Intro
Our lives have changed significantly since the beginning of 2020. The big question is what changes lie ahead. Will things settle down and stabilize? Or will events become even more volatile? Will the coronavirus subside, or will infections escalate? Will the political divide in this country become more violent, or will reason prevail? Which party will prevail on November 3rd? The ideologies of the parties have grown further and further apart. Regardless of who wins the election, somebody is going to be very upset. I’m not talking about the disappointment experienced a few decades ago. I’m talking about passionate, fierce rage. Confidence in the election process has deteriorated. Either side could call foul. Either side could feel the process was rigged and question the legitimacy of the votes. Nobody knows what will happen on November 3rd. Not only do we not know who is going to win, but we also don’t know how the loser will respond. And we don’t know how our international enemies will respond either.
How do we prepare for the days ahead? There are steps in the natural that are prudent to take. We’ve seen the volatility of supply lines. It’s still a good idea to have some extra supplies at home. If people can’t go to work, that translates into supply shortages. My purpose this morning is not to list all the practical steps we should consider. I have said all this to point out the one most important preparation of all: a close relationship with God. Are you on speaking terms with God? Are you communing with him daily? Are hearing his voice?
God is always speaking, but many times his people are distracted with other things. Their ear is not as open to him as it needs to be. That’s why in Hebrews 3 and 4 we are warned, “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." There we are reminded of Israel’s response to shortages and difficulties in the Wilderness. God was speaking. Moses was hearing his voice. But Israel as a whole could not hear. And the reason they could not hear was because they had hardened their hearts through the deceitfulness of sin (3:13).
What is the protection suggested in Hebrews 3:13? “But exhort one another daily.” Later in chapter 10 of that epistle we are told to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, “but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (10:25). The closer we move toward the end times, the more important this becomes. The coronavirus restrictions are making this more difficult. The warning for Christians is this: Don’t drift away from God or the people of God. Make the effort; whether it be through the Internet or in small groups, stay in the word and stay with God’s people. There is a heightened danger at this time that people would simply drift away from this mandate of assembling and exhorting one another in the Lord. We are receiving warning through the media of the dangers of assembling. Here in Scripture God warns us about the dangers of not assembling. All the risks must be considered when deciding what to do. We should consider the risks of the coronavirus and be prudent. But we should also consider the risks involved of failing to assemble in some way.
Protection and provision often come through hearing the Lord. Elijah lived during hard times in Israel. Ahab and Jezebel were in power. They were not only ungodly, but they aggressively persecuted God’s faithful. How did God take care of Elijah during those times? He spoke to Elijah, and Elijah heard his voice. When a draught was coming, God told Elijah to go to the brook, Cherith (1 Kings 17:3). There God had ravens feed him. But Elijah needed to keep his ear open to God. When the brook dried up, again God told Elijah where he needed to go from there. He led Elijah to a specific widow in Zarephath. There God took care of Elijah, the widow, and her son (1 Kings 17:9).
The most important preparation you can have for any future event is faith in God and the ability to hear his voice. If we drift now, if we neglect our relationship with God, we may be too dull of hearing to know what to do in a crisis. It is presumption to think we can neglect our relationship with God, then come through in the crisis on our own terms. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus warned the disciples to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation (Matt. 26:41). Jesus was preparing himself for the ordeal ahead. They were asleep. When the crisis came, they failed the test. They loved the Lord, but they were not equipped to handle the situation that was just around the corner.
What if there is no crisis around the corner? Aren’t we still supposed to walk close to the Lord? Aren’t we still supposed to hear his voice and live in obedience to him? That’s the right thing to do regardless of the future. But it can become extremely important in a crisis.
In his letter to the Philippians Paul is exhorting the Christians there about these issues. If they are to handle their current crisis, there are some things they had better do. Paul is explaining that in our text today. The exhortation began in 1:27 where he wrote, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” He is telling them to live godly lives that reflect well on the gospel and to “stand fast in one spirit.” Unite under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Work together for the furtherance of the gospel. He begins chapter 2 telling them to be likeminded and unselfishly serve one another. Then he presents to them the example of Christ in 2:5-11, an example of unselfish, humble service. That was our text last week.
