Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Paul prayed that the Christians in Philippi would remain firm in the faith and thus attain eternal glory. He was confident of this grand result because it rested on God's gracious purposes. Paul’s confidence for the preservation of their faith was based on the power and promises of the One who "had begun a good work" in them.
God graciously brings people to faith and assures them that, as they continue to use his Word and Sacraments, he will preserve them in faith so that they will assuredly receive the goal of heaven. Our spiritual security, therefore, does not depend on our sin-tainted efforts. It rests on the sure promises and sustaining grace of God. From eternity he chose us to be his own. In time he came to save us by the cross and the open tomb. In our lifetime he began a good work in us—he called us to faith by the gospel. In the future he will complete his work by bringing us home to himself on "the day of Christ Jesus." Therefore, all the glory for becoming a Christian and remaining a Christian belongs to God who will carry out his plan of salvation to completion for all of his faithful people.
Through the Bible’s good news of a Savior who was born, lived, died and rose again for you, God began in your heart the good work of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Live confidently for the day of the Lord’s second coming because God works through his Word to keep you connected to Jesus your Savior. Hold fast to the Word and rejoice in the promise of your heavenly Father to preserve you in the true faith until you make it safely home to heaven.
Prayer:
Lord, work through the gospel to preserve me in saving faith. Give me the confidence that by your power and according to your promise, you will bring me to live in heaven because Jesus lived and died for me. In his name I pray. Amen.
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