Today we are revisiting Philippians 1:3-6 this time focusing on verse 6 focusing on “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Fortunately, we do not have to rely on ourselves in the Christian life. It is not by our goodness, power, skill, or wisdom that is the basis of our confidence.

The ground of St. Paul’s confidence in their perseverance is the belief that it was God’s grace which began the good work in them, and that, not being resisted (as was obvious by their enthusiasm for good), He would complete what He had begun. In his view, God’s grace is the beginning and the end; man’s co-operation lies in the intermediate process linking both together.

The ground of St. Paul’s confidence in their perseverance is the belief that it was God’s grace which began the good work in them, and that, not being resisted (as was obvious by their enthusiasm for good), He would complete what He had begun. In his view, God’s grace is the beginning and the end; man’s co-operation lies in the intermediate process linking both together.

Being confident

This is strong language. It means to be fully and firmly persuaded or convinced. It means here that Paul was entirely convinced of the truth of what he said. It is the language of a man who had no doubt on the subject.

Had it been the agency of man, he would have had no such conviction, for nothing that man does today can lay the foundation of a certain conviction that he will do the same thing tomorrow. If the perseverance of the Christian depended wholly on himself, therefore, there could be no sure evidence that he would ever reach heaven.

Perform it until—perfect it up to gradually maturing and perfecting us.

This would or could be performed or finished only:

1. by keeping them from falling from grace,

2. by their ultimate entire perfection.

The day of Jesus Christ. -- Also in Philippians 1:10; Philippians 2:16, the day of Christ; and in 1 Corinthians 1:8, “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ;” in all other Epistles “the day of our Lord” (as in 1 Corinthians 5:5; 2 Corinthians 1:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2); or, still more commonly, both in Gospels and Epistles, “that day.”

That day is often called "his day," or "the day of the Lord," because it will be the day of his triumph and glory. It refers here to the day when the Lord Jesus will appear to receive his people to himself - the day of judgment. We may remark on this verse, that Paul could be referring to the perseverance of saints. It would be impossible to express a stronger conviction of the truth of that doctrine than he has done here. Language could not be clearer, and nothing can be more unequivocal than the declaration of his opinion that where God has begun a good work in the soul, it will not be finally lost. The ground of this belief he has not stated in full, but has merely hinted at it. It is based on the fact that God had begun the good work. That ground of belief is something like the following:

It is in God alone. It is not in man in any sense. No reliance is to be placed upon man in keeping himself. He is too weak; too changeable; too ready to be led astray; too much disposed to yield to temptation. I preached on joy last week, and the return of Christ to reign forever is one reason that we have joy.

Andy Griffith had this to say about God’s work in us: “I firmly believe that in every situation, no matter how difficult, God extends grace greater than the hardship, and strength and peace of mind that can lead us to a place higher than where we were before.”

Once again, the Lord has fulfilled prophecy. Jesus' ministry, death, and resurrection and God’s indwelling Holy Spirit change the hearts of believers.

The reliance is on God; and the evidence that the renewed man will be kept is this:

God began the work of grace in the soul. The Christian life begins and continues throughout eternity through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can no more save ourselves than we can wheelbarrow ourselves.

He had a design in it. It was deliberate, and intentional. It was not by chance or haphazard. It was because he had some object that was worthy of his interposition.

There is no reason he should begin such a work and then abandon it. It cannot be because he has no power to complete it, or because there are more enemies to be overcome than he had supposed; or because there are difficulties which he did not foresee; or because it is not desirable that the work should be completed. Why then should he abandon it?

God abandons nothing that he undertakes. There are no unfinished worlds or systems; no half-made and forsaken works of His hands. There is no evidence in His works of creation of change of plan, or of having forsaken what He began from disgust, or disappointment, or lack of power to complete them. Why should there be in the salvation of the soul?

God is working out our salvation. If God created the plan and will see it to completion, what do we need to do?

We are called to endure through tests and trials. What God starts, he finishes. Where God guides, he provides. And where God leads, he meets our needs. But he’s going to test you first, because there is no testimony without a test. There is no victory without a race. There will be times when we fail, when we fall. Consider Jacob's dishonesty, David’s infidelity, Moses' anger, and Peter’s foolish words. The question is: do we get back up when we fall? Do we confess our sins to the Lord? We will not be perfect until this life is over. As long as we live, the Christian life is one of gaining maturity, growing in grace, pressing on . ..

The question, then, is: Are you willing to trust God completely? Are you depending on something else or on the true and living God?

Matthew Henry notes, The confidence of Christians is the great comfort of Christians." We know how the story will end. We know that Christ is coming back for his Church and that one day we will reign with Him. Do we live in the reality that the Holy Spirit lives in us and Jesus has redeemed us? Do we trust and obey? Do we love and live in grace, hope, joy and fellowship with other believers?

We are on a journey with the Lord, or as Steven Curtis Chapman would say, a Great Adventure. May we walk in confidence knowing that the Father will finish what He has begun. Gloria Gaither had this to say about our journey with God: “When I look at where I’ve been, I see that what I am becoming is a whole lot further down the road from where I was.”

This verse gives us reasons for faith, hope, and joy no matter what is happening in our lives. God is at work.