Crystal Spring ON MISSION Pt. 2: Grow in Christ

Any successful mission requires that each and every team member understand what his/her role is in the effort. Many on presidential campaigns grow into new roles as the campaign progresses while others are fired for missteps or proving unproductive on the campaign trail. We see this playing out in the news in the current political race on both sides. However, as we made the case last week, believers are involved in a far more important mission with far greater implications—God’s kingdom-building movement. Last week, we learned about the importance of knowing who Jesus is—and why He is a qualified Savior and Lord. This week, we are going to take a look at what ought to happen as a result of really knowing Christ—“to Know Christ, GROW in Christ, and Show Christ to the world.” Growth is essential to any movement and development or growth of any mission is contingent on the growth of its individual members. This is no different when it comes to our responsibility in our God-given mission. To this end, we are going to ask two questions that deal with the personal and corporate growth that are answered in Philippians 2:12b-13.

 I. QUESTION #1: WHAT IS MAN’S ROLE IN SANCTIFICATION?-2:12b-d

When we pick up the statement in 12b, Paul says to the church in Philippi, “work out your salvation…”.  The present tense of this verb suggests that what Paul is trying to communicate is not to be put off but should characterize the life of the Philippians now. In other words, it should be a consistent practice so that the church might be set apart from the world around them. The verb used here also suggests that it cannot be done for them but must be accomplished within their own ranks. In other words, they are to take an active role in seeing growth take place in their lives. The statement that Paul offers in the first part of this verse also reveals that this is not a suggestion or a recommendation of sorts. Rather, Paul is commanding his readers to do this and carry it out in their own Christian walk. It isn’t “I would suggest working out your salvation” but “work it out.” Chrysostom explains this imperative verb, “work,” as indicating “with great effort, with great care.” Another commentator (Bauer) states that this verb describes the idea of “achieving or accomplishing.” Therefore, it is impossible to tone down the force with which Paul here points to our conscious activity in sanctification.

These emphatic attitudes within the first part of Paul’s command are reiterated as the verse continues, “with fear and trembling” (2:12c). “Fear” describes a healthy anxiety of offending God by doing things against His will or nature.  It is a respect for His holiness and purity that is in view. This is one motivating attitude behind the growth process. However, growth also takes effort, “…and trembling.”

No one wants to work nowadays. The very word “work” carries with it a negative connotation. Terms like “effort” and “sweat” and “difficulty” don’t really appeal to our fast, comfortable, spoon fed entitlement society. Sadly, this attitude has infiltrated the Christian faith and permeated the church. However, we aren’t given a picture here of something that is easy, or handed to us on a silver plate. Perhaps this is one reason why we are where we are today in Christian America: we are afraid of chipping our proverbial nails or skinning our knees in sanctification.

The success of any successful military mission is dependent on how hard the unit is willing to work and put in the long hours of training, rehearsing, studying, etc. Successful missions and the growth of movements do not happen by accident—they are the result hard work performed by a growing team. Just imagine what the church would look like if the majority of its members were willing to work as hard and with the same veracity!

You might ask, “What is to be done with fear and trembling?” The disciples answer this question in their activities performed in Acts 2:42.

Acts 2:42-“…They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship to the breaking of bread,…”

The first direction of this intense effort and focus is on the apostles teaching. For those in the book of Acts, these were the words preached and spoken of by the twelve who ministered with Jesus. However, for you and me, the teaching that God decided to preserve in the Bible is the primary source of information that leads to growth and development in Christ. The teaching of the apostles for these new believers provided the nourishment and nutrition these people needed to mature and grow in their understanding. Much like a code of conduct that informs the activities and directives of a comrade, the teaching of the apostles informed the behavior and direction of the early Christian movement. To this teaching believers “continually devoted themselves.” This literally means to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of difficulty. The tense and form of this verb suggest that Luke is talking about a devotion that becomes a part of someone’s character and takes place continuously. This word does not describe a passive activity (i.e. sitting in a service of some kind and listening to what is being presented and leaving unchanged). Instead, it describes vigorous. activity that leads to growth. The growth of the church or the individual believer is not the responsibility of some third party like a pastor or priest, it is ultimately predicated on one’s personal devotion and familiarity with God’s talking points, policies, and agenda.

The second direction of intense devotion according to Acts 2:42 is toward fellowship. Fellowship is an association involving close mutual relations and involvement. We read about this type of association in the remainder of Acts 2.

