The Work that God Has Begun

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Scripture

Phil. 1:6 I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. 

Observation

This letter is written to the church in Philippi and Paul is confident of the work that God has been doing in and through the church. He firmly believes that God will continue to carry on that work and bring it to “glorious completion when Christ returns.” (Flemming, NBBC) He is confident, not because his trust is in the power of the people, but in the faithfulness of God. This is an incredible affirmation for a church facing numerous challenges, and Paul wants to remind them that “God has in Christ both guaranteed their future and blessed their present situation in Philippi.” (NICNT) This is about the work that God has begun. 

Application

Our journey from Easter to Pentecost continues in this season of COVID-19. The church is facing challenges that are unique to the current situation. Blog posts abound with lists of things which we are to consider. A recent twitter conversation was pondering the demise of the church as a result of this season. It appears that many are underestimating to whom this church really belongs!

If we think that the church rises or falls on our own human abilities, then we are missing something, or we have bought into the secular humanism of our day. If we think that the future of Christianity is all about our ability to do the best on-line services, or to figure out on-line giving, then we are sorely mistaken, and we have put our trust in ourselves and not in God. Sure, there are ways in which the church needs to adapt, but to place too much emphasis upon our human activity is to leave God out of the equation. 

Whether we are in the season of a pandemic or not, our trust must be in God alone. Through all the centuries of history the church has faced many challenges, but has never met her demise. If anything, the church has grown and become stronger when faced with difficulties. That, I believe, is the mystery of putting our trust in God. Paul’s confidence was not in the people of Philippi, but in the God in whom they had put their trust. He believed in God’s trustworthiness and ability to complete that which He had started. This is God’s church, not ours! 

The good work of God in their lives resulted in good works in the world. God initiated salvation for humanity — not the other way around. God’s prevenient grace continues to work and move in our world and true salvation must lead to transformation, or it’s not worthy of being called salvation! God’s good work moves ahead of us and we are then drawn toward participation in God’s saving activity. This activity will continue until the very end — God will not abandon his people or his church along the way because it is not within his character to do so. Paul is confident because he knows God in Christ intimately. 

Our trust is in God who has begun this work. 

Prayer

Lord, I seek you and your face this day. May my confidence and trust be in you and not in the human systems that we have created. This life that I live, and the church that I serve, they are yours. I trust in you! Amen. 

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