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Philippians
2:1-4;
12So
then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear
and trembling; 13for
it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His
good pleasure.
A.
Working Alone
vs.
12a
“So
then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence, . . .”
One
test of a man’s character is measured by how he thinks and what he does
when he is alone. Paul was
concerned that the Philippians not slip back from their commitment to
Christ.
See
the Warning
to the Hebrews;
& Stalling
Out: Hebrews 6:1-3 1Therefore
leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to
maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and
of faith toward God, 2of
instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of
the dead and eternal judgment. 3And
this we will do, if God permits.
If
there is no progression there will soon be regression.
& Striking
Out: Hebrews 6:4-8 4For
in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the
heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and
have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then
have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance,
since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open
shame. 7For
ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth
vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a
blessing from God; 8but
if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being
cursed, and it ends up being burned.
There
are a number of views regarding the intent of these verses.
& Some
believe one can lose his salvation. This
cannot be because Jesus said that . . . 39“This
is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose
nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40“For
this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and
believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on
the last day.” John
6 39,40
& The
verse actually teaches that a person who falls from grace could never be
restored — that would require putting Christ back on the cross!
Impossible. What can
happen when one becomes spiritually barren is a total loss of rewards and
even physical death.
In
his comments on this verse Bob
DeWaay notes:
It
is true that people who have been a part of the visible church commit
apostasy. In their case, they left us because they were not really of us, 1st
John 2:19. That
God has allowed this is part of His means of warning His people. Jesus
knew who Judas was and what he would do, but brought him into the twelve.
The story of his wickedness has served as a warning to all who have read
the gospel account. This goes for Balaam, Saul, Esau, Korah, Hymenaeus,
Alexander (1Timothy
1:19,20) and all
others who have likewise made shipwreck of the faith. These appeared to
fit the category described by the four participles of Hebrews
6:4,5 but it
turned out that they did not fully experience electing grace.
Bob
DeWaay
& It
is evident that this text is a solemn warning to hypocrites and apostates
and it is a wake up call for believers who stray from the path of
righteousness as can be seen in the following verses.
1
Corinthians 3:15; If
any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be
saved, yet so as through fire. 1
Corinthians 5:4,5; 4In
the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in
spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5I
have decided
to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that
his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1
John 5:16,17; 16If
anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading
to death, he shall ask and God
will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading
to death. There is a sin leading
to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17All
unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading
to death.
& Paul
was concerned that the Philippians work through these issues in his
absence as they did in his presence. John
warns us about being assimilated into an ungodly culture and secular world
views.
1st
John 2:15-17; 15 | 
