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Taken out of context, and possibly mistranslated, this Bible quote can easily mislead people to believe ideas contradicted elsewhere in the New Testament: for example, "once-saved-always-saved", "salvation-by-faith-alone [without works]", a Christian licence to sin, etc.
Taken out of context, and possibly mistranslated, this Bible quote can easily mislead people to believe ideas contradicted elsewhere in the New Testament: for example, "once-saved-always-saved", "salvation-by-faith-alone [without works]", a Christian licence to sin, etc.
"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;" (Philippians 1:6, NKJV)
"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;" (Philippians 1:6, NKJV)
The context actually names key pre-conditions for the belief that "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ".
The context actually names key pre-conditions for the belief that "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ".
St Paul validates this belief on several bases:
St Paul validates this belief on several bases:
(1) "because I have you in my heart"
(1) "because I have you in my heart"
(2) "inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace"
(2) "inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace"
(3) "God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ"
(3) "God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ"
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 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; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. " (Philippians 1:3-8, NKJV)
"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 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; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. " (Philippians 1:3-8, NKJV)
Crucial here is to recall that people like St. Paul followed a rule of evidence given in the Old Testament (e.g. Deuteronomy 19:15) that required multiple, confirming witnesses or pieces of evidence.
Crucial here is to recall that people like St. Paul followed a rule of evidence given in the Old Testament (e.g. Deuteronomy 19:15) that required multiple, confirming witnesses or pieces of evidence.
Here St. Paul meets that standard: he backs up his "confidence" with several types of evidence upon which it is based.
Here St. Paul meets that standard: he backs up his "confidence" with several types of evidence upon which it is based.
That rule of evidence supports an alternative translation where St Paul works systematically between claim and its evidence.
That rule of evidence supports an alternative translation where St Paul works systematically between claim and its evidence.
"I thank the God of mine upon the every remembrance of you (always, in every entreaty of mine, for all of you, with joy making the entreaty!) for the partnership of yours unto the gospel, from the first day until the present; being convinced of exactly this, that He having initiated in you [a] good work will complete [it] by Christ Jesus's day, just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, due to [you] having me in the heart of yours, both in the chains of mine and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, all of you being partners together with me of the grace. Indeed, the God [is] my witness, how* I exceedingly yearn for all of you in affections of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:3-8, CFB)
"I thank the God of mine upon the every remembrance of you (always, in every entreaty of mine, for all of you, with joy making the entreaty!) for the partnership of yours unto the gospel, from the first day until the present; being convinced of exactly this, that He having initiated in you [a] good work will complete [it] by Christ Jesus's day, just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, due to [you] having me in the heart of yours, both in the chains of mine and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, all of you being partners together with me of the grace. Indeed, the God [is] my witness, how* I exceedingly yearn for all of you in affections of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:3-8, CFB)
*Or "as"
*Or "as"
CFB: Scripture quoted from the Christ Family Bible. Copyright © 2020 by J.J. Thomas. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
NKJV: Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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