“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (it) until the day of Jesus Christ”.
“Having been persuaded of this very thing, that the (One) having begun (inaugurated) in you a good work, will finish it up until Christ Jesus’ day.”
Philippians 1:6
The word translated “persuaded” in the verse just quoted above, is often translated “believe.” It is a persuasion that makes one believe; it made the Apostle quite sure of what he spoke. He had to say to the Galatians: “I stand in doubt of you,” (Gal. 4:20) or, “I am perplexed about you.” He had no doubt or perplexity as to the Philippian saints: and yet, though it was indeed by looking at the saints themselves he was so fully persuaded, as we shall see; yet his confidence was really in the Lord: he was persuaded that the One Who had begun the good work in them, would complete it: so his faith and confidence were in the Lord, rather than in the saints themselves. And it is well when our eyes are on the Lord, rather than on the saints only: though we may truly delight to see saints walking well. When the dear Apostle looked off to the Lord, he could add, even to the Galatians, “I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded” (Gal. 5:10). And to the Corinthians, whom he had to scold about so many things, he wrote, “having confidence in you all” (vs. 25) (2 Cor. 2:3). And at the very beginning of the first letter to them, before he mentions one word of blame, he writes, “.... our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall confirm you unto the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by Whom ye were called” (1 Cor. 1:8-10). The Apostle also writes to the Romans (15:14), to the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 3:4), to Timothy (2 Tim. 1:5), and to Philemon (ver. 21), that he is persuaded of them. In every one of these cases (except 1 Cor. 1) it is the same word: being persuaded, being confident, or quite sure. And because of this confidence, he writes, “Therefore we are always of good cheer” (2 Cor. 5:6): “good cheer” is quite a different word. How often we find some who refuse to have confidence in those who have confessed the Lord’s Name: and perhaps these very doubts raise doubts in the hearts of those who are truly the Lord’s; and so stumble them. What good cheer to our own hearts should this confidence of the Apostle prove. Sometimes we see the saints we love going on so badly that we stand in doubt of them, we are perplexed as to them, are they truly saints or not? And yet we are persuaded that the Lord did begin a good work in them: and, coming nearer home, sometimes, perhaps, we are so disappointed in ourselves, that we wonder if it is possible that we ourselves are truly saints. How often does our heart condemn us! Let us remember, then, that God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. (1 John 3:20). Yes, at such times we need to look off unto Jesus, and we also may be persuaded that HE will finish up that work which HE began, unto, or, until, or, against, Christ Jesus’ day. “Christian love is clear-sighted and full of trust with regard to its objects, because God Himself, and the energy of His grace, are in that love” (JND).
Knowing all the failures of the Corinthians, the Apostle falls back on the words: “God is faithful” (1 Cor. 10:13). What encouragement for us! We have no Apostles now: we have not even ordained “bishops and deacons” (vs. 1). But we have GOD: the same GOD as the Apostle; and God is faithful! As the Apostle parted from his beloved Ephesians, he said, “I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace” (Acts 20:32). And we still have the same resource: GOD, and the Word of HIS grace.
But if our confidence is at all in ourselves, then God allows us to see what a wretched foundation that is for confidence. It matters not how great the gift, nor how great the knowledge of the Word, our confidence must be in GOD Himself. And if our confidence is truly there, then, like the Apostle, we may be “always of good cheer,” whether it be life or death: whether it be our daily walk or some special service our Master may give us: we may be truly confident, and so “always of good cheer.” We have seen that the Apostle’s confidence for the Corinthians was because God is faithful. For the Galatians, whose condition was even more serious, it was the Lord alone Who gave him hope. But here in Philippi it is different. Not only is his confidence in what GOD is, but also in what he saw of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, in these dear Philippian saints. He knew what they had been, and he knows what they are now. He saw such true enjoyment of Christ, such fellowship with His interests down here, that his confidence was not only in a general way he would meet them by and by with Christ, but he had complete confidence in the work of God in them all the way through.
In the sentence, “He Who has begun a good work in you,” the word “begun” has a solemn, ceremonial connection. “Inaugurated” might be a better word. It was no light matter to begin that work: let us ever remember it cost the life of the Son of God to begin it in any of us: and, if the work was real and true, it was no light matter with us either. But what comfort to look away from ourselves and our failures to Him Who began the work, and know we may count on HIM to finish it!
“The work which His goodness began, The arm of His strength will complete; His promise is Yea and Amen, And never was forfeited yet: Things future, nor things that are now, Nor all things below nor above, Can make Him His promise forego, Or sever our souls from His love.”
And let us remember that it is “God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (ch. 2:13). Both the willing and the working are from God: there is no room to boast. And if it is of GOD, it cannot fail, for, “HE FAILETH NOT.”
Notice the two “days” that are mentioned in these two verses, 5 & 6: “the first day,” and, “Christ Jesus’ day”: the beginning of the race and the ending. “The first day” was the day when they heard the gospel and believed it. When is “Christ Jesus’ day”?
The present time is called “man’s day” (1 Cor. 3:13, Margin). But “Christ Jesus’ day” is coming. Now, man is allowed to a large extent to have his own way. Then, Christ Jesus will have His own way. Then, all enemies will be put under His feet. Then, He will gather all His own unto Himself. Then, we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. Then, even our bodies will be fashioned like unto His glorious body. Then, we shall be conformed unto the image of His Son. Then, He will finish up the good work which He began in us at the first day. (It is almost the same word as, “It is finished” at the Cross). Well may the Apostle cry: “I AM PERSUADED, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39). Lord, give us more of this “persuasion”!
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“Go into God’s great workshop and you will find nothing that bears the mark of haste, or mere impulse. What His grace begins, the arm of His strength will complete. It is not God’s way to do things by halves. God’s work is always thorough.”
(“Sidelights on the Epistle to the Philippians” by C. G. Baskerville)