for >>>IT IS GODmy 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.~ 14 Do }all things{ without complaining and disputing, 15 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,• 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. 17 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. 18 For •the same reason• you also be glad and rejoice with me. -------------------------- We must be diligent in •THE USE• OF >ALL •THE MEANS•< which lead to *our salvation,* persevering therein to •the end.• With ~great care,~ lest, with }all our advantages,{ we should come short. Work out >your salvation,< for it is God who worketh in you. This encourages us to do our utmost, because *our labour* shall not be in vain: we must still depend on •THE GRACE• OF GOD. •THE WORKING• OF ~GODS GRACE~ in us, is to quicken and engage }our endeavours.{ >Gods good-will< to us, is •THE CAUSE• OF *HIS GOOD WORK* in us. Do ~your duty~ without murmurings. Do it, and do not find fault with it. Mind }your work,{ and do >not quarrel< with it. By peaceableness; give *NO JUST OCCASION* OF OFFENCE. •THE CHILDREN• OF GOD should differ from •THE SONS• OF MEN. •The more perverse• others are, •the more careful• we should be to keep ourselves blameless and harmless. •THE DOCTRINE AND EXAMPLE• OF ~CONSISTENT BELIEVERS~ will enlighten others, and direct }their way{ to Christ and holiness, even as >the light-house< warns mariners to avoid rocks, and directs *their course* into •the harbour.• Let us try thus to shine. •The gospel• is •THE WORD• OF LIFE, it makes known to us ~eternal life~ through }Jesus Christ.{ Running, denotes earnestness and vigour, >continual pressing forward;< labouring, denotes constancy, and *close application.* It is •THE WILL• OF GOD that believers should be much in rejoicing; and those who are ~so happy~ as to have }good ministers,{ have >great reason< to rejoice with them. --------------------- For it is God which worketh in you,.... Which is both •an encouragement• to persons CONSCIOUS OF >THEIR OWN WEAKNESS< to work, as *before exhorted* to; see Haggai 2:4 New King James Version (NKJV) 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says •the Lord;• ‘and be strong, Joshua, SON OF JEHOZADAK, •the high priest;• and be strong, >ALL YOU PEOPLE< OF •THE LAND,• says •the Lord,• ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says •THE LORD• OF HOSTS.; and •a reason and argument• for humility and meekness, and against pride and ~vain glory,~ since all we have, and do, is from God; and also points out •THE SPRING, PRINCIPLE, AND FOUNDATION• OF }ALL GOOD WORKS;{ namely, •THE GRACE• OF GOD wrought in •the heart,• which is •an internal work,• and purely •THE WORK• OF GOD: by this men become •THE WORKMANSHIP• OF GOD, created unto >good works,< Ephesians 2:10, and are *new men,* and fitted for •THE PERFORMANCE• OF ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and ~true holiness;~ and }this grace,{ which God works in them, is wrought in •a powerful and efficacious manner,• so as not to be frustrated and made void. •The word• here used signifies •an inward, powerful, and efficacious operation;• and •the kings manuscript,• mentioned by Grotius and Hammond, adds another word to it, which makes •the sense• still stronger, reading it thus, which worketh in you, by power; not by *moral persuasion,* but by ~his own power,~ •THE POWER• OF }HIS EFFICACIOUS GRACE.{ •The Alexandrian copy• reads, powers, or >mighty works:< God works in *his people* both TO WILL AND TO DO OF ~HIS GOOD PLEASURE;~ God works in }converted men{ •a will• to that which is >spiritually good;< which is to be understood, NOT OF •THE FORMATION• OF •THE NATURAL FACULTY• OF •THE WILL;• OR OF •THE PRESERVATION• OF IT, and *its natural liberty;* OR OF •THE GENERAL MOTION• OF IT to ~natural objects;~ NOR OF }HIS INFLUENCE{ on it in •a providential way;• BUT OF •THE MAKING• OF IT GOOD, and causing •a willingness• in it to that which is >spiritually good.< Men have *no will* naturally to come to Christ, or to have him to reign over them; they have ~no desire, nor hungerings and thirstings~ after }his righteousness and salvation;{ wherever there are >any such inclinations and desires,< they are wrought in men by God; who works upon *the stubborn and inflexible will,* and, without ~any force~ to it, makes }the soul{ willing to be saved by Christ, and submit to >his righteousness,< and do *his will;* he sweetly and powerfully draws it with •THE CORDS• OF LOVE to himself, and to ~his Son,~ and so influences it by }his grace and spirit,{ and which he continues, that it >freely wills< everything *spiritually good,* and for •THE GLORY• OF GOD: and he works in them also to do; for there is sometimes in believers ~a will,~ when there wants •A POWER• OF DOING. God therefore both implants in them PRINCIPLES OF ACTION to work from, as faith and love, and •a regard• for }his glory,{ and gives them grace and strength to work with, without