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.
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