Work In Progress

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Philippians 1:3–6 NASB95

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians is one of the epistles where Paul has negative remark about the church there. There is no problem or predicament that they are facing. There is no sin issue or false doctrine that needs correcting, just a church that needs encouragement to not settle and keep on pushing.

The idea of a “WORK IN PROGRESS” is to suggest that the work God is doing in our lives is not yet complete and we need to continue to submit to His word and His Spirit to bring it to completion.

This is to suggest that the encouragement to “deny yourself” and “take up your cross” needs to be heeded. The call to lose all for the sake of knowing Christ needs to embraced. God is doing a work, He plans to finish it, do you?

Do you plan to change, be shaped and moulded, be transformed, be different? Do you desire to be more, be more devoted, more committed?

The idea of a “WORK IN PROGRESS” is not one that should be abused when I occassionally wish to allow the flesh to have a time to shine under the guise of “I’m a work in progress”. However, it can give you encouragement when you slip, when you fail, when you fall in your effort to walk in God’s light. Because the develop wants you to believe that you’re wasting time, but “you’re a work in progress”.

So you can feel free to say or think what you need to, or try to hold my past against me, but “I’m a work in progress”

Paul’s Posture (vs. 3&4)

THANKFUL - This is an attitude of gratefulness (for the brethren). When “I remembered you”. It is important to not only be critical of the brethren, but be thankful to God for the brethren [“in everything, give thanks”] - We thank God for all our things, but how often to we have a posture of thanks, especially thanks for the brethren.

Acts 16:40 “40 They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.” - Out of prison, where does Paul go? To the brethren!

PRAYERFUL - This grateful attitude was expressed through prayer. Paul’s was for the brethren but it recognised the Sovereignty of God. It was not self-centered nor was it for the approval of anyone. Paul sees God as the one through which all of the work in Philippi was possible. [“Pray without ceasing”] pray for the brethren.

JOYFUL - This prayer is offered, not with pains or frustrations but joy. Something born of the Spirit and not conditioned by the external or the present. In Philippi Paul was treated unjustly, beaten and imprisoned in stocks. But what he remember is the brethren and the work of God. This brings joy, and this joy is infused in this prayer becasue it has something in view.

Philippian Participation (vs. 5)

The reason for the remembrance, joyful prayer and thanksgiving: Philippians 1:5 “5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.”

“in view” this is the reason

The ACCEPTED the gospel (they believed it) - It began with the women in the place of prayer (Acts 16:13), The Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31-33). There was a church in Lydia’s house. When the gospel was preached all the ears were not deaf and all the hearts were not hard. They believed and Paul encouraged them to grow in theor belief. Philippians 2:15–16 “15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.” [Php 1:25ff.]

They ACTED on the gospel (it shaped them) - It was not just “head-knowledge” they allowed it to shape them. They did not resolve their interaction with the gospel to just intellectual advancement APPL. Don’t be a christian who only seeks to know what the book says, but one who desires to do what the book says. It’s no good if you can declare its content but it does not develop your character. This! Was not the Philippian church.

They ASSISTED the work of the gospel (they supported it)- it was not enought for them to see the work or have knowledge of it and not assist. Php 4:15-19. [Paul’s testimony of their gift]

This was how they participated in the gospel - In view of that, I am thankful, prayerful, and joyful.

God’s Perfecting (vs. 6)

This final point is why Paul had that posture as well. There participation joined in God’s perfecting of them.

If you don’t participate in the gospel, God cannot perfect you!

Philippians 1:6 “6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

This is why I need to feed daily in His word, this is why I seek to do His will, this is why I submit to the Holy Spirit, This is why I deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him. He’s Perfecting!

“I am confident” not in myself, not in you and “your participation” IN GOD! He is sure, stable, and secure. Paul uses this word six (6) times, and every time it points away from man and points to God.

What is the thing that he is confident in? The Good work God began in you. That work is the transforming work (Php 1:9-11). The implications of this transforming work is that Paul has the “day of Christ” in view. God will be duty-bound to our perfection until, “that day”

What does this say to level of my committement, devotion, service, sacrifice (this is why God desires a living sacrifice on the altar, not a dead one) one says, “that’s what I did” the other says, “what can I become?”

What God began, He will complete. This is why Paul has confidence!

What God began God will complete

Paul saw the evidence of what God already did

That is why, you are a work in progress and God intends to finish. Will you finish with God?

This is why Jesus question is such an important one Matthew 16:26 “26 “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

God is doing a work in there, but will you abandon it for whatever the world is offering?