The Promise Of A Finished Work Series

The Promise of a Finished Work

Introduction: The Frustration of the Unfinished

We live in a world of unfinished projects.

The half-read book on the nightstand. The half-finished home renovation project in the garage. The resolutions that started strong in January and fizzled out by February. We start things with great passion and noble intentions, but we often lack the resources, the discipline, or the endurance to see them through to completion.

This sense of incompleteness can often creep into our spiritual lives as well.

We start our walk with God with a zeal and a fire, but as time goes on and we face struggles, we begin to doubt. We stumble. We sin. We look at our own weakness and wonder, "Did I truly get it right? Will I ever make it? Will this work of faith ever truly be finished in me?"

The Apostle Paul, in his opening remarks to the church in Philippi, addresses this very fear with one of the most reassuring and powerful promises in all of Scripture.

He doesn't say, "I hope you finish the race." He doesn't say, "I pray you'll have the strength to hold on." No, Paul declares, with absolute certainty, the divine guarantee of our salvation. He says, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

This verse is a fortress of confidence for the believer. It teaches us that our salvation is not a project we must complete, but a work that God guarantees to finish.

I. The Good Work Begun by God

1. The first great truth in this verse is that the "good work" of our salvation is not initiated by us, but by God Himself.

Notice the wording: "He which hath begun a good work in you." The pronouns are everything. It is not "you who have begun a good work," but "He." The very beginning of our faith, the moment our hearts were turned from darkness to light, was a divine act of grace. It was God's unmerited favor, not our striving, that set us on this path.

2. This "good work" is not just the moment of conversion.

It is the entire process of our justification, our sanctification, and ultimately, our glorification. It is the spiritual transformation that takes us from being dead in our sins to being made alive in Christ.

3. If this work depended on our ability to start it, we would have never begun.

If it relied on our resolve or our spiritual strength, it would have failed at the very first test. But the Bible is clear: our salvation is a work of God's grace from start to finish. Our part is simply to receive it by faith. The security of our salvation does not rest on the weakness of our grasp, but on the strength of God's perfect, unfailing hold.

II. The Divine Promise of Completion

The second great truth in this verse is God's promise to finish what He started. Paul is confident not only that God began the work, but that He "will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

1. The word "perform" in the Greek carries the meaning of bringing to completion, of finishing, of perfecting.

It's the assurance of a master craftsman who guarantees his work. God does not abandon His projects. He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. He is not just the author of our faith, but also the finisher (Hebrews 12:2).

2. The promise is that He will continue this work "until the day of Jesus Christ."

This is the great day of His return, when all of our weaknesses will be made strong, our sins will be finally eradicated, and we will be made perfect in His image. Our salvation will be a completed work, a monument to God’s grace and faithfulness.

3. This is the very essence of the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.

It is not our perseverance that saves us, but God's. We endure because He faithfully performs His work in us, strengthening us and keeping us until we are brought home.

III. The Practical Assurance for the Believer

So what does this mean for our lives today? This powerful truth should have a profound impact on how we live and how we view ourselves.

1. It gives us peace amid our struggles.

When you stumble and sin, when you feel unworthy, do not let that define your identity. Your salvation is not based on your performance but on God’s perfect promise. You can find peace in knowing that even in your weakness, God is still at work in you, bringing you to completion.

2. It motivates us to press on.