Expectation of Joy in Unity

When we come to chapter 2 of Philippians, Paul gives us the Execution of Unity, then he follows that with the greatest example of Humility for the purpose of Unity within the Trinity. Now, we come to the Expectation of Unity.

Salvation is not the end result, Salvation is the starting point to Christlikeness, a lifelong journey.

However, remember Paul’s confidence in God to make this happen.

Philippians 1:6 (KJV 1900)

6 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:

This is the process to Completion of our Salvation, also known as Sanctification.

God expects His people to live like Jesus while they are in this world.

Now, it may not be fair for me to impose my expectations upon your life, but God has the right to expect anything He demands from us.

After all, He has made a tremendous investment in our lives! He gave the blood of His Son Jesus on the cross the redeem us and now, we are His personal possessions, 1 Cor. 6:19–20 ; 1 Pet. 2:9 .

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (KJV 1900)

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Peter 2:9 (KJV 1900)

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

With all this in mind, let’s look at these verses for a few minutes this morning. I want to preach for a while on the subject The Expectations Of Unity. Here is what the Lord Jesus expects of you and me. Let’s look into this matter and see how we stack up.

Philippians 2:12–18 (KJV 1900)

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.

The Work of Obedience:

The Example to Work:

Philippians 2:12 (KJV 1900)

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.

“Wherefore” points us back to the discussion about Jesus. In His incarnation, He is the prime and perfect example of humility, obedience and a servant spirit.

Just as Jesus was obedient to the will of the Father, Luke 22:42, we are to be obedient to Him as well, Phil. 2:5 .

Philippians 2:5 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

The Christian faith stands on two foundations: Trust and Obey!

James calls is “faith and works”, James 2:18 .)

James 2:18 (KJV 1900)

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

(Note: If you ever need a motive to be surrendered to the will of God for your life, then look no farther than Jesus, Who gave His all to do the Father’s will! May we adopt the attitude of Job, who in the depths of despair cried out: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him …”, Job 13:15.)

The Exhortation to Work:

Philippians 2:12 (KJV 1900)

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.

We are told in this verse to “Work out your own salvation in fear and trembling.”

First, let’s take the phrase “your own salvation”. What a great possession! The only reason salvation is mine is because it was His first! He planned it! He purposed it! He pursued it! He paid it! And He pressed it upon my heart!

Salvation became mine and it became yours when we placed our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. This salvation, when received, buries the past, changes the present and insures the future! What a great salvation we have in Jesus.

But, we are told to “work it out”. This phrase has been misunderstood and misapplied for 2,000 years!

First, let’s discuss

What it Does NOT Mean.

1. It does not mean work to be saved

—Eph. 2:8-9 (These people were already saved!)

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV 1900)

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Philippians 1:1 (KJV 1900)

1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2. It does not mean work out an inward salvation

—Some people that there is a spark of divinity in every man and that all man has to do is “fan the spark” and it will become a flame. Man has nothing working in him but Hell, sin and death, when he is outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

3. It does not mean to work to stay saved

—When he refers to “fear and trembling” he does not refer to our groveling before the Lord as a slave before his master.

Rather, he is referring to the “fear and trembling” that ought to be ours because of the weakness of our flesh, the ways of the world and the wiles of the devil. The fear and trembling reminds us just how prone we are to fail!

When the Bible commands us to fear the Lord, it means “to reverence Him”. We are to have a great reverence for God and everything that has to do with Him. We must be sure to keep it all separate and holy. Here, we are being cautioned to fear the failure that dwells so close to the surface in our lives!

What does it mean then?

It means “to complete it, to carry it to its conclusion”.

What he is talking about here is moving deeper in the things of the Lord and growing toward maturity! After all, the ultimate goal of salvation is our becoming like Jesus, Rom. 8:29 ; Eph. 4:13. Far too many “get in, but they never go on”!

Romans 8:29 (KJV 1900)

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Ephesians 4:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

It’s kind of like mining. God put the minerals within the earth, and men mine them out. It is expensive and hard work, but the results are worth the effort and the expense. When you were saved, God put His all within you. Day by day, you are to work to see that your salvation is mined to its fullest. That you, by His grace become all He saved you to be! You see, the Christian life is not one of defeats and misery. It is a life of progress, joy and victory! Our responsibility to be what He has saved us to be! And we will be, if we mine out what He has placed within us!)