I. General Instruction in New Testament Obedience
Today’s text begins with a word that Paul often uses to tie what he is about to say with what he has just said: “Therefore.” Philippians 2:12, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Paul is calling these believers to New Testament obedience. What does that obedience look like? It looks like Jesus. It looks like the example Paul has just given. Philippians 2:8 says of Jesus, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” The ultimate example of New Testament obedience is Jesus’s obedience to the Father. He was obedient “to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
There is a destructive error in the church that must be corrected. It is the error that says, “Since we are saved by grace, it doesn’t matter much how we live. We have a ticket to heaven, so don’t be too concerned about this issue of obedience—if fact, it could get you into legalism. And you certainly want to avoid that.” Legalism is something we want to avoid. Legalism is the idea we can earn salvation through human effort. Legalism has the flavor of “touch not; taste not; handle not” (Col. 2:21). Warning against legalism, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:16-17, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”
The early Pentecostal Movement fell into a lot of legalism. It focused heavily on the outward appearances of things like make-up, dress, hair style, etc. Later, for some groups you could not go to the movies, but you could rent the movie and watch it. One way you can identify legalism is the illogical loopholes that are developed. In some Amish groups you can not drive a car, but you can have someone chauffer you in a car wherever you want to go. The Catholic Church condemned adultery but granted annulments to influential people. The Pharisees challenged Jesus because his disciples had not washed their hands before eating. They were very strict about these external ceremonies.
But Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of their legalism. Matthew 15:3-9: “He [Jesus] answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" — 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'" Legalism hardened the hearts of the Pharisees, giving them a false confidence when their hearts were not right with God. It looked good on the surface, but down deep it was corrupt. That kind of handling of the word of God is to be rejected.
But the obedience Paul is calling for in our text is not legalism. He is calling for fidelity to the Lord and his commandments that issues from the heart. Paul said to the Romans, “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness” (Rom. 6:17-19). Lawlessness is not okay. Legalism is not okay. Obedience from the heart is expected of New Testament believers.
In our text Paul explains what New Testament obedience looks. He begins with the general imperative in verses 12 and 13. What does New Testament obedience require?
It requires effort: “work out your own salvation” (Phil. 2:12). Is he saying, “Earn your salvation”? No, because in the next verse he adds, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Without that, any self-effort toward salvation would be futile. Ephesians 2:8-10 makes that very clear. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Good works should flow out of our salvation, but human works cannot earn salvation.
Good works give evidence that God has worked salvation in the soul. If there are no good works, we have every reason to believe the person is not saved. The person may have gone through a religious ritual of some kind. The person may have been baptized, or joined a church, or said the sinner’s prayer. But biblical faith produces obedience. James asks the question, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” (2:14). He follows up with this conclusion in 2:17: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” The kind of faith that does not produce good works of obedience to God is dead faith. It is not alive. The evidence is in the fact that it produces not fruit. You know a tree by its fruit. A person with saving faith, will produce obedient works. James goes on to say, “18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect [complete]? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.’” James’s argument is simply this: If a person has biblical faith, it will be evidenced by what that person does. When God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham could have talked all day long about how he loved God and how he believed in God, but it would have just been talk. The proof is in the pudding. When Abraham did what God told him to do, his faith was fully expressed, and God was pleased. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
The phrase “with fear and trembling” was probably a Greek idiom easily understood by the Philippians. It is primarily referring to respect for God’s authority and our accountability to him. When teaching on the Judgment Seat of Christ, Paul wrote, “Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men . . .” (2 Cor 5:11). It is going to be an awe-filled experience to stand before God one day and give an account of the deeds done in this body, “whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Most commentators soften the phrase “with fear and trembling” by saying it is only reverential awe with no negative connotations. But Jesus himself said, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). Surely there is some element of warning in that statement. I have not maneuvered God into some contract where he has no options. He is God and I am a puny man in comparison to him. I am accountable to him, not the other way around. Once I understand that, John’s declaration that “God is love” is most refreshing. Because he is love, he sent his son to die on a cross for my salvation (John 3:16). Out of that love he paid the ultimate price to rescue me. Knowing the terror of the Lord, his mercy is supremely precious to me. If God is for us in that way, who can be against us? If God spared not his own son for our salvation, “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32-33). On the one hand we know the terror of the Lord. But his act of mercy toward us brings assurance and comfort so that we do not live with any sense of tormenting fear (2 Tim. 1:7).
