“God At Work(In YOU!)” ~ Philippians 2:12-18

12 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.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:15 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;16 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.17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.(KJV)

Vs.12  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.

1. 12 “WHEREFORE” is ‘there-for’ our review ..going back to 1:27 Paul is saying to the Phil. In exhortation because they should be living as HEAVENLY CITIZENS in harmony & unity w/ one another their lives should have evidence of these traits…(Vs. 2:1-4)…. a) To THINK the same thing, b) HAVE the same Love …c) To be in HEART UNITY or agreement d) carry oneself in a ‘low running mind’(humility) ..e) To see to it that your Brethren EXCELL/SURPASS You…last week we spoke of HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST( VS2:6-8) which led to A Kenosis experience…death & Resurrection to walk as NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST( II Cr. 5:17)

NOW Paul further exhorts the Philippians TO make the above mentioned TRAITS a Permanent FACT in their lives, a permanent part of WHO THEY ARE as Saints

“MY BELOVED”  “My Beloved Ones”(GRK.) plural word in grk.  ag-ap-ay-tos' from agapayo= ‘To LOVE’(AGAPE)…This is the LOVE, (Agape) of God produced in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that IMPELS us to lay our lives down for each other

OBEYED…NOT meaning a grind it out, work it out kind of obedience Done in Fear of GOD as a Taskmaster…This is a Basic summary of a practical APPLICATION of all he is saying…he is Not meaning a slavish observance of rules..BUT rather an intelligent application of Principle…when OBEY (Obedience) is applied this way it is the KEY to LIBERTY in the Christian walk with God (examples of Music & Health)…”To Obey” is to put into practice “The Mind of Christ” received & operated By FAITH , NOT a  WORK it Out Mentality

Not as In My Presence ..The sense here is they do not need Paul to hold their hand (HE is not there)…BECAUSE they have access to the MIND of CHRIST they can do what is needed

“work out your own salvation” NOT working for your personal salvation in your own effort & strength (see Mormons) …a) Paul was writing to SAINTS not unsaved b) SALVATION IS always a work of God, not men….c) also not an inward working out of one’s  salvation …

“work out”  katergazomai (koter..gad..zi..mi) = ‘to carry out to the goal, to carry out to its ultimate conclusion’ ….like saying the 5th grader worked out the long division problem to its CONCLUSION. Here Paul is exhorting the Phil (US) to carry our salvation out to ITS ULTIMATE CONCLUSION= CHRISTLIKENESS. The SALVATION Highlighted here is SANCTIFICATION= Being SET ASIDE  from sin & toward God’s purpose for our lives which will please ABBA

Example of my granddaughter being taught by me how to drive

We must learn to ‘Work Out’ the problems & trials of life we go through by applying FAITH by doing so ‘GOD IS WORKING IN US’

We are NOT ROBOTS…..we have our own WILL to APPLY/Not Apply the Mind of Christ in a matter

“with fear and trembling…” NOT Terror but a wholesome carefulness & caution of  being careful of NOT doing the wrong things. This Fear is a SELF-DISTRUST, a tenderness of one’s conscience ; a vigilance against temptation, the opposite of pride & arrogance…It is being in an attitude of taking heed lest we fall, of watching for the deceitfulness of our hearts…it is taking care & caution to NOT offend God….THIS is Human RESPONSIBILITY in its highest form (Vincent)

1. 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge

ISAIAH 66:1,2 Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house could you possibly build for Me? And what place could be My home? 2 My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive[a] in spirit, and trembles at My word.

II Peter 1:3-10  3 His[a] divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by[b] His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. (MAKE your Calling & Election Sure kjv)

Vs. 13 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure

“Worketh” ..’energeo’ meaning to energize, work effectively…our words ‘energy’ & ‘energize’ come from this grk. Word

“to will” ‘thelo’ means to wish, to desire, to purpose….specifically speaks to ones emotions rather than reason…The DESIRE to do ABBAS GOOD PLEASURE is produced by DIVINE ENERGY cultivated in  & imparted to the believers Heart by the Holy Spirit, the HS. energizes us..NOT just for willingness but in the DOING as well..We are GIVEN Power to DO!

“to do” grk. Implies an habitual ACTION

We could say it like this…………….

HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY (Vs. 12) + DIVINE ENABLEMENT (VS. 13) = Doing His Good Pleasure = The Works of God That PLEASE ABBA…”A TAKE HOLD & CO-WORK with ABBA Process…A mystery in a sense as to How our FREE Will works together  with the Sovereignty  of God

Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The beauty of the Christian life is we are Truly FREE to do as we choose!..Jn. 14:15 If you Love me,Keep my commands

Abba desires for us to live every moment right where He has us  transform the seemingly empty, boring, meaningless routines of life, as well as all the challenging situations you face into vibrant God-energized opportunities…”Then we will see Abba Working In Us Both to WILL & DO His Good Pleasure!”

1. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:…VS. 15 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;

Now Paul begins to address the issue that was beginning to cause division among them…he had gotten this issue from Epaphroditus  , who perhaps had been attempting to cover his Brethrens’ sin up due to His Love for them…PAUL exhorts THEM to be done with these negative things.

‘Murmurings’   gongysmos(ga—goose—mas) to mutter or murmur (used of the cooing of doves)it is said of this word that its ‘pronunciation’(‘sound’) resembles its meaning…This is like a ‘hushed’ undertone, like a whisper…& it is used against MEN, Not God …so far the dissension in the Philippian  Church was only an undercurrent ..this word was used of those who get together & complain secretly of their discontent

‘disputings’  dialogismos (diolly…gis..mas) this word has to do with debating with an underthought of suspicion & doubt………….Murmurings LED to DISPUTES

• Exodus 16:2,3 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.also vs. 9-12..
• 17:2,3 chide & murmur about lack of water
• I Cr. 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
• I Tim. 6:3-6 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,5 Perverse disputing(incessant wrangling, to wear out) of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

GRUBLING & COMPLAINING = a Trait of Unbelief, u cannot expect God to WORK & spew words of negativity into a matter

Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief….apietheia Like a donkeyJ….unpersuadeable

vs15) ‘may be’  better rendered may become…implying that sin (this sin of dissension) was already sprouting  up among them..They were no longer blameless or harmless

‘blameless’ no censure needed ,free from faults & defects

• 5:25-27 The church will be presented to God without Spot or blemish
• I Cr. 1:8 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• I Tim. 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
• II Peter 3:14 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and

‘harmless’ unmixed or unadulterated , guileless

• Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
• 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

‘sons’ better rendering =children or ‘born ones’

• I Peter 1:13,14Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
• 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
• 1:12 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
• I Jn. 3:1,2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and 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.
•  

‘without rebuke’ without blemish, faultless , blameless

• 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

‘Crooked’ means that  which is perverse & wicked …THOSE  that turn away from the TRUTH

• 7:13,14Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked         14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set    the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
• Isaiah 40:4,42:16,45:2 In the Millennium God will STRAIGHTEN all things out!

‘Perverse’  having a distorted TWIST …a stronger word than CROOKED, To Corrupt ( especially others) To Plot against (especially against the Gospel) to oppose, to turn from the correct path & lead others in a wrong way…OT. Meant being deceitful, fraudulent, SPEAKING FALSEHOODS (Pro. 4:24,8:8,17:20,19:1,23:33,Acts 20:30)

‘Shine’  the act of APPEARING not SHINING

• Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

‘Lights’ Heavenly Bodies like stars

• 5:14-16 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
• 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

TRS……………All things be constantly doing w/o discontented & secret mutterings & grumblings., & w/o discussions which carry an undertone of suspicion or doubt , to the end that ye may become those who are deserving of no censure , free from fault or defect, & guileless in their simplicity, children of God w/o blemish, in the midst of a perverse generation, among who ye appears as luminaries in the world (Phil. 2:14,15 (The Greek Expanded Translation~Kenneth S Wuest)

POINT: STOP complaining about problems & circumstances in Your life…that’s what everyone does in this age we live in..WE Must have an OBEDIENCE of Faith (God Working in US) that exudes out of USJ & shows us to be different!:-)

VS.16 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.

Holding Forth meaning to ‘hold forth so as to offer’….as in what one would offer to a guest as in a refreshment when they visit your house. WE as Saints ‘hold forth’ Salvation to the lost to ‘Refresh, revive’ them

Rejoice the real meaning of this word is to ‘boast’ or ‘to glory’

That  Because

Day of Christ = Rapture of the Church

Labored to labor to the point of exhaustion

So if the Philippians would continue to OFEER the Word  to pagans & each other Paul would then have a basis for glorying or boasting when Jesus Christ returned for His Saints…AS Paul would not have totally spent himself (exhausted himself) in vain on their behalf

1. 17Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

Offered Upon literally ‘poured out as a drink offering’….Paul is here referring to His own Life offered up in the violent death he will someday endure as a martyr for Christ…His BLOOD will be poured out as a drink offering. II Tim. 4:6 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand….trs. “For my life’s blood is already being poured out”

Service    this word draws upon the OT. Example of priests ministering & serving …literally ‘sacred ministration’

Paul draws upon this example of Him sacrificing His life as an example to the Philippians of The Christian Life of serving each other through humility as unto God

“God at Work In US” is the fertile ground of a Rejoicing, Refreshing, Fruitful Christian Life; pouring out Rivers of Living Water to Others based upon an unrelenting reliance on ABBA that lives within each one of us…That is the mystery of the Gospel!:-) ….Col.1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: