“Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:1-2 ESV
It is largely accepted that Paul is the author of this letter, even though he includes Timothy. Perhaps Paul is the one who wrote the letter, but on behalf of himself and Timothy. But however that worked, the message is still the same, and it is the message that we want to focus on here.
And who was this letter written to? The saints in Christ Jesus, more specifically to those in Philippi, but the truths written here can largely apply to all the saints of God down through the ages, which is why these letters were preserved for us, the saints of God, from then until now and beyond.
And who are the saints in Christ Jesus? We are all those who have been set apart by and for God to be his holy people. And as his holy people we are to be those who are living separate (unlike, different) from the world because we are being conformed by God to the likeness of character of Jesus Christ.
And what is God’s grace to us? It is his favor, his kindness to us in sending Jesus Christ to the earth to die on a cross for our sins so that we, by faith in him, can be crucified with Christ in death to sin, and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteous (1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:1-23).
For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, trains (instructs) us to renounce (say “No” to) ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live upright, godly, and self-controlled lives in the power of God while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ gave himself up for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 2:8-10).
Therefore, these words written here are for a very specific group of people, perhaps in some cases only for the saints in Philippi at that time in history, but more broadly for the saints of God of all time in history.
So, these words are not to be applied to everyone who makes a verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ, for not everyone who gives lip service to the Lord is truly one of his saints. Many are those today professing faith in Jesus Christ who have not died with Christ to their sins and who are not walking in holiness and in righteousness and in obedience to the Lord. And according to the Scriptures, they are not the Lord’s true saints, nor are they children of God. So, their professions of faith in Jesus Christ are false.
[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 5:3-6; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 3:4-10]
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-6 ESV
Now, again, this only applies where it applies. First of all we must be the Lord’s saints who have died with him to sin that we might live to him and to his righteousness and who are now being conformed to the likeness of character of Jesus Christ by God, and thus we are no longer patterning our lives after the ways of this sinful world, in practice, but after the ways of God. This doesn’t make us perfect people, but lack of perfection should never be used as an excuse for deliberate and habitual sin.
For the Scriptures make it quite clear that if sin is what we practice, and if righteousness and holiness and obedience to our Lord are not what we practice, that we don’t know God, we are not born of God, and we do not have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. And the reason I am stressing this is that I see far too many people claiming the promises of God over their lives who are living in open and deliberate and habitual rebellion against the Lord and against his commandments (New Covenant).
Now, what does it mean for us to be in partnership with the gospel? It is the same Greek word translated as fellowship (koinonia). And it is defined as “contributory help, participation, sharing in, communion, spiritual fellowship, a fellowship in the Spirit” (source: biblehub.com interlinear).
It also means “relationship, alliance, joint venture, cooperation (teamwork), co-laborers, coworkers, sharing, partaking, and involvement” (thesaurus). So, the gospel of our salvation is something that we have a part in, contrary to what is popularly being taught today. We must contribute to our salvation, not in the sense of doing something in our flesh to try to earn or to deserve our own salvation, but as a love and obedient response to what Jesus did for us in dying with him to sin and living to his righteousness, in his power.
So, when Paul said that he was “sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” he was not applying that to everyone who gives lip service to the Lord but who then continues to walk in sin and not in obedience to the Lord, and not in walks of holiness and righteousness. But many professers of faith in Jesus Christ are applying this to themselves regardless of whether or not they have and are dying with Christ to sin and living to him and to his righteousness in walks of holiness and in obedience to his commands.
So, what is the good work that Jesus Christ began in the lives of his true saints? Jesus said that to come after him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin) and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for his sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, then we have the hope of eternal life with God. For he also said that not everyone who says to him, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one DOING the will of God the Father (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
And where does this faith come from which is required for salvation? It comes from God, it is authored and perfected by Jesus Christ, it is gifted to us by God, it is not of our own doing, it is not of the will of man nor of the will of the flesh, but it is persuaded of God. And the Scriptures teach it as dying with Christ to sin and living to him and to his righteousness, to walk now in newness of life in him, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Thus sin is no longer to be our practice, but righteousness and obedience to our Lord are to be our practice, what we live by.
[Hebrews 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; 1 Peter 2:24; Romans 6:1-23; Ephesians 4:17-24; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 9:23-26]
Seek the Lord
An Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
https://vimeo.com/379408296
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