Philippians 1:6

What was the good work to which Paul referred? If he had in mind only the generosity of his original readers, he may have meant that good work. However, as I have suggested, he seems to have had a much broader concept in mind, namely, what the work of the gospel produces: salvation. Who had begun this good work of salvation? It could only be God. Paul was confident that God would finish what He had begun in his beloved Philippians.

In the New Testament, God has revealed that salvation is a process. It involves justification, when a sinner trusts Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. It includes progressive sanctification that occurs from the time of justification to the Christian’s death or the Rapture. And it culminates in glorification, when the redeemed sinner finally sees Jesus Christ and experiences transformation into His image. Paul was confident that just as surely as God had justified the Philippians He would also continue to sanctify and eventually glorify them. Whereas we have a hand in the process of sanctification and can affect it by our obedience or disobedience, God alone justifies us. Regardless of our carnality or spirituality He will also glorify us (1 Corinthians 15:50-57).

The aspect of sanctification that Paul had in view, considering Philippians 1:5, was the Philippians’ partnership with him in the work of propagating the gospel. He was confident that God would continue His sanctifying work in them so they might become even more effective partners with him in this great task.

This verse does not teach that God will keep all Christians persevering in the faith and in good works faithfully until they die. Believers can and do resist, oppose, and limit God’s sanctifying work in them (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19). Perseverance in faith and good works is not automatic for the Christian. The New Testament writers consistently urged us to persevere recognizing that some Christians will not do so (Titus 2:11-13; Hebrews 2:1; Hebrews 4:1; Hebrews 6:1-8; et al.). Even some of Paul’s fellow workers did not persevere faithfully (1 Timothy 1:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:17-18; 2 Timothy 4:10). Even though some Christians do not persevere in faith and good works, God will persevere in bringing them to glory (i.e., will glorify them). [Note: See Charlie Bing, "Does Philippians 1:6 Teach Perseverance?" Grace Evangelical Society News 6:2 (February 1991):2.] Thus it is God who perseveres in the work of salvation, not necessarily man.

Paul’s reference to the day of Christ Jesus as the culmination of the Lord’s work of salvation in the believer points to the day when He will return for His own: the Rapture. There are at least 18 references to this day in the New Testament (Romans 13:12; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Philippians 1:6; Philippians 1:10; Philippians 2:16; Philippians 3:11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:8).

"The expression is similar to the ’day of the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 5:2) and the OT ’day of Jehovah’ (Amos 5:18-20). However, in contrast to the OT emphasis on judgment, the ’day of Christ Jesus’ is mentioned in all cases with reference to the NT church. It will be the time when Christ returns for his church, salvation is finally completed, and believers’ works are examined and the believer rewarded." [Note: Homer A. Kent Jr., "Philippians," in Ephesians-Philemon, vol. 11 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, pp. 105-6. See also the note on 1 Corinthians 1:8 in The New Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1233.]

This is one of the most comforting verses in the Bible for Christians. Our getting to heaven safely does not depend on us, on our ability to hold on and to persevere faithfully to the end of our lives. The Lord will see to it that we reach heaven safely in spite of our failures and shortcomings. Salvation is God’s work, not man’s (Jonah 2:9). As surely as He has already delivered us from the penalty of sin (Romans 5:1), He will one day deliver us from the presence of sin (cf. Romans 8:31-39).

"Here is confidence indeed. Our salvation can no more be forfeited than the Father can break his pledged word to glorify his Son. No wonder, then, that Paul uses the language of a man who has no doubts: I am sure." [Note: Motyer, p. 45.]

Philippians 1:3-6 summarize the entire epistle. They introduce the main theme, which is the Philippians’ partnership in the gospel.

"All the rest of the letter is concerned primarily with their development as koinonoi [partners] so that they may be blessed with a temporally fruitful, eternally rewardable partnership in the gospel." [Note: Robert C. Swift, "The Theme and Structure of Philippians," Bibliotheca Sacra 141:563 (July-September 1984):238. See also Robert Jewett, "The Epistolary Thanksgiving and the Integrity of Philippians," Novum Testamentum 12:1 (January 1970):53.]