Complaining by: Frances M. McCrory-Meservy 19 Nov 2014
Is it a sin to Complain? It's according to the circumstances, your attitude, your motive and if in the end, if you are willing to accept God's will in your life. It can be complicated.
In Matthew God's people are complaining that some labored long and hard and received the same pay as the one who only worked an hour. Jesus chastised the jealous person and asked him if He had the right to decide someone's pay. Jesus recognized the problem was jealousy which is a sin. Is life fair? I think Jesus also answered that question. He also is saying we should not care what the other man is given. Most businesses do not want their employees to talk about what they are paid, because of this. If you agree to work for a certain amount, you should not complain if someone else agreed to more and visa versa. We should mind our own business and accept what God has given us without complaining. So I believe we should never complain about what we perceive as disparity.
In John Jesus is saying He is the bread of life and His blood is the wine. Many of his decuples complained about this saying and even though Jesus explained how it applied spiritually, many could not accept it and left Him. So sometimes if we don't understand something, we can complain about it to Jesus and ask Him to reveal the truth to us. He does not mind those questions. His Disciples asked questions so they could learn. When I question Jesus about something, He always reveals the truth to me. Sometimes He does it immediately and other times it has been years later; but I know He will show me when I need it the most. So on this one I believe we are safe to complain.
When people complain to each other about someone instead of to the person because they are afraid of someone else or the person themselves, they will never know the truth and the truth is the only thing that sets us free. In this case it comes across as rumors and gossip because the one who knows the answer is never consulted. We learn nothing with this behavior and it is absolutely wrong to participate in this type of behavior. This is a classic example of how Satan uses fear to cause us to sin.
Many times we find ourselves facing difficulties that are hard to bear. During these times we complain and that's OK if we complain to God and ask Him if we can avoid this in our lives. That's what Jesus did in the garden; but he was also willing to accept God's call on His life. In the end we have to be willing to accept God's will without further complaint. That can be hard but I promise you that if you do not accept it you will be miserable and if you accept it, you will be joyful. Until you make the right decision, you will be in turmoil.
If the Church is not doing it's job, we should complain to them so they have the opportunity to do what is right. When anyone is doing something wrong, we should in love let them know it. You can't change what you don't know. But know that the church's main job is to take care of the widows and orphans, poor, needy, homeless, sick and people in prison. After that, the sermon and music. We have it so backwards today. So yes it is OK to complain about that to the church - not to each other or the world. When people are homeless, hungry and/or in rags, you can bet they are praying to God for help. And God listens to their prayers.
Don't complain about the things that God has given us. Be thankful and content with what we have instead. If we lose everything and have the love of God in our hearts, we have everything. I have lost everything and in it all I found God was there and He and people around me were more important than the things I lost. He blessed me and there was miracles that came out of the Ashes.
If you have a complaint about your brother (literally and figuratively meaning your fellow Christian), forgive him. Don't talk about it or expect him to repent - just forgive him/her. Forgive 70 X 7 if necessary. Forgiveness may make him feel better; but it will make you feel fantastic. When you indulge in unforgiveness, you are not hurting anyone but yourself. Unforgiveness causes you to talk about it to others and pushing love down. The anger that builds will cause you to be literally ill and eat you up like a cancer. Then it will spill over on people who love you and who you love. Anger is a bitter root that causes all kinds of sin. Just forgive so you can love and be joyful again.
Grumblers and complainers, walk according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. I did not say that, God did. So if you know someone who is always grumbling and complaining, they are probably flattering you as well. Beware! If you are just griping to get something, you are out of God's will. It is definitely not a good thing. Stop, pray, ask for prayer; but do not gripe. There is a difference and I promise you that if all you do is complain, no one wants to be around you. God loves you and Christians love you; but you will find yourself alone. If this fits you, you are a taker and need to repent and ask God to forgive you and fill you with his love. So no, the motivation here is totally wrong.
Mat 20:1
"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning
to hire laborers for his vineyard.
Mat 20:2 "Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius's a day, he
sent them into his vineyard.
Mat 20:3 "And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in
the marketplace,
Mat 20:4 "and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is
right I will give you.' So they went.
Mat 20:5 "Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did
likewise.
Mat 20:6 "And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing
idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?'
Mat 20:7 "They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You
also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'
Mat 20:8 "So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his
steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last
to the first.'
Mat 20:9 "And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each
received a denarius.
Mat 20:10 "But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more;
and they likewise received each a denarius.
Mat 20:11 "And when they had received it, they
complained against the landowner,
Mat 20:12 "saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them
equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'
Mat 20:13 "But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no
wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?
