Bible Class: Lesson 34

What is complaining?

Complaining is a form of communication that expresses dissatisfaction and displeasure about a person or something. It is to make a formal accusation or bringing a formal charge about something or someone. The dissatisfaction maybe objective and based of facts, or it can be subjective and based on how a person feels or thinks.

What is murmuring?

Murmuring is to speak or make low, indistinguishable noise; to grumble, to mumble and mutter accusation of displeasure.  Both complaining and murmuring are used in some scriptures to refer to the same thing.

What is grumbling?

Grumbling is to complain about someone or something in an annoyed way, to murmur, to utter low, indistinct sounds, to mutter in discontent and to show strong disagreement.

What is disagreeing?

Disagreeing is to have a stated objection, to hold a different position, to see, interpret or understand things differently. A disagreement may be right or wrong. Disagreements may affect peace between persons. Two sisters in Philippi had a disagreement. Paul encouraged them to unite. How can simple disagreements, if not resolved, affect friendship and the peace of a congregation?

• Philippians 4:2
  I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
• Romans 12:18
  If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

What is criticizing

Criticizing is the expression of disapproval of someone or something, based on perceived faults or mistakes. It can take the form of analysis and judgement of the merits and faults of what is done and spoken. Criticism can be positive with the intent to help and correct, but it can be negative and destructive.

What is arguing?

Arguing is exchanging diverging or opposing views. These views can be heated or in anger. Arguments can be controversial, confrontational, divisive, have strong differences and quarrelsome. Uncontrolled arguments have created conflicts, divided and destroyed churches.

• Titus 3:9
  But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
• James 4:1
  What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
• 1 Timothy 6:3-4
  If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and disputes about words, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions
• John 3.25
  An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.

Similarities and differences of words

Some of these words are closely related. They have different shades of meaning, depending in the context that they are used. However, one can be used in the place of another. Bible translators have used complaining, grumbling and murmuring to mean the same.

• John 6:61 (NIV)
  Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?
• John 6:61 (NKJV)
  When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?

Keeping the unity

Unity is important in the survival of the home, relationship, church, school and society and government. A house that is divided cannot survive. Constant murmuring, grumbling, complaining, criticizing, arguing and disagreeing will affect any group, and will cause its downfall and destruction.

• Ephesians 4:3
  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
• Mark 3:25
  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

The negative aspect of criticism

Persons who engage in negative criticism can have their minds set to look for; mistakes, faults, dot i’s and cross t’s, and be judgemental. They can miss the good that was intended of what is said and done. Things do not please and satisfy critical people. The Pharisees were critical of Jesus. The Corinthians were critical of Paul.

• Luke 7:33-34
• For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
• 1 Corinthians 9:1-3
• Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely, I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.

Why do people complain and murmur?

People may complain and murmur for different reasons. People complain and murmur because they have a just and legitimate reason. Some may do it out of; anger, grudge, hate, malice, jealousy and bitterness.

The negative of complaining

Persons who are engaged in constant complaining will develop a negative mindset. They will see the dark grey skies, the sun, stars and moon will not shine in their eyes. They will become discouragers and not encouragers. Things cannot be done or will never be done. They see all the impossibilities in life. They often have an inferiority complex. The ten spices saw all the bad things in the land. Their negative mindset caused them to see giants and grasshoppers. They presented an evil report when they made their report to Moses and Aaron

• Numbers 13:26-31
  They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”
• Deuteronomy 1:26-28
  But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, “The LORD hates us; so, he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”