Philippians 1:6, commentary and pictures

He who has begun a good work in believers will carry it on and complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. That day is the day of His appearing, His second appearing, which believers keep constantly in view. The good work is the work of salvation, sanctification and redemption, forming believers anew in Christ, restoring God's moral image in them, perfecting Christian character after the divine pattern unto the full stature of Christ, and crowning grace with glory in His kingdom. He performs it by Christ and the Holy Spirit dwelling within through union with Christ and daily receiving of His life and grace, yet its completion requires willing human cooperation in yielding wholly to God, working out salvation, living by light already given, and pressing forward perseveringly unto mature overcomers. So the promise gives confidence to those striving against temptation, in fierce inward battle, and in shortcomings, weakness, sickness and hardship, that they are not cast off but are watched and aided by a mighty Helper who restores, heals, strengthens for victory and makes them more than conquerors as they stand, obey, trust and pray perseveringly.

Promise and Philippian Setting

The one who has begun a good work in believers will perform and complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. The good work begun is continued without failing or cause for discouragement, Christ himself being the beginning and the end of the life work laid out, with what is needed provided for continued growth in grace and spiritual knowledge. For those striving against temptation and in danger of falling, this gives confidence for the struggle to overcome.

Paul's confidence concerned the Philippian believers, resting on the sincerity of their faith and on their fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. It rested further on their being partakers with him of grace both in his bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. It was expressed in thanksgiving upon every remembrance of them, in joyful prayer, in holding them in the heart, and in tender affection, compassion, and great longing. It is joined to living in a manner worthy of the gospel by standing united, striving together for the faith, remaining unafraid of adversaries, and enduring suffering for Christ, while God works within believers both to will and to do according to his good pleasure. It is joined also to prayer that their love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, so that they may approve excellent things, be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, and be filled with the fruits of righteousness by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

The day of Jesus Christ kept constantly in view is the day of his appearing, his second appearing. Until that appearing Christ by his grace continues day by day the good work he has begun in the surrendered person, carrying forward Christian growth toward perfected character in the time given for character formation.

God's Finishing Work

The good work begun is the work of salvation, sanctification and redemption, forming believers anew in Christ Jesus and restoring God's moral image in them. It renews the nature after the divine image and perfects Christian character after the divine pattern unto the full stature of Christ, no longer children but men and women of moral worth. The same God who formed people in the beginning carries this work forward day after day by grace until the day of Christ's second appearing, because He values them enough to give His life for them and loves them with an everlasting love. In all who follow Him He demands perfection of character, and those who receive Christ as personal Saviour become members of His body, part of His living working agency, following on to know the Lord whose going forth is prepared as the morning and sharing His glory among the just made perfect. The Saviour who gave Himself a ransom to give eternal life has as Author of faith undertaken the work and will complete it, carrying on the perfecting and sanctifying of those who let Him control them for their good and the glory of His name. The Spirit's perfecting begins on earth and continues throughout life, crowned in glory in God's dwelling place, calling for faithful diligent service rather than self-interest or idleness.

God performs this work by Christ and the Holy Spirit dwelling within, through union with Christ and receiving His life and grace day by day. Through that union sinful human nature is restored to healthy growth, and believers are perfected and made complete in Him as they remain personally joined to Him. The Holy Spirit seeks to live and abide in each soul as an honored guest, and when welcomed makes the person complete in Christ. He replaces impure thoughts with holy thoughts, perverse sentiments with heavenly affections, and rebellious acts with Christlike actions. He begins the work of giving light and knowledge in the heart and carries it forward in those who heed His teaching, teaching, reminding, testifying, comforting and convincing of sin, and enabling believers to will and do what pleases God.

In the disciples the good work was Christ's promised abiding presence with them and their experimental knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom God sent, having discerned in Him the Way, the Truth, and the Life. More broadly He keeps believers under His protection as an impregnable fortress, proves His Word unfailing, and shines as light in a dark place until the day dawn, the Sun of Righteousness arising with healing in His beams. While ascended to heaven to advocate the cause of all who believe, He gives the Holy Spirit to abide forever as pleader and guide. He impresses the very image of God upon humanity and reflects it in humanity, quickens the cold heart to glow with divine love beating in union with the Redeemer's love, so that believers no longer see through a glass darkly but comprehend with all saints the length and depth and breadth and height of the love of Christ which passes knowledge, unto perfection of character.