which they can do nothing, but having these, can do >all things:< and *ALL THIS* IS OF ~HIS GOOD PLEASURE;~ }the word{ his not being in •the original text,• some have taken •the liberty• to ascribe this to •THE WILL• OF MAN; and so •the Syriac version• renders it, both to will and to do that, , which ye will, or according to >your good will;< but such •a sense• is *both bad and senseless;* for if they have •A GOOD WILL• OF THEMSELVES, what occasion is there for God to work one in them? no; •THESE INTERNAL OPERATIONS • OF *DIVINE POWER AND GRACE* are not owing to •THE WILL• OF MEN, nor to ~ANY MERITS~ OF THEIRS, or are what God is obliged to do, but what flow from }His sovereign will and pleasure;{ who works when, where, and as he pleases, and that for >his own glory;< and who continues to do so in •THE HEARTS• OF *HIS PEOPLE;* otherwise, notwithstanding •THE WORK• OF GRACE in them, they would find ~very little inclination~ to, and *few and faint desires* after ~spiritual things;~ and }less strength{ to do what is >spiritually good;< but GOD OF *HIS GOOD PLEASURE* goes on working what is well pleasing in ~his sight.~ ------------ 13. For— encouragement to work: For it is God who worketh in you, >always present< with you, though I be absent. It is not said, Work out *your own salvation,* though it is God, but, because it is God who, •The will,• and •the power• to work, being ~FIRST INSTALLMENTS~ OF }HIS GRACE,{ encourage us to make >FULL PROOF< OF, and carry out to •the end,• •the salvation• which He has >first worked,< and is still working in us, enabling us to work it out. *Our will* does nothing thereunto without grace; but grace is inactive without ~our will~ [St. Bernard]. Man is, in }different senses{ > entirely active,< and *entirely passive:* God producing all, and we acting all. What He produced is ~our own acts.~ It is not that God does some, and we •the rest.• God does all, and we do all. God is •the only proper author,• we }the only proper actors.{ Thus •the same things• in Scripture are represented as from God, and from us. God makes •a new heart,• and we are commanded to make us •a new heart;• >not merely because< we must use •the means• in order to •the effect,• but •the effect itself• is *our act* and ~our duty~ (Ezekiel 11:19 New King James Version (NKJV) 19 Then I will give them >one heart,< and I will put •a new spirit• within them, and take •THE STONY HEART• OUT OF *THEIR FLESH,* and give them •A HEART• OF FLESH,; Ezekiel 18:31 New King James Version (NKJV) 31 Cast away from you •all the transgressions• which you have committed, and get yourselves •a new heart• and •a new spirit.• For why should you die, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL?; Ezekiel 36:26 New King James Version (NKJV) 26 I will give you •a new heart• and put •a new spirit• within you; I will take •THE HEART• OF STONE OUT OF >YOUR FLESH< and give you •A HEART• OF FLESH.) [Edwards]. worketh— rather as Greek, worketh effectually. WE CANNOT OF OURSELVES embrace THE GOSPEL OF GRACE: •the will• (Psalm 110:3 New King James Version (NKJV) 3 >Your people< shall be volunteers In •THE DAY• OF *YOUR POWER;* In •THE BEAUTIES• OF HOLINESS, from •THE WOMB• OF •THE MORNING,• You have •THE DEW• OF ~YOUR YOUTH.;~ 2 Corinthians 3:5New King James Version (NKJV) 5 Not that we are SUFFICIENT OF OURSELVES to THINK OF ANYTHING as being from ourselves, but >our sufficiency< is from God,) comes SOLELY OF *GODS GIFT* to whom He will (John 6:44 New King James Version (NKJV) 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.• John 6:65 New King James Version (NKJV) 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that >no one< can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by *My Father.”*). so also •the power• to do (rather, to work effectually, as •the Greek• is •the same• as that for worketh in), that is, >effectual perseverance< to •the end,• is WHOLLY OF *GODS GIFT* (Philippians 1:6 New King James Version (NKJV) 6 BEING CONFIDENT OF ~THIS VERY THING,~ that He who has begun •a good work• in you will complete it until •THE DAY• OF }JESUS CHRIST;{ Hebrews 13:21 New King James Version (NKJV) 21 make you complete in >every good work< to do *His will,* working in you what is ~well pleasing~ in }His sight,{ through >Jesus Christ,< to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.). OF *HIS GOOD PLEASURE—* rather as Greek, FOR His good pleasure; in order to carry out ~His sovereign gracious purpose~ towards you Ephesians 1:5 New King James Version (NKJV) 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by }Jesus Christ{ to Himself, according to •THE GOOD PLEASURE• OF >HIS WILL,< (Ephesians 1:9 New King James Version (NKJV) 9 having made known to us •THE MYSTERY• OF *HIS WILL,* according to ~His good pleasure~ which He purposed in Himself,). --------------------------------- biblehub/philippians/2-13.htm
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 19:42:31 +0000