John Newton understood what I’m trying to say when he wrote, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.” Only those who have trembled before his majesty can appreciate the wonder of his grace. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14). Are you “zealous for good works”? That’s a good indication that you’re one of “His own special people.” It’s a strong indication that you have learned from “the grace of God that brings salvation.”
There are some brands of grace that don’t bring salvation. They are a cheap imitation. If fact, Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls it cheap grace. It is not saving grace. It works no change in the heart. Bonhoeffer wrote, “Cheap grace is the grace we bestow upon ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession. . . .” Cheap grace was popular when Bonhoeffer published this in 1937, and it is more popular today. It is a dangerous doctrine. It appeals to the flesh saying you can have it both ways. You can live selfishly, follow the lusts and desires of the flesh. Then go to heaven when you die and enjoy everything there. But God is not mocked. Nobody’s going to pull on over on God.
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” That is the diligence Paul is calling for in our text.
The encouragement that follows in verse 13 says, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” If we had verse 12 without verse 13, we would be of all men most miserable. All our religious striving would be worthless. But when we were born again, we received a new nature; we received a nature aligned with God. We became his own dear children. The Holy Spirit came into our hearts and is working out the will of God in our lives. Paul completed his prayer in Ephesians 3 with this sentence: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Did you catch that phrase, “according to the power that works in us”? God is working in you! It is a glorious thing. He is influencing your will toward his will. He is showing you the path of life. He is leading you in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. He is “working in you both to will and do for His good pleasure.” He does not take away your will, but in his wisdom and love he persuades you toward his will. Those desires to please him, those desires to do something that honors him—are evidence of his persuasion. And once you put your hand to the plow, it is his grace that enables you to do. When we are tempted to give up, He empowers us to take another step of faith and obedience. You are not in this by yourself. That is why you can live with confidence and assurance—not confidence in your own abilities, but in the grace working in you.
The obedience Paul is talking about begins with his transforming influence. It is worked out into full fruition by our obedience. Paul has laid out the general way obedience works in the believer. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” Now he mentions a few specifics included in that obedience. These were of particular concern in his message to the Philippians.
II. SPECIFIC Instructions in New Testament Obedience
Phil. 2:14: “Do all things without complaining and disputing.” The complaining is primarily directed at our attitude toward God. The disputing focuses on our relationships with other believers. Paul often alludes to the murmuring and complaining of Israel in the Wilderness. It was so displeasing to God, that it brought judgment on their lives on various occasions. Just as thanksgiving softens our hearts toward God, complaining has a hardening effect. 1 Corinthians 10 is a good commentary on what Paul is saying in our text. There he lists attitudes and actions of Israel in the Wilderness that we should avoid. In verse 10 he adds, “nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” The best way to avoid complaining is to practice thanksgiving.
Paul is particularly concerned about the disputes that are emerging in the Philippian church. Much of what he has said since 1:27 is directed at that problem. The Philippians do not seem to view their disputing with the level of concern that Paul has. He knows the damage it can do to the church—to individuals and their walk with God, but also to the community as a whole. “A house divided against itself will not stand” (Matt. 12:25). A major strategy of the devil is to divide and conquer. He uses it against families. He uses it against churches. It breaks my heart to see the way he is using it against our nation right now. Paul is urging those a Philippi to work through their disagreements and get on with the Great Commission. The only way this church is going to successfully fulfill its evangelistic mission in Philippi is to do so “in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (1:27).
Paul wants these believers to work together “without complaining and disputing,” so that they “may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. . . .” He wants their light shining bright for the pagans in Philippi to see. If they are complaining about life and disputing with one another, their testimony to unbelievers is tarnished. The idea Paul is presenting in verses 15-16 is a contrast between light and darkness. The pagans in their society are in darkness. They need to see the believers shining brightly in contrast to the way their own lives.