God's plans cannot fail as human plans fail, for men make great plans and fail, beginning to build without counting the cost and not being able to finish. Jesus counted the cost of the salvation of every son and daughter of Adam and provided abundant means whereby all might be saved if they comply with the conditions and lay hold upon eternal life, with unfailing resources at His command to finish the work He has started. He who knows the end from the beginning has provided against the attack of satanic agencies, fulfills His sure and steadfast word, and supplies what is needed so believers need not fail or be discouraged but can continue growing in grace and spiritual knowledge, Christ being the beginning and end of the life work He has laid out. When people give themselves wholly to God and follow His directions, God takes responsibility for bringing that work to completion, and they are to cooperate without expecting failure, because He does not fail. When God begins and approves a good work He does not immediately undo it by directing the opposite course, but His approval stands and He continues the work He has begun, undertaking and accomplishing the work entrusted to Him.

Cooperation and Encouragement

Completion depends on willing human cooperation with the One who enables people to will and to do what pleases Him, by working out their own salvation and resisting evil. Those who yield themselves to Christ and give themselves wholly to God may be sure the work begun in them will be continued and finished, and when they follow His directions He takes responsibility for bringing their work to completion without failure. Surrender brings day-by-day change and forward growth toward perfected character during the time given for character formation, in Christ's sufficiency, and as members of His body their perfection concerns His honor as well as their own unto sharing His glory among the just made perfect. The light and knowledge God kindles in the heart must continually advance by receiving grace, living by the light already given, and seeking the Spirit, for this is how people are made complete in Christ. Having professedly received truth, believers are to keep growing until they are no longer children but men and women of moral worth in the full stature of Christ, following on to know the Lord and representing Him, yoking up with Him and acting their part so they may be honored as overcomers through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

That advance calls for crucifying self daily, setting aside preconceived ideas and self-will, grasping every opportunity and every means for improvement of mind and strengthening of soul, remaining wholehearted, decided and persevering, pressing forward toward the mark for the prize in trusting peace, loyal to all God's commandments. The work is hindered when people try to work in human strength and self-reliance instead of looking alone to Jesus as the true source of power to mold character after the divine pattern, the Author and Finisher of faith. Grieving the welcomed Holy Spirit, who would replace impure thoughts with holy thoughts, perverse sentiments with heavenly affections, and rebellious acts with Christlike actions, by refusing to enter service because the cross is too heavy or the self-denial too great, blocks the finishing of the good work begun. Neglecting grace and light already given prevents further growth and recognition of the Spirit's work. Remaining under the destroyer's jurisdiction by indulging grief over the dead, keeping the dead ever present in mind, and refusing to see a crucified and risen Saviour lets Satan counterwork the good begun and extinguishes the light God would have burning to show the beauty of His precepts, weakening physical and moral power, whereas submitting to God without delay brings strengthening grace unto resignation and peace. Life begun and ended in God — begun in grace, continued in strength, ended in glory — requires not going directly contrary to His will but coming to Jesus as one is with diligent work for repentance and true contrition, seeking realities rather than mere gilding, lest those cut off while contrary to His will fail of the faithful's reward.

The promise gives confidence to people striving against temptation and in danger of falling that the good work begun in them will be brought to completion. Even being overcome by shortcomings and by the enemy does not mean being cast off or forsaken, for Christ restores and forms His purity and holiness in those who trust His power rather than their own. Through a fierce inward battle believers wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness, with unbelief marshalling its power while faith strives for mastery as all heaven watches intensely for the result. Christ watches every soul in the struggle, help is laid upon One that is mighty, He comes to every soul in peril, turns back darkness and Satan's inventions to hold the soul, and makes believers more than conquerors as they obey orders, exercise faith and trust, take the whole armor of God and stand, praying always with perseverance. Christ is the beginning and end of the life work laid out, and God supplies what is needed so believers need not fail or be discouraged but can keep growing in grace and spiritual knowledge. That same confidence sustains healing and victory through weakness, sickness, and hardship, trusting God's continued work rather than judging by appearances.

The same confidence shapes ministry toward churches newly come to the faith, whose sincere faith and fellowship in the gospel give ground to expect continuance in the good work begun while keeping Christ's day in view. Ministers are to be thankful on every remembrance, pray with joy, hold converts in the heart with tender affection and compassion, and encourage them by pen and voice with the cheering prospect of continuance. New churches in turn are to persevere in good works and Christlike character, in harmony, fellowship, tender union, and meekness, so that prayer can be made for them with joy. The promise also covers definite enterprises entrusted to God to finish, such as preparing young people as missionaries and establishing Avondale School as a work He has begun and will bring to pass. Preparing and publishing truth is to be continued by faith despite illness and opposition, in Christ's strengthening, trusting promise rather than discouraging appearances. The business of the cause at Battle Creek, brought into much better condition yet still needing much to be done, is to be carried forward by prayer to Him who started it until complete. Work undertaken with great lack of means is carried forward as His own work not left without power to finish, as continued trusting, praying, and believing brings the means He sends.