Philippians 1:6 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:
HE’S STILL WORKING ON ME CHORUS:
He’s still workin’ on me, To make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and the stars,
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, He’s still workin’ on me!
VERSE 1:
There really ought to be a sign upon my heart, “Don’t judge me yet, there’s an unfinished part.”
But I’ll be perfect, just according to His plan, Fashioned by the Master’s loving hand.
REMEMBER HE’S THE POTTER I’M THE CLAY
You see, none of us has arrived yet. We are all still works in progress. I am glad today that I am not what I used to be and that I am not what will be when He gets through with me some day. As we travel toward eternity, we are mere clay in the hand of the Heavenly Potter. He is working on us now, and He has great plans for us in eternity. I would like to take this verse and point out the great truths that are examined here. I want to try to preach on this thought: He’s Still Working On Me! If you are saved, I want you to see that you have several reasons for rejoicing in your relationship with your Lord. And, if you are not saved, I want you to know that you can be, if you will come to Jesus by faith. So, let’s take a few minutes and look into this verse as we think on the thought: He’s Still Working On Me.
I. LET’S EXAMINE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SAINTS
A. Our Confidence Is Profound – Paul uses a strong word to describe the hope he has in Jesus. The word “confidence” means “to persuade, to convince beyond all doubt.” What Paul is saying in this verse is that he has been “persuaded beyond all doubt that he is eternally saved.” Paul is exalting the fact that the saints can have absolute assurance that they are saved and that they will go to Heaven!
Paul was not alone in that belief. The Bible literally overflows with verses that tell us we can know for sure that we are saved, and how we can know that. Look at a few with me:
· You can know that you are saved – 1 John 5:13.
· When you have believed in Jesus – (Acts 16:31)”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,”
v When you have turned your back on the old life of sin – 1 John 5:2-5; (2 Cor. 5:17)
v When you have a desire to keep His commandments – 1 John 2:3-6; 2:17; 3:24 (John 14:15)
v When you genuinely love the brethren – 1 John 3:10-23; 4:7-8; 4:20-21 (John 13:35)
v When you have the inner witness of the Holy Spirit – 1 John 4:13 “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”
So, the ability to know that you are saved is not some fond, foolish wish. It is a biblical truth. It is something that you can know for sure. That is a very profound thing! Do you know for sure that you are saved by the grace of God?
B. Our Confidence Is Personal – Paul uses the word “you.” This assurance that he speaks of is very personal in nature. You need to know and you need to know based on the evidence. You need to know based on the Word of God, not the word of another. You see, saying “My mother told me I was saved…” is not good enough! You need to know, you need to know for yourself, and you need to know beyond any shadow of doubt; 2 Cor. 13:5. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” Do you know for sure?
C. Our Confidence Is Powerful – There is nothing more liberating and freeing to the spirit than knowing for sure that you have been saved. Some people will tell you that you cannot know for sure. They are dead wrong! Those who do not know live in constant fear, doubt and worry. They are always riding the altar trying to get the matter settled, and they should get it settled. But, what a blessing from the Lord it is to be able to say with confidence, “I know that I am saved!” (Ill. Paul – 1 Tim. 1:12) Do you have that confidence today? Can you sing, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine” with a pure heart because you know that He is? Or is there doubt? Don’t delay! Get it settled today!
I. LET’S EXAMINE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SAINTS
II. LET’S EXAMINE THE COMMITMENT OF THE SAVIOR
(Ill. This confidence that we possess is not something that merely dwells within us. The activity of God in us, around us and for us also makes our confidence in Him something that is precious, powerful and real.)
A. Consider His Investment – With the words “hath begun,” Paul covers a lot of spiritual territory. We all know what God did for us the day He saved us. But, what we fail to consider is the fact that our salvation began long before we realized it. Think about this:
· God loved us before we ever existed – Jer. 31:3”I have loved thee with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”·
God chose us in Christ before the world was formed – Eph. 1:5-6
· God finished our salvation before we were born – Ill. The cross and all Jesus accomplished there – Isa. 53:4-6; John 19:30. “It is finished:”
· God drew us to Himself and gave us faith to believe in Jesus by faith – John 6:37-44; Eph. 2:8-9
· God saved us eternally when we called on Jesus by faith – Rom. 10:9, 13
A. Consider His Investment
In other words, the Lord has made a substantial investment in our salvation. I cannot see Him walking out on us now, or ever! God did not do what He did in vain! He did it in order to save our souls.
B. Consider His Involvement – We are told that the same God Who began this “good work” “will perform it.” This phrase means “to bring to an end; to complete; to accomplish entirely; to furnish completely.” God will continue the work He has begun in you and me until the day we perfected, completed and home with Him.
God did not save a single saint to lose them along the way home. He saved us by His grace and He saved us for all time and eternity. We have His precious promises to form the basis for that wonderful guarantee – 1 Pet. 1:5; “who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation” John 3:16; John 6:47. Many more could be named, but these are sufficient. You see, it was not our works that saved us, and it is not our works which keep us! We are saved by grace; kept by grace and secured by grace. This thing is about grace from beginning to end!
C. Consider His Intentions – The word “until” tells us that God is doing what He is doing in us with some end in mind. We are headed somewhere. In other words, God had some intention in saving us and if we can understand that; then we can understand why we can have the blessed assurance that we are secure in our salvation. Here is why He saved you: Eph. 1:3-6; “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.” God saved us to make us like Jesus, and He will keep working on you and me until that level of perfection has been achieved! He did not start this in us to fail. He started it to finish it, and He will some wonderful day!
I. LET’S EXAMINE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE SAINTS
II. LET’S EXAMINE THE COMMITMENT OF THE SAVIOR
III. LET’S EXAMINE THE COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES
( Paul tells us that God will keep working on us “until the day of Jesus Christ.” That little phrase ought to give us comfort today. Let me show you how.)
A. There Will Be a Day Of Termination – There is comfort in knowing that this earthly life will not last forever. There is coming a day when the saints of God will leave this world with all its hardships and sorrows behind.
There are two ways this could happen. One is through the rapture, 1 Thes. 4:16-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-52. The other way is through death. But, we should not fear death, because Jesus has already conquered death for us through His Own death and resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:55-57; John 11:25-26. What the child of God calls death is merely a doorway into the presence of God, 2 Cor. 5:8 “ we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”. Regardless of how you leave this world; if you are saved, you are a winner either way! What a comforting truth!
B. There Will Be A Day Of Transformation – When we leave this world behind, we will enter into Heaven and there, we will be changed! This vile flesh, with all its appetites and affections will be left behind forever, and we will be changed into His image. What a day that will be when we receive a perfect, glorified body in His presence, 1 Cor. 15:49-54; 1 John 3:1-2 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
C. There Will Be A Day Of Translation – Not only will we be like Him, but we will also be with Him, 1 Thes. 4:17. “then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”To be with Jesus, in His presence, in His Heaven will be glory beyond compare, John 14:1-3; Rev. 21:4. Thank God, when this life is over, there is a far better life waiting on all those who know Jesus. That, my friends, is a comforting truth!
Job 19:25 “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:”
Conc: Thank God, He is still working on us! And, He will continue to work until every single one of His children is at home with Him in His heaven. Someday, God will finish His work in us. I have never been satisfied with the me I know down here, but I will be satisfied with the me that I will be when I arrive there, Psa. 17:15 “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” It will be hard to improve upon perfection!
Child of God, don’t despair today! God is working and will continue to work in your life. He will not lose you. He will not leave you, Heb. 13:5 “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” He will keep you and bring you safely home one day! Maybe you would like to bow before Him and renew your commitment to serve Him and love Him for every thing that He has done, and is doing, in your life.
Some may be harboring doubts about your salvation. Maybe you wonder if what you think you have is real. The best way to get it settled forever is to bow before the Lord, confess your doubts and claim afresh the promises made in the Bible regarding salvation. You do not have to leave this building with fear and doubt in your heart!