The Enablement to Work

Philippians 2:13 (KJV 1900)

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

Listen very carefully: Here is a principle about God.

Behind every command of God is the omnipotent power of God to carry out that command.

“worketh” is the word energia. From which we get our English Word Energy.

Jesus is not only the Example to Work but also the energy to work.

Before we were saved God worked on us, John 16:7–11 .

John 16:7–11 (KJV 1900)

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Now that we are saved, He works within us, John 16:13 .

John 16:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The Holy Spirit gives us understanding as to what the will of God is for our lives and He creates within us a desire to carry out that will.

That is how the Christian life operates!

God reveals His will to us and we follow Him in obedience, John 5:19–20 !

John 5:19–20 KJV 1900

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Christianity is not to be one of passive involvement. We don’t just sit around watching God do all the work. No, He places within us a desire to be involved in that work. He shows us what to do and we go and do it. That, after all, is why He saved is—Eph. 2:10 !

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV 1900)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God saved us to work, and He has equipped us for that work, 1 Cor. 12:7, 11 .

1 Corinthians 12:7 (KJV 1900)

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

1 Corinthians 12:11 KJV 1900

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

The Walk of Obedience:

Philippians 2:14–15 (KJV 1900)

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;

If Christ gives us the example of Work, the exhortation to Work, and enables Us to Work then that leaves you making yourself available to Work.

This is where Work becomes a Walk, a lifestyle.

We are to carry out the will of God without “murmuring”.

This word means “muttering, a secret displeasure in the heart, not publically revealed”. Murmuring is more private than public.

And, we are to do so without “disputing”. This word means “hesitation, arguing”.

Disputing is more public than private.

It was murmuring and disputing that kept the children of Israel in trouble for 40 years! When the Lord speaks, He wants us to obey His voice, without trying to change His mind or trying to find a way out of doing His will. We are simply to “trust and obey”! Ill. 1 Sam. 15:22 ; Eph. 6:6.

1 Samuel 15:22 (KJV 1900)

22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to hearken than the fat of rams.

Ephesians 6:6 (KJV 1900)

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Now Jesus is the example for this. And Paul started Philippians chapter 2 by talking about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Philippians 2:6–8 (KJV 1900)

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

“who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant …”—carried our sins to the cross—“… and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:6–8)

And then he says, “Therefore, beloved, be like Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)

Philippians 2:5 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Jesus did not murmur, and Jesus did not argue on the way to the cross.

The Witness of Obedience:

Again, Paul gives us the reason. Do you know the number one question of a child?

Why?

Not who? what? where? or even how? but Why?

So Paul gives us the reason why?

Philippians 2:15–16 KJV 1900

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.

We will Stand Out.

Philippians 2:15 (KJV 1900)

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;

Blameless—No one can point a finger at us.

Philippians 2:15 (KJV 1900)

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;

Harmless—Lit. “unmixed” Not diluted by the world, but full strength for the Lord! (Ill. Harmless to the Kingdom are those around us.)

Philippians 2:15 (KJV 1900)

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;

Without Rebuke—faultless.

This type of life stands in stark contrast to the standard of the world. Ill. “crooked”—bent (Ill. Even plants grow toward the sun!) Ill. “Perverse”—To oppose, to turn against and plot against the truth. This is the world and we are to be different!

We will Shine Out.

When we are in line with God, we are spotlights in a dark world! (Ill. We are literally living out the Word of God—v. 16. Ill. 2 Cor. 3:2 ; Ill. Matt. 5:14–16

Paul told the Church at Corinth that

2 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV 1900)

2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

Jesus said,

Matthew 5:14–16 (KJV 1900)

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.

Now let’s tie this back to the context of Joy.

Philippians 2:17–18 KJV 1900

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.

Paul is saying, if I have offered my body a sacrifice for a service to you, and I have.

I have joy and rejoice to get to do it and you should experience the same thing when you make sacrifices for others.

Are you ready to obey?