He Who Began a Good Work in You Will Be Faithful to Complete It (Philippians 1:6)
He leads me …
In this verse Paul is encouraging the Philippians by telling them that he continually prays for them (Philippians 1:3-5) and has confidence in their determination that they have, and the sanctification that is occurring in their lives - the process by which Christians are made like Christ.
While any finishing work done by the Lord will be done at the end of time (1 John 3:2), we are not supposed live our lives unchanged in the meantime. The faithful Christian will want to pursue holiness until either they die, or Jesus returns.
Let us breaking down the key parts of Philippians 1:6
1. “…being confident of this,”
Paul has watched the Philippian church and believes them to be genuine in what they say and do. Paul also knows that it is not by their own strength and will that they will succeed in their lives, but by the purpose and integrity of God. Paul is convinced of this, because of what has occurred in his own relationship with the Lord.
2. “that he who began a good work in you…”
God has not only started this, but He will also complete it. God called the members of the church (Romans 8:30), and He has given them his Spirit as a guarantee that He has purchased them to be His own people. (Ephesians 1:14).
3. “…will carry it on to completion…”
If the Philippian church is saved, then they are saved to grow. When God saves someone He is committed to progressively turn them into the likeness of his Son over the course of their life.
4. “…until the day of Christ Jesus.”
The Holy Spirits work is a continuous work. Like Paul saw in the Philippian church, if we have been saved, we are encouraged to be active in our training in godliness (1 Timothy 4:8). If we belong to God, then we will want to keep on growing as long as we can.[1]
God is the Master Craftsman who never gives up on us (Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 1:21–22). The Lord’s salvation, His glorious redemption of His people, will reach its ultimate conclusion when Jesus Christ returns. Only then will God, who began a good work in us, put His finishing touch on us.[2]
While this teaching is reasonably well known, let us dig a little deeper into what scripture is saying. The NRSV speaks of God’s work “among you,” while most English translations speak of God’s work “in you.” Both are appropriate, and the Greek phrase en humin can be translated either way. God’s good work begins in individual lives. Yet it is to be lived out as Christians relate to all people.
The main point of verse 6 is not to restrict God’s work either to individuals or the local community, but rather to highlight the fact that all of a Christians work is God’s work. Moreover, this work is not completed when individuals “get saved” or when churches are planted. These are simply early highlights along the path that the Lord is taking us. God continues working in and among us until His work is complete, which happens “by the day of Jesus Christ.” Only when Christ returns will God’s work be finished.
Since our work is actually God’s work in us, our work should be respected as God’s work is. But unfortunately we have the ability to frustrate God’s work in us, which is why Paul encourages the Philippians to “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27). He is referring to life in general, and there is no reason to believe he is ignoring their work as part of this advice. He gives three distinct commands:
1. “Be of the same mind” (Philippians 2:2).
2. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
3. “Look not to your own interests, but the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).
Again, our ability to follow these commands is only because our work is actually God’s work in us,
Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi provides a different sort of answer to the question of where we find strength to do our work. Paul says that our work is not the result of our own effort, but it is God’s work in us that gives us our energy. What we do in life, including when we are doing our job, is an expression of God’s saving work in Christ. Moreover, we find the strength for this effort by the power of God within us. Christ’s work is to serve people (Mark 10:35), and God empowers us to serve with Him.
The book of Philippians uses the word work (ergon and cognates) several times (Philippians 1:6; 2:12–13, 30; 4:3). Paul uses it to describe God’s work of salvation and the human tasks that flow from God’s saving work. He doesn’t directly address issues in the secular workplace, but what he says about work is completely relevant there.
Though Paul does not address the workplace distinctly in Philippians, his vision of God’s work in us lays a foundation for our understanding of faith and work. Our jobs provide a major means by which we are to live out the good work God does in us. We are to try and be like minded with other Christians wherever we interact with them. We are to act as though others are better than ourselves. We are to look to the interests of others instead of our own. When we do this we find that people are built up emotionally and will generally respond positively.
If Paul’s request seems hard we should remember that what we do in the workplace is not just our effort—it is God’s work in and through us. Because God’s power is unlimited, Paul can say boldly, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).[3]
[1] Philippians 1:6 Meaning of He Who has Begun a Good Work in You, Editor in Chief, ConnectUS
https://connectusfund.org/philippians-1-6-meaning-of-he-who-has-begun-a-good-work-in-you
[2] What does it mean that God “began a good work in you” (Philippians 1:6)? Got Questions Ministries;
https://www.gotquestions.org/He-who-began-a-good-work-in-you.html
[3] Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Work, Bible Commentary / Produced by Theology of Work Project
https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/galatians-ephesians-philippians#gods-work-in-us-phil-11-26