The church in America has worked hard to be like the society in which we live. The idea behind that is that we want them to feel comfortable when they come into our churches. We want them to feel like they can fit in. But that is the opposite of what Paul is presenting in our text. Instead of believers becoming more like the world around them, they are supposed to live lives that stand in stark contrast with the way the world lives. There have been groups who tried to do that with externals—wearing archaic clothes, refusing to use modern machinery, some even spoke King James English. The contrast is not to be in superficial externals. The contrast is in a lifestyle of devotion to God, fidelity to his commandments, and loving one’s neighbor. Someone summed up what I’m saying quite well when he said, “When the church feels it must become like the world to reach the world, we have not won the world, the world has won us.”
Paul describes the world system in which we live as “a crooked and perverse generation.” Their thinking is twisted. They support depraved, perverse behavior. They even call good evil, and evil good (Isa. 5:20). That should not surprise us since 1 John 5:19 tells us “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” You’re never going to get agreement between that ungodly crowd and those faithful to Christ. There is no middle ground. We must love them. We must seek their highest good. We must help them come to Christ. But we cannot compromise with their “crooked and perverse” ways. Why can’t we just get along? There are two kingdoms in direct opposition to one another. That opposition will escalate in the last days and come to a conclusion at the return of Christ. In the meantime we are to let our light shine by living obedient, godly lives worthy of the gospel we proclaim.
Just one more observation before we move on. Notice that Paul is not telling these Christians to change this ungodly system politically. He is not launching a political campaign to correct the flaws in the society. He is calling believers to live godly lives and in doing that their light will shine. The primary way the gospel changes society is one conversion at a time—one heart being transformed by the gospel—that person’s mind being renewed through the washing of the word—that person affecting his circle of influence. I’m not saying we shouldn’t speak up against injustices in society. I’m not saying we shouldn’t exercise our rights and responsibilities in our democratic society. I am saying that is not our primary mission. Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (John 18:36). Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom. That’s the work we are involved in. Our message is an eternal message. We’re not just trying to fix things for a hundred years. We’re on a mission to save souls forever. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. We will fight the spiritual battles that need to be fought with spiritual weapons. We will live lives that reflect the kingdom of our Lord. Philippians 2:14-15: “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
Verse 16: “holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” A key factor in living blameless lives and letting our lights shine is tenacious fidelity to the word of God. Here Paul refers to it as “the word of life.” It gives life to all who will receive it and live in it. Hold firmly to the sword of the Spirit. Do not trade it for some other weapon. Do not trade it for a sword of philosophy. Do not trade it for a sword of psychology. Do not trade it for light shows and good entertainment. Let the Spirit of God quicken the word of God and change the hearts of men.
Paul gets very personal in verse 16. He says the result of them doing this would be meaningful to him personally: “so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ [at the coming of the Lord].” I don’t know that I can fully explain the next phrase, but it is there: “that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” I think Paul has every expectation that they will do what he is telling them to do. But the phrase would be meaningless if possibility did not exist.
His statement in verse 17 would have been easier for those in his day to understand than for most of us. “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.” Both in Judaism and among the pagans, a drink offering poured out to God or the gods along with the sacrifice was a common thing. I’m sure Paul had in mind the service of the Levitical priests (Num. 28:7). He is using that as a metaphor to describe his current service as a prisoner in Rome. Some think he is talking about his martyrdom, but that would be inconsistent with what he has already said in 1:25. Paul’s life is being poured out in service to the Lord along with the sacrifices these Philippians are making. And he is glad to do it.
He is bringing to a conclusion the discussion begun in 1:27. He brings the focus back on the joy they share in serving the Lord. Verse 17-18: “I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” For Paul the persecution for his faith does not diminish his joy in the Lord. And he invites these believers to join him in that.
We began this message saying the best preparation we can make for tomorrow is doing what Paul says to do in our text. As we live in obedience to the Lord, we are developing our ability to hear his voice; we are becoming accustomed to obeying that voice, and our light is shining to the world around us. We are turned in to his frequency. When a crisis comes, people turn on the radio, TV, etc. for instruction on what to do. They tune in to the news. If we are already tuned into God’s frequency, we will have no trouble getting God’s guidance and wisdom. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). As long as we hear his voice and follow him, we will be safe and find green pastures. Rest in that assurance.
