Shine Brightly for Christ
Philippians 2:12-18 NLT
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Examine the Scriptures:
Philippians 2:12-13 NLT
Shine Brightly for Christ
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important.
Note: We aren’t really talking about Paul’s instructions. 2 Timothy was written by Paul, but notice what it says.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
We are not really talking about Paul’s instructions. We’re talking about instructions from God.
(repeat) And now that I am away, it is even more important.
What is more important?
Let’s look at another passage recorded by Paul.
Ephesians 6:5-8 NLT
5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 6 Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 8 Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.
- As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
The word “work” is going to show up a lot in this lesson.
Who are you working for? Who are you trying to please?
Work hard to show the results of your salvation,
work out your own salvation ESV
Keep on working to complete your salvation. International Children’s Bible
Work with fear and trembling. CEV + others
This is not working for salvation. The Philippians had already received the gift of salvation.
This is talking about an ongoing process that continues after receiving the gift of salvation.
*** “work out” means continually work to bring your salvation to fulfillment.
- Sanctification is an ongoing process which will not be complete or reach perfection in this life.
Sanctification is the process of becoming more Christ like.
In “progressive sanctification” we have a part to play.
We work out our salvation by keeping in step with the Holy Spirit who leads us in the will of God.
Ephesians 4:1 NLT
4:1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
Galatians 5:16 NLT
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
2 Peter 1:10 NLT
10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen.
Galatians 6:7-9 NLT
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
Romans 6:19 NLT
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT
7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
Hebrews 6:10-11 NLT
10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.
- Living the life that God wants you to live takes hard work.
Working at Redeemer Day School is hard work.
obeying God
Obey. Do the things scripture tells believers to do.
John 14:15 NLT
15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.
1 John 5:3 NLT
3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.
James 1:22 NLT
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
John 14:21 NLT
21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
2 John 6 NLT
6 Love means doing what God has commanded us,
Luke 11:28 NLT
28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
- Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.
Don’t get hung up on the passages of scripture you don’t understand. You already know a lot of scripture. Do what you know you should be doing.
Example:
Put verses 2 and 3 into practice (achieving unity through humility).
Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
with deep reverence and fear.
We need to have a healthy fear of offending God and a righteous awe and respect of Him.
Proverbs 1:7 NLT
7 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Deuteronomy 8:6 NIV
6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.
Psalm 34:9 NIV
9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
Proverbs 9:10 NLT
10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.
We have a strong and crafty adversary, and we are weak and dependent on God for all that we need.
- Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
We need to be practicing and teaching “respect”.
Practicing respect is becoming a lost art.
Fearing God is respecting God. We need to always honor and esteem God.
Can we do all of this on our own? Of course not.
13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
- God empowers and energizes believer’s lives.
2 Peter 1:3 NLT
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
John 15:5 NLT
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
1 Corinthians 12:6 NLT
6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
- Among other things, God uses scripture and the Holy Spirit to work in us.
Hebrews 4:12 NLT
For the word of God is alive and powerful.
John 16:13 NLT
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