Acts 2:43-47 –“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. ⁴⁶ Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

It is this type of fellowship that warms the heart of each believer and allows one to grow by association. Much as teamwork is vital to the success of the team, fellowship involves the cooperation of individuals who meet together to encourage, and love each other in a way that fosters growth and leads to success in the Christian life.

The breaking of bread and prayer that follows fellowship renames or defines what the fellowship is/consists of.  It was customary for New Testament believers to gather together and eat a meal. This was their primary means of entertaining and experiencing life together. One thing that often accompanied such meetings was the sharing of the Lord’s Supper. Ultimately, fellowship meant doing life together in spiritual community. Association in such environments is crucial for proper spiritual growth.

Along with doing life together, prayer was understood to be an essential element to corporate meetings and integral to Spiritual growth (as Acts 2:42 suggests). If the Word is the policy agenda, and fellowship is the networking, then prayer involves the all important communication with the candidate. According to John Wesley, this (prayer) is “where the action is.” And as in any successful campaign, communication with the candidate so that everyone is on the same page is perhaps what is most important, “The most important thing a born again Christian can do is pray” (Chuck Colson).

In Acts 2:42, commitment to the word of God, community, and prayer, were seen as the only proper response to Knowing Christ. Also, the picture of growth portrayed in this passage is spiritual and relational. All of these considerations make up the second phase our mission of growing in Him.

However, us playing a part in the growing campaign, as Acts 2:42 suggests, should give us pause. Our salvation, which we confess to be God’s from beginning to end, is here described as something that we must bring about. However, as we will next see, our dependence on divine activity for growth is nowhere else mad more explicit as in the next verse.

II. QUESTION #2: WHAT IS GOD’S ROLE IN SANCTIFICATION?-2:13

Paul continues in his comments to the church in Philippi by saying, “For it is God who is at work in you” (2:13a). Just as the command in verse 12 is a present reality, so is the presence of God at work within the believer. God is presently within His children working within them. Likewise, it is He that is doing the work. He isn’t just within them; He is also working to continue the growing process. This process doesn’t slow down, take breaks, or finish until our ultimate end. However, for the time being, the work of God within the believer to make them more like Himself is a continuous action that is ongoing.  Paul already mentioned this in Philippians 1:6.

Philippians 1:6- “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.” 

No doubt, Paul was alluding to this idea and the concepts around it in this verse which involve the total work of salvation.

Some commentators believe that there is a play on words in this passage. Paul compels his audience to “work out” only because God “works in.” Both actions rely on God—who is emphasized in the passage.

What is God bringing out in this work?--“both to will and to work for His good pleasure…” (2:13b).

Good military generals get involved with their units. Often times they demonstrate what they hope to see from those they lead by example and/or prior experience. They are intimately aware and actively involved in the inner-workings of what goes on, leading their surrogates on to victory. It is ultimately the general’s will that decides what shape the mission will take and it is the hard work that the general puts in that ultimately leads the movement. In the same way, God is actively involved in the Christian life, in their personal growth. He is the one who calls the shots; He is the one who decides what is best for those on His team. However, it is only when the unit is submitted to the cause that they do their best. In the same way, it is only when believers submit to their God and His leadership that they are at their best.

The result is the joy of God, “…for His good pleasure.” This is also translated “His good purpose” and is a term that generally relates to the ultimate will of His own glory. In this turn of phrase, Paul reinforces the believer’s dependence on God’s sovereignty. If it is good for God it is good for His children. God, in fact is good, and the sanctification process is about Him working with us to make us good, like Him. In this, He finds delight.

So What?

Who is most important in any military victory, the general/leaders, or their units? I believe it is both the General’s leadership along with the full commitment of his team that wins any battle/war. In the same way, we’ve examined that both man and God play a part in this thing called sanctification or growth. In fact, in light of our salvation (which is totally by the grace of God) the Lord invites us to journey with him in order to become more like Him. While He is ultimately in control and it is His grace that allows for the growth, the efficiency of the process is in some ways dependent on man’s submission to God.

By way of application may I suggest that we not take a passive role in our own sanctification. May we be willing to work hard and get off our duffs to be men and women who take our spiritual lives seriously. May we adopt a fearful reverence for those activities that we see the disciples yielding themselves over to (meeting together, breaking bread, praying, etc.) while at the same time relying on the same grace that saved us to grow us. We cannot afford to be caught without the battle plan (God’s Word). We must study the Battle plan that is the Word of God, show up for meetings and debriefings in our small groups and prayer meetings, and communicate regularly with greatest of all generals through prayer. The growth and success of our mission depends on it.