Philippians 2:12-16a; 3:10-19
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, June 19

 

Is the Christian life a completed work, a continuing process, or a future hope? Actually, it is all three. The Christian experience of justification is a completed work and the Christian stands before God without guilt. It is a continuing process in the sense that God is working in the life of the believer, making him more like Christ (Phil. 1:6; Rom. 8:29). This process includes separating the believer from sin and for the purposes of God in his life.

This ongoing work of God in the believer is known as sanctification. Christianity is also a future hope because the full blessings of the Christian experience will be realized at the return of Christ. This future hope is known as glorification. Last week's study focused on the Christian's justification. Next week's study will examine our glorification.

This week's study examines the growing process in the Christian life. The Christian life begins with a spiritual birth. The natural result of life is growth. Just as babies are to grow physically, Christians are to grow spiritually (2 Pet. 3:18). While Christian growth is the result of God's work in us, we have responsibility in this area as well. This week's study provides helpful instruction for growing in the Christian life.

 

Don' t Compartmentalize, Phil. 2:12-16a

Some Christians tend to compartmentalize their lives into the spiritual and the secular. They have one set of values and actions for Sunday and another set for the other days. This should not be, for our Christian values and faith should be fleshed out in every area of our lives. This is what Paul called on the Philippians to do when he challenged them to work out their own salvation (2:12).

He did not tell them to work for their salvation, but to work out that salvation in daily life. He informs them that the outworking of their salvation was in conjunction with God's work in them, creating the desire and ability to do His will in their lives (2:13).

Paul then challenges the Philippians to fulfill their daily responsibilities without murmuring or complaining (2:14). They were to do this so that they could have an effective testimony in their world (2:15). Many Christians destroy their testimonies by displaying a bad attitude at work and other places in their daily lives. However, I recently heard of a Christian lady whose chemotherapy nurse asked permission to use her as a reference person for patients who were struggling with their life situation.

This lady's attitude has provided a positive Christian testimony to those around her. This is exactly what Paul challenges Christians to do. He then describes the Christians who display this positive attitude as those who are holding forth the word of life in our sinful world. Actually, the word translated "forth" in some versions is translated "firmly" in others. The Greek word could be translated either way. Christians should do both. We should hold the word of life firmly in our hearts and also hold it forth offering the message of Christ to a lost world.

 

Pursue Maturity, Phil. 3:10-16

In addition to working out their own salvation, Christians are to pursue maturity in their spiritual lives. Paul's testimony is a challenge to all Christians. If anyone could have felt that he had arrived at spiritual maturity it would have been Paul. This was certainly not his attitude (3:14). He desired to know the fellowship of Christ's sufferings and the power of his resurrection (3:10). Paul also wanted to be like Christ for he wanted to be conformed to His death (3:10). He wanted to have the character that is seen in Christ.

Paul's desire to attain to the resurrection from the dead reflects his desire to know Christ fully and to be like Him, for at the resurrection Christians will see Him and be like Him (1 John 3:2). Paul was not expressing uncertainty about sharing in that resurrection, but his eager desire for that event to occur. However, Paul did not sit idly waiting for that day. He lived his life pressing toward the mark of knowing and being like Christ as a runner presses toward the finish line in a race. Instead of living on past victories or dwelling on past defeats, he was constantly pressing forward.

 

Imitate Mature Believers, Phil. 3:17-19

Christians who want to grow in their spiritual life should be careful to imitate mature believers. Paul encouraged the Philippians to follow his example (3:17). This is a challenge to mature Christians to live for Christ in such a way that they can encourage younger Christians to follow their example.

It is also a challenge to Christians to be discriminating in who they follow as leaders. There are many self-proclaimed religious leaders who are actually enemies of the cross (3:18). They profess to serve God but in reality they serve their own appetites and their end will be destruction (3:19). This is in contrast to the future of true Christians as described in Philippians 3:20, which will be the beginning of next week's study.

Whatever stage of Christian development one is in, there are other mature Christians whose teachings and lives challenge us to continue growing in our relationship with Christ.

The Christian life is fresh and exciting when the Christian is growing in Christ. There are new things to learn about Christ, new encounters to experience with Him and new grace to receive. If you are growing in Christ, continue to grow and experience that freshness and excitement in your life. If you are not growing, get growing by following these basic principles.