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Philippians 1:6
God Completes What He Begins
Philippians 1:6
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
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Why it is worth knowing
- The initiator of salvation is God: he began it, not us
- God does not start and abandon: he will complete the work he started
- “Until the day of Jesus Christ”: the endpoint is glorification, not just moral improvement
- Paul’s assurance is theological, not based on the Philippians’ current performance
Where it sits: Philippians 1:3-7
I thank my God whenever I remember you, always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy, for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.
Hear the passage it sits in, sung word for word, on BibleDo's Philippians page.
Background
Paul opens his letter to the Philippians with unusual warmth and confidence. He is in prison, yet his tone is joyful and assured. The confidence of verse 6 is not about the Philippians’ faithfulness: Paul knows they will face trials. The confidence is in the character of God: he who begins always finishes. The Greek word for “complete” (epiteleo) was used in the context of completing sacrificial rites: God will see this offering through to its proper end. This verse is one of the strongest texts on the perseverance of the saints, not our perseverance, but God’s.