A Good Work Begun

A Good Work Begun

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:6

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Philippians from a prison cell, is very warm towards them. In the midst of his introductory salutation, he makes a statement which is well worth our contemplation for the next several days. He says, ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ Let us, consider these few words, please, ‘he which has begun a good work in You.’ Considering what we know about theology, we may well consider this to be a statement regarding the ongoing work of sanctification. Having said that, we have to go backward past the beginnings of sanctification before we can begin to speak directly of it. When, in fact, did God begin this ‘good work?’ We cannot leave out election. If there is to be a good work ‘in us,’ there must be a choosing of us. This He did ‘in’ Christ ‘before the foundation of the world.’ Our being holy and without blame before him in love,’ is the direct result of His Election of us. Nor can we exclude predestination. This ‘good work’ must include our being ‘predestinated…unto the adoption of children.’ Beyond that, if we are to speak of this ‘good work’ which God has begun we must also speak of the effectual call of the Holy Spirit whereby He brings us to Christ. ‘Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called.’ We must also include justification, because ‘Whom he called, them he also justified.’ God’s work to make us Christs’ and Christ-like is a ‘good work,’ which He began long before we ever entered this scene of time. What a comfort to us to have such a God and to be in such a Christ.  How wonderful to see our sanctification as being but one link in the chain of God’s overarching providential plan.

Our Almighty God and Our Loving Heavenly Father,
we are grateful today that You see the end from the beginning.
We praise You that everything respecting us falls with in Your Providential Plan.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning