Phil. 1:6; Matt. 7:15-20, Confidence

The word translated confident is elsewhere also translated persuaded.  Let us ask, what was the basis of Paul’s confidence that God would finish His work in the Philippians?  Was it something he saw in God or something he saw in the believers?

·        Was it in a promise of God?  In other words, is he saying he is confident because, after all, God has promised to finish the work He starts?

o   There are, actually a lot of these promised!

§  2 Tim. 2:12: Paul was persuaded (same term) that God was able to keep until the day of Christ’s revelation what he (Paul) had committed to Him (God).

§  Rom. 8:38-39: Paul was persuaded (again, same term) that nothing could separate us from God’s love.

§  John 10:27-30: Jesus said no one could snatch us from God’s hand.

§  Heb. 13:20-21: Because of the blood of Christ that establishes an eternal covenant, we can be sure God will make you complete in every good work.

§  Jude 24 states clearly God has the ability to keep you.

§  Rom. 8:28-30 says that those God foreknew He predestined to Christ-likeness and called, and then justified and would eventually glorify them.

o   In these promises the beginning of God’s plan involves being saved by faith through grace.  God does all the work; it is grace.  Our part is to believe.  2 Thess. 2:13-14 has a similar thought: God’s part is to choose, set us apart by the Spirit and call us by the gospel.  Man’s part is belief in the truth and standing fast in the word.  1 Peter 1:3-5 says the same.

·        Or was it the fruit he saw on the Philippian’s tree (1:7)? 

o   Paul often expressed confidence in those to whom he wrote (e.g. Phile. 1:21; Heb. 6:9; 2 Tim. 1:5; 2 Thess. 3:4; Gal. 5:10; 2 Cor. 3:3; Rom. 15:14).  Stop and think about the people he was writing to in these instances: people and churches struggling with issues and imperfections (of course).  The Philippian church did not appear to have great challenges other than the one that surfaces in Phil. 4:2.  Two women were fighting and it did seem to involve the entire body.  And yet Paul expresses confidence that God will finish what He started in them.  

o   Yet if you read these passages you will see he is confident that God will not forget their good works (Hebrews).  He is confident Philemon will obey.  The Galatians will stay with the truth.  Is he confident in what God promises to do?  Or is he already seeing the fruit of God’s work and thus can speak confidently of the Philippians because he sees that they are, in fact, God’s people?

Both ideas are true in Scripture.  There is no question that God finishes what He begins.  The list of supporting scriptures is quite long.  But how did Paul know the work had begun?  He has not only heard their confession of Christ as Lord; he had seen the fruit of God’s work in their lives.  Friend, count on it!  What God begins when we receive the gospel and put our faith in Christ He will finish!