The Work of God (Philippians 1:6; 2:13; 3:21)

“… being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)
“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)“For our conversation is in heaven; from whencealso we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

 

These three verses from the first three chapters of Philippians deal with the subject of the divine work being done in the life of the believer. In chapter 1, we learn about the beginning of this work. In chapter 2, we learn about the maintenance of this work. In chapter 3, we learn about the conclusion of this work.

The simple thought that I want to note is that it is God (not me!) who is seen as the worker in each of these verses. God’s great desire is that we be confirmed to the image of Christ, and He was the one who began the work in our hearts on the day that we were saved. No true saint would dare suggest otherwise! Salvation is a work of God alone. And like the work done in the saints at Philippi, God’s work in my hearts began on “the first day” (1:5) that I trusted Him and will continue until “the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6).

But here is where I became confused as a young believer. I knew that God had begun the work in saving me, yet I thought that I was responsible for continuing that work of conformity to Christ. And so I sought to be conformed to Christ through self-discipline, prayer, fasting, self effort, and commitment after commitment. This was a most frustrating time in my life, as God showed me my utter inability to work this out in the power of the flesh. Philippians 2:13 was one of the key verses that spoke to my heart and drove home the truth of Scripture to my soul. “It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. “

I realized that I had only appreciated half of the truth of salvation. I was living in the good of Ephesians 2, “for by grace are ye saved through faith”, but I had fallen short of appreciating the truth of Romans 1, Hebrews 10, and Galatians 3, “the just shall live by faith.”

The Lord needed to teach me an important lesson: Just as the work of God in my life was not begun in self-effort, so it can not be maintained or furthered by self effort. Just as I was brought to Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit, so I must go forth in service for Christ in the power of His Spirit alone. Just as I was saved by looking off unto Christ, so I must live by continuing to look off unto him to meet my every need.

This is a critical truth for Christian living. You are as helpless to live the Christian life as you were to obtain it. Your only hope is what it ever was, complete dependence upon Christ for each and every need.

Finally, Paul concludes the truth in chapter 3. We have seen that the work of God in our hearts is begun by God alone (1:6), and furthered by God alone (2:13), but here we learn that it will be completed by God alone (3:21).

The great power by which God will subdue all things to himself is the same power that will work in us and conform us to Christ in the day of his appearing. It is this thought of being with Christ and being like him that ought to turn our eyes each day toward heaven, the place “from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (3:20).

What a marvelous day that will be when he appears. Writes Paul, “He shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body” (3:21). “This mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53). This body which which is filled with corruption will be “raised in incorruption” (15:42). This body of dishonour will be “raised in glory” (15:43). This body of weakness will be “raised in power” (15:43). And just “As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (15:49).

Simply stated, “we shall be changed” (15:52). And how quickly the work will be completed! “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump:” (15:52). But perhaps the dearest of all Scriptures regarding this is 1 John 3:2. “…It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Let this thought cheer your heart today. God has begun a great work in your heart on the day that you were saved (1:6). Even today, He continues that great work in your life, willing and working according to his good pleasure (2:13). One day soon,  he will suddenly complete that same work, in an exhibition of his great power, conforming us in an instant to be like Christ and gathering us to himself (3:21). Lord, haste the day.

This article is part of the “Fridays in Philippians” series of synchroblogs.