The Conduct Of A Follower Of Christ Series

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13 (NIV)

12 THEREFORE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, AS YOU HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED--NOT ONLY IN MY PRESENCE, BUT NOW MUCH MORE IN MY ABSENCE--CONTINUE TO WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, 13 FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU TO WILL AND TO ACT ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PURPOSE.

INTRODUCTION: LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE BIBLICAL TRUTH CONCERNING THE WORK OF CHRIST ON OUR BEHALF. HE WAS OUR SOVEREIGN SAVIOR, OUR SERVANT SAVIOR, OUR SUFFERING SAVIOR AND OUR SOVEREIGN SAVIOR AGAIN. THIS MORNING, PAUL BRINGS US TO HOW THIS BIBLICAL TRUTH SHOULD BE SEEN IN OUR PRACTICAL LIVING AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.

PROPOSITION: EACH BELIEVE SHOULD FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST IN HIS LIFE.

I. WHAT WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND – PHIL 2:12A

a. “THEREFORE” POINTS US BACKWARD TO OUR EXAMPLE

b. WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND OUR EXAMPLE

i. OUR EXAMPLE IS JESUS

1. OUR EXAMPLE IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD THE FATHER

2. OUR EXAMPLE IN HIS INCARNATION

3. OUR EXAMPLE IN HIS LIFE AND DEATH

4. OUR EXAMPLE IN HIS RESURRECTION AND GLORIFICATION

ii. ONE MAJOR ASPECT OF THE EXAMPLE

1. AT NO TIME DID CHRIST WITHDRAW FROM THE WORLD

2. CHRIST ENGAGED THE WORLD

3. WE OFTEN THINK IT IS EASIER AS BELIEVERS TO SIMPLY REFUSE TO ENGAGE THE WORLD.

a. KEEPING TO OURSELVES

b. SAFETY IN OUR OWN NUMBERS

4. CHRIST SAW THE WORLD AS A PLACE FOR SALVATION TO FLOURISH, NOT FLOUNDER.

a. ALL IN PERSPECTIVE

b. HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL!

c. WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE LOVED

i. WE SEE THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE FACT THAT JESUS CAME

ii. WE SEE THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE FACT THAT JESUS DIED

iii. WE SEE THE LOVE OF GOD IN THE MANNER OF JESUS’ DEATH

iv. ONE CANNOT DOUBT THE LOVE OF GOD

d. WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND OUR OBEDIENCE

i. THE WORD FOR OBEDIENCE MEANS TO PUT YOURSELF UNDER WHAT IS HEARD – SUBMITTING TO WHAT YOU HEAR

ii. THE WORK OF GOD IN OUR LIVES BEGINS WITH OUR FREE WILL

iii. BEFORE WE CAN BE TRULY OBEDIENT IN OUR ACTIVITY, WE MUST BE OBEDIENT IN OUR WILL

iv. EVEN FREE WILL HAS ITS LIMITS – CERTAIN THINGS WE ARE DENIED IN FREE WILL

1. PHYSICALLY WE CANNOT WILL OURSELVES STRONGER, FASTER, OR YOUNGER.

2. INTELLECTUALLY WE CANNOT WILL OUR SELVES SMARTER.

3. SPIRITUALLY WE CANNOT CHOOSE GOD

a. ADAM HAD FREE WILL AND LOST IT

GENESIS 2:16-17 AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN, "YOU ARE FREE TO EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN;

17 BUT YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, FOR WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOU WILL SURELY DIE."

ROMANS 3:10-11 AS IT IS WRITTEN: "THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NO ONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, NO ONE WHO SEEKS GOD.

b. HE COULD NO LONGER CHOOSE GOD! IF HE COULD, HE WOULD NOT HAVE HID FROM HIM!

JOHN 6:44 "NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME DRAWS HIM, AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST DAY.

v. GOD HAS SPECIFICALLY DRAWN YOU TO HIM, AND WE NEED TO SEE THAT DRAWING OF GOD IN LIGHT OF OUR OBEDIENCE TO HIM, HUMILITY BEFORE HIM AND ACTIVITY FOR HIM!

e. WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND OUR RESPONSIBILITY

i. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST RIGHT NOW IN THE PRESENT

ii. WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST REGARDLESS OF WHO IS LOOKING

II. WHAT WE SHOULD DO – PHIL 2:12B

a. WE SHOULD WORK OUT OUR SALVATION

b. UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES OF SALVATION

i. SALVATION PAST – THIS IS WHEN WE WERE JUSTIFIED THROUGH OUR FAITH IN CHRIST

1. JUST AS IF WE HAD NOT SINNED

2. RESTORATION OF OUR FREE WILL – WE NOW HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT GOD’S WAY; NOT THAT WE WILL, BUT WE DO HAVE THE CHOICE AGAIN

ii. SALVATION PRESENT – THIS IS OUR SANCTIFICATION – BEING SET APART AND CONTINUING TO BE SET APART FOR CHRIST. THIS BEGINS WHEN WE WERE JUSTIFIED AND CONTINUES TILL WE DIE OR THE RAPTURE

iii. SALVATION FUTURE – THIS IS THE “END” OF OUR SALVATION EXPERIENCE, SO TO SPEAK. IT IS HERE SALVATION IS CULMINATED IN GLORIFICATION

1. NEW BODY

2. NEW RESIDENCE

3. ETC.

c. UNDERSTANDING WORK

EPHESIANS 2:8-10 FOR IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, THROUGH FAITH--AND THIS NOT FROM YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD--

9 NOT BY WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE CAN BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE GOD'S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO.

i. NOTICE THAT THE WORD “WORK” IS USED TWICE; WITH EACH HAVING A DIFFERENT MEANING