”God At Work In You” Phillipians 2:12-18

“God At Work(In YOU!)” ~ Philippians 2:12-18 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.(KJV) Vs.12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 12 “WHEREFORE” is ‘there-for’ our review ..going back to 1:27 Paul is saying to the Phil. In exhortation because they should be living as HEAVENLY CITIZENS in harmony & unity w/ one another their lives should have evidence of these traits…(Vs. 2:1-4)…. a) To THINK the same thing, b) HAVE the same Love …c) To be in HEART UNITY or agreement d) carry oneself in a ‘low running mind’(humility) ..e) To see to it that your Brethren EXCELL/SURPASS You…last week we spoke of HAVING THE MIND OF CHRIST( VS2:6-8) which led to A Kenosis experience…death & Resurrection to walk as NEW CREATIONS IN CHRIST( II Cr. 5:17) NOW Paul further exhorts the Philippians TO make the above mentioned TRAITS a Permanent FACT in their lives, a permanent part of WHO THEY ARE as Saints “MY BELOVED”  “My Beloved Ones”(GRK.) plural word in grk.  ag-ap-ay-tos' from agapayo= ‘To LOVE’(AGAPE)…This is the LOVE, (Agape) of God produced in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that IMPELS us to lay our lives down for each other OBEYED…NOT meaning a grind it out, work it out kind of obedience Done in Fear of GOD as a Taskmaster…This is a Basic summary of a practical APPLICATION of all he is saying…he is Not meaning a slavish observance of rules..BUT rather an intelligent application of Principle…when OBEY (Obedience) is applied this way it is the KEY to LIBERTY in the Christian walk with God (examples of Music & Health)…”To Obey” is to put into practice “The Mind of Christ” received & operated By FAITH , NOT a  WORK it Out Mentality Not as In My Presence ..The sense here is they do not need Paul to hold their hand (HE is not there)…BECAUSE they have access to the MIND of CHRIST they can do what is needed “work out your own salvation” NOT working for your personal salvation in your own effort & strength (see Mormons) …a) Paul was writing to SAINTS not unsaved b) SALVATION IS always a work of God, not men….c) also not an inward working out of one’s  salvation … “work out”  katergazomai (koter..gad..zi..mi) = ‘to carry out to the goal, to carry out to its ultimate conclusion’ ….like saying the 5th grader worked out the long division problem to its CONCLUSION. Here Paul is exhorting the Phil (US) to carry our salvation out to ITS ULTIMATE CONCLUSION= CHRISTLIKENESS. The SALVATION Highlighted here is SANCTIFICATION= Being SET ASIDE  from sin & toward God’s purpose for our lives which will please ABBA Example of my granddaughter being taught by me how to drive We must learn to ‘Work Out’ the problems & trials of life we go through by applying FAITH by doing so ‘GOD IS WORKING IN US’ We are NOT ROBOTS…..we have our own WILL to APPLY/Not Apply the Mind of Christ in a matter   “with fear and trembling…” NOT Terror but a wholesome carefulness & caution of  being careful of NOT doing the wrong things. This Fear is a SELF-DISTRUST, a tenderness of one’s conscience ; a vigilance against temptation, the opposite of pride & arrogance…It is being in an attitude of taking heed lest we fall, of watching for the deceitfulness of our hearts…it is taking care & caution to NOT offend God….THIS is Human RESPONSIBILITY in its highest form (Vincent) 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge ISAIAH 66:1,2 Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What house could you possibly build for Me? And what place could be My home? 2 My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. This is the Lord’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive[a] in spirit, and trembles at My word. II Peter 1:3-10  3 His[a] divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by[b] His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. (MAKE your Calling & Election Sure kjv) Vs. 13 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure “Worketh” ..’energeo’ meaning to energize, work effectively…our words ‘energy’ & ‘energize’ come from this grk. Word “to will” ‘thelo’ means to wish, to desire, to purpose….specifically speaks to ones emotions rather than reason…The DESIRE to do ABBAS GOOD PLEASURE is produced by DIVINE ENERGY cultivated in  & imparted to the believers Heart by the Holy Spirit, the HS. energizes us..NOT just for willingness but in the DOING as well..We are GIVEN Power to DO! “to do” grk. Implies an habitual ACTION We could say it like this……………. HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY (Vs. 12) + DIVINE ENABLEMENT (VS. 13) = Doing His Good Pleasure = The Works of God That PLEASE ABBA…”A TAKE HOLD & CO-WORK with ABBA Process…A mystery in a sense as to How our FREE Will works together  with the Sovereignty  of God Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The beauty of the Christian life is we are Truly FREE to do as we choose!..Jn. 14:15 If you Love me,Keep my commands Abba desires for us to live every moment right where He has us  transform the seemingly empty, boring, meaningless routines of life, as well as all the challenging situations you face into vibrant God-energized opportunities…”Then we will see Abba Working In Us Both to WILL & DO His Good Pleasure!”     14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:…VS. 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Now Paul begins to address the issue that was beginning to cause division among them…he had gotten this issue from Epaphroditus  , who perhaps had been attempting to cover his Brethrens’ sin up due to His Love for them…PAUL exhorts THEM to be done with these negative things. ‘Murmurings’   gongysmos(ga—goose—mas) to mutter or murmur (used of the cooing of doves)it is said of this word that its ‘pronunciation’(‘sound’) resembles its meaning…This is like a ‘hushed’ undertone, like a whisper…& it is used against MEN, Not God …so far the dissension in the Philippian  Church was only an undercurrent ..this word was used of those who get together & complain secretly of their discontent ‘disputings’  dialogismos (diolly…gis..mas) this word has to do with debating with an underthought of suspicion & doubt………….Murmurings LED to DISPUTES Exodus 16:2,3 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.also vs. 9-12.. 17:2,3 chide & murmur about lack of water I Cr. 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. I Tim. 6:3-6 3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,5 Perverse disputing(incessant wrangling, to wear out) of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing