Philippians - 'carry it on to completion'
fineline
Shipmate, Host Emeritus
in Kerygmania
Here is a passage, at the beginning of Philippians, that I sometimes speculate about, and I'm curious what others think.
I have heard this quoted a lot in sermons as meaning that we can't lose our salvation, that the 'good work' God has begun in us is our salvation, and he will complete it. But to me, it is vague, and could mean a number of things. Especially as there seems to be a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on in Paul's letters, and he seems quite deliberate in his attempts to motivate people a certain way,
How do others understand this 'good work' and what it means for God to carry it on to completion in people?
For instance, is there a bit of 'Chaps, you joined me in my work, but honestly, the way you're behaving right now isn't ideal, I think you're losing your direction, but if I tell you God's planning to keep working on you till you meet him face to face, that might make you get your act together'?
Is the confidence Paul professes to have the same as a certain faith, or is it more a way to spur the Philippians on. Like telling a kid, 'I have every faith you can do this,' as a motivating thing (knowing of course that they may not, and in fact anything could happen).
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 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.
I have heard this quoted a lot in sermons as meaning that we can't lose our salvation, that the 'good work' God has begun in us is our salvation, and he will complete it. But to me, it is vague, and could mean a number of things. Especially as there seems to be a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on in Paul's letters, and he seems quite deliberate in his attempts to motivate people a certain way,
How do others understand this 'good work' and what it means for God to carry it on to completion in people?
For instance, is there a bit of 'Chaps, you joined me in my work, but honestly, the way you're behaving right now isn't ideal, I think you're losing your direction, but if I tell you God's planning to keep working on you till you meet him face to face, that might make you get your act together'?
Is the confidence Paul professes to have the same as a certain faith, or is it more a way to spur the Philippians on. Like telling a kid, 'I have every faith you can do this,' as a motivating thing (knowing of course that they may not, and in fact anything could happen).
Comments
As for how Paul's addressing the Philippians--I'm sure he's trying to encourage them, but I don't think it's false encouragement. There are occasions where (speaking as a church leader and missionary) I look at those people and marvel because at that moment, I can see so clearly how God is doing unbelievable things in their lives. And there are other occasions when I want to chuck the whole thing, because it looks like they've all gone back to babyhood in terms of spiritual growth.
The thing is, I suspect both perceptions are true. It's not one or the other. There are times when God gives you the gift (or Paul the gift) of really seeing what his Spirit is doing, and it blows your mind. And there are other times (more common, in my experience) where you see only the negatives, and the human surface appearance of the church, and there's truth in that too.
Paul's letters are quite long. And that might explain why we get so many mood shifts in one letter--the people are holy and wonderful in this chapter, but by three chapters on they are scraping the bottom of the ethical barrel. If he's writing the letter in chunks, over several days, I can understand the shifts.
Pauls reflection on his imprisonment - that others have been encouraged to preach (1:14), his desire that he not be ashamed and he has the courage to exalt Christ (1:20).
His exhortations to the Philippians to continue to work out their salvation (2:12)
Pressing on to the goal (3:12-14)
I think this is about Theosis, not the "do I go to heaven or hell when I die?" salvation lenses through which popular evangelicalism tends to view the epistles. Otherwise "working out our own salvation" makes no sense at all. If anything, that belongs with the Adoption metaphor which appears absent from Philippians.
Viewing it through my universalist lenses, I see the confidence as being that God will eventually bring everything and every soul to perfection - even the ones that seem corrupted beyond repair*. So that, as he says:
"2:10 ... at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."
This universalist approach means I don't have to add the rider I was taught by the Conevos - "Either as saviour or as Judge"
*this may take a long - not time, perhaps, but whatever processes can take place during in eternity because Theosis can't be forced on a being with its own will. It is my suggestion however that as the process length approaches infinity, the willed resistance approaches zero.
I think 'false encouragement' is more black and white than what I'm suggesting. He seems to very genuinely want to encourage them, in order to change them, and is using methods he sincerely hopes will work. I am wondering how 'confident' he really felt though, and to what extent this was very deliberate wording (one could call it manipulation, even) to make them change their behaviour based on his confidence that they can.
Or maybe the word 'confident' (I'm not sure what implications of the Greek word are) implies a possible tiny doubt, to make them see their salvation as something that very easily could be carried on to completion, but, equally, just possibly, may not be, if they continue their current behaviour. So he has actually used that word, very subtly, to plant some slight doubt in their mind. Like Iago saying to Othello that he's sure Desdemona is faithful to him. The possibility that she wasn't hadn't even previously occurred to Othello. Obviously Iago was being an arsehole, but manipulation can be used for good or bad, of course.
I suppose, more broadly, I'm questioning what is really going on here. Because, despite all these praises, we see increasingly as the letter goes on that there are attitudes and behaviours he wants them to change, particularly discord and division between them, so they are not all working together for the gospel, not motivated by love. He is more direct in other letters, but here he really seems to be lavishing on praise and encouragement, and I'm thinking there's more to it.
I am questioning what Paul is doing here, given that the Philippians are behaving in a far from ideal way and he wants them to change. What exactly is behind his words, in context?
Is the 'good work' something airy fairy about the future, or getting them to think about their current behaviour, and how God can do good work in them now?
Is he really feeling this delight and confidence regarding the Philippians?
Is he inwardly rolling his eyes at their behaviour, but assuring them of his confidence as a way to make them them feel warm and fuzzy inside, so they put aside their squabbles and focus on working together on the work of the gospel.
Or is he actually subtly planting a doubt in their minds, that they may possibly not be saved, reminding them that this salvation still needs to be carried on to completion. If it were an established fact, he wouldn't even need to say he was confident it would happen. A seed of fear to spur them into change.
Or something else?
I think you are describing theosis there as I suggested earlier in the thread.
I would suggest the work of the Cross - or rather the work of the Incarnation - was done two thousand years ago. The estrangement between God and man metaphorically described in Adam's hiding in the garden is ended by the man who is God taking that deity to humanity's darkest place in death and then taking that humanity back into the Godhead itself.
The ongoing process is making that reconciliation real in the here and now, a process which is incomplete and continues through death.
I’'ve tended to read this Pauline text as a number of fragments that were later synthesised and brought together because to read Philippians as a stable, continuous text became too problematic. So I think, and I'm following @MPaul here, that Paul is trying to reassure the Philippians that they are not alone or dependent on their own willpower or courage in their efforts to persevere in faith and that within each of them, within their life story and inner psyches, is the work that God inspired and will ultimately bring to completion or perfection. The tone for me is warmer than usual because Philippi was one of the earliest of Paul's churches and he and Timothy knew this community intimately; he finds it comforting that they are doing well despite persecution. He has tender and positive feelings towards them, uses the word ‘joy’ 14 times here; there is no question that he feels confident they will grow in faith and hold together when persecuted. He wants them, in my understanding, to let go of doubt.
At other points in the letter or letters to the Philippians, Paul is in prison himself, grateful for the gift sent to him by the Philippians and wants to reassure them his faith is as strong as ever and he doesn’t fear being put to death. He also cites Epaphroditus who has committed himself to the work of the gospel even though he has been so ill, indicating the Philippians need not fear for Epaphroditus’s strong faith.
With the Philippians facing persecution, dividedness and precarity, I hear Paul saying to them: you may fear for your personal salvation at moments of doubt or uncertainty but each of you is not alone, not even when other believers around you are falling away from the faith, because so long as you keep co-operating with grace and proclaiming Christ, his work within you will keep maturing and will come to completion in God’s time. The same divine power that has carried Paul through trials and imprisonment will safeguard the believers at Philippi.
He is aware that his chance of freedom is unlikely though he hasn’t given up but knowing Christ is the ‘greater’ freedom. Remarkable vision given his circumstances.
Is their “partnership in the gospel” whatever that is… but the “you”
In this verse is plural. So I don’t think it is referring to the salvations of individual Philippians. I haven’t heard the interpretation you’re suggesting before.
To me is it saying that the people in the church in Philippi have been partnering with God in building the church. Paul trusts and prays that regardless of whatever struggles they may be having at the moment that good work of building God’s Kingdom will be brought to completion. They are in partnership with God in doing this work so they can be encouraged. Any individual Philippian may or may not be part of that in the end but as a whole the work will get done.