Mat 20:14 'Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man
the same as to you.
Mat 20:15 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is
your eye evil because I am good?'
Mat 20:16 "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called,
but few chosen."
1 Th 4:9 But concerning
brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves
are taught by God to love one another;
1 Th 4:10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.
But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
1 Th 4:11 that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to
mind your own business, and to
work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
1 Th 4:12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you
may lack nothing.
1 Th 4:13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who
have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
John 6:61 When Jesus knew
in Himself that His disciples complained
about this, He said to them,
"Does this offend you?
John 6:62 "What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was
before?
John 6:63 "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words
that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:64 "But there are some of you who do not believe."
For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were
who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
John 6:65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me
unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
John 6:66 From that time many of His
disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
John 6:67 Then Jesus said to the twelve,
"Do you also want to go away?"
John 6:68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the
words of eternal life.
John 6:69 "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the
Son of the living God."
John 6:70 Jesus answered them,
"Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
John 7:12 And there was
much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, "He is good";
others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people."
John 7:13 However, no one spoke openly of
Him for fear of the Jews.
1 Tim 5:13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
Mat 26:39 He went a little
farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My
Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
Mat 26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said
to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Mat 26:41 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into
temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
Mat 26:42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O
My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be
done."
Mat 26:43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were
heavy.
Mat 26:44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying
the same words.
Mat 26:45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them,
"Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of
Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Luke 10:2 Then He said to
them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are
few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His
harvest.
Luke 10:3 "Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.
Acts 6:1 Now in those days,
when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a
complaint against the Hebrews by
the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It
is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
Acts 6:3 "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good
reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business;
Acts 6:4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry
of the word."
Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a
man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
Acts 6:6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid
hands on them.
Acts 6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied
greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the
faith.
Acts 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among
the people.
Ezek 16:46-50 Your older
sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your
younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. You
not only walked in their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all
your ways you soon became more depraved than they. As surely as I live, declares
the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and
your daughters have done.
Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant,
overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They
were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them
as you have seen.
Gen 18:20-21 And the LORD said, "
Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their
sin is very grave, "I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether
according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.
Mat 25:33
"And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world:
Mat 25:35 'for I was hungry and you gave
Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me
in;
Mat 25:36 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was
in prison and you came to Me.'
Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see
You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
Mat 25:38 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe
You?
Mat 25:39 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
Mat 25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to
Me.'
Mat 25:41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you
cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave
Me no drink;
Mat 25:43 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not
clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
Mat 25:44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not
minister to You?'
Mat 25:45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch
as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
Mat 25:46 "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous
into eternal life."
1 Cor 10:6 Now these things
became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as
they also lusted.
1 Cor 10:7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written,
"The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."
1 Cor 10:8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one
day twenty-three thousand fell;
1 Cor 10:9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were
destroyed by serpents;
1 Cor 10:10 nor complain, as some
of them also complained, and were
destroyed by the destroyer.
1 Cor 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
1 Cor 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but
God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able
to bear it.
1 Cor 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
Luke 3:14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."
Phil 4:10 But I rejoiced in
the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though
you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
Phil 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever
state I am, to be content:
Phil 4:12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in
all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
to suffer need.
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Phil 4:14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.
1 Tim 6:6 Now godliness
with contentment is great gain.
1 Tim 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out.
1 Tim 6:8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be
content.
1 Tim 6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a
snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition.
1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some
have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.
Col 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender
mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a
complaint against another; even
as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Col 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of
perfection.
Mat 18:21 Then Peter came
to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive
him? Up to seven times?"
Mat 18:22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to
seven times, but up to seventy times
seven.
Mat 18:23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who
wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
Mat 18:24 "And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who
owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25 "But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold,
with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.
Mat 18:26 "The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have
patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
Mat 18:27 "Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released
him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who
owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat,
saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'
Mat 18:29 "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying,
'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'
Mat 18:30 "And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should
pay the debt.
Mat 18:31 "So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very
grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.
Mat 18:32 "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked
servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.
Mat 18:33 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just
as I had pity on you?'
Mat 18:34 "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he
should pay all that was due to him.
Mat 18:35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his
heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."
Jude 1:14 Now Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord
comes with ten thousands of His saints,
Jude 1:15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them
of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of
all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Jude 1:16 These are grumblers,
complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great
swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
Jude 1:17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the
apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Jude 1:18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who
would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
Jude 1:19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit,
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jude 1:22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;
Jude 1:23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even
the garment defiled by the flesh.
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you
faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Jude 1:25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion
and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
James 5:9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
Mat 7:6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.