grace and truth are two very important characteristics of a New Testament assembly. When the Lord comes and we appear before the judgment seat of Christ, everything will be revealed in its true light. Perhaps even the motives behind an action or word will be considered in the light of the holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
