Saturday, June 5, 2021

Philippians 2:12

Philippians 2:12 says, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  Paul said the Christians at Philippi had always obeyed God.  Paul said that they did this not only when he was present, which might have been done simply to impress him, but when he was absent as well.  He then called on them to work out their own salvation, which did not mean create their own salvation plan, but meant for them to grow in Christ without him.  They were to do so with fear and trembling or understanding the importance of their salvation.  We cannot rely on anyone or anything to bring us salvation but Jesus Christ, and once we accept Him as our Savior and Lord, we must then individually grow in our faith.  Verse thirteen adds, For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Paul told them this was true because it was God Who worked in them to do what was pleasing to Him, and not Paul.  We are to acknowledge that God alone saves us, and not the person who may have led us to Christ.  Verse fourteen states, Do all things without murmurings and disputings:  Paul really didn't say do some things, or even things related to the church, without murmurings and disputings, but to do all things without them.  I believe we sometimes want to separate the world into spiritual and material, but as Christians we should live every moment of our life under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and there is no separation.  What we do when we are out in the world should be guided by God just as much as what we do when we are gathered to worship Him.  Verse fifteen adds, That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;  What Paul said here I believe further reinforces the fact that he was speaking of every aspect of our life.  The crooked and perverse nation may not really note what we do when we are gathered together in worship, but when we are out among them they should see the shining light of Jesus in our lives.  Verse sixteen declares, Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  Paul called on them to hold on to the word of life, salvation through Jesus Christ, so that his witnessing and teaching them would not have been in vain.  If they were only trying to please Paul or were putting their faith in him instead of God and lost their faith when he wasn't there, then his work would have been for nothing.  Our faith must never be in a preacher or teacher but must always be in Christ alone.  Verse seventeen adds, Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.  Paul said that if he was offered up because of his witnessing to them that he would still rejoice in them.  Whatever happens to us because of our faith, we should rejoice in our fellow believers.  They will be the ones to continue God's work.  Verse eighteen continues, For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.  Paul said because of their faith that they were to rejoice in him also, no matter what his situation in the world might be.  We are to rejoice in and with our fellow Christians today, no matter what their situation in the world might be.  Verse nineteen says, But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.  Paul said that he trusted that God would allow him to send Timothy to them so that he could get a first-hand report of how they were doing as they followed Christ, and not how they were doing as they followed Paul.  Paul wasn't concerned with how their faith made him look, but with how their faith glorified Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty adds, For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.  Paul said he had no one else but Timothy to send who was likeminded with him about the spiritual welfare of the Christians at Philippi.  

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