Philippians 2:12-18

Philippians 2:12-18

Fruitful Light-Fruitful Life

I.                    A fruitful life shines the light of Christ in the darkest night; so we must work out what God works in (Vv. 12-13)

a.       Paul has just called the Philippians and us to have the same humble and self-sacrificing attitude towards life and others as Christ. Now he describes the means of accomplishing that life. He commends the Philippians for their obedience to Christ in his presence and absence, but now it’s time to step up their game if they want to be obedient like Christ. Paul is calling the whole church to unity, but that requires each person to address these directives and applications. He says first they must “work out their salvation with fear and trembling”. Paul doesn’t compel these Christians or us, either in the corporate or individual context, to earn our salvation, but to live out our salvation to the fullest of all that it is. This necessitates an attitude of fear and trembling, not because we’re afraid of God, but because we do fear the power of sin in our lives and we live in reverence and awe of God’s just and righteous nature which will hold us accountable. We’re only able to work the fullness of our salvation out into our lives because God is working in us. However, we must supply all of our effort to the task, while He continually supplies us with His energy and sovereign guidance. The power of Christ which saves us, continues to work in and through us to energize us, compel our wills, and guide our actions. But we must be intentional about desiring to be motivated to think and act in our lives according to God’s will and for His glory. As we work out, what God works in, we’ll faithfully express our salvation out in our attitudes and actions. (Vv. 12-13; Exod. 20:20; 1 Chron. 29:14;                Ps. 2:11-12; 37:4-5; 127:1; Rom. 3:21-28; 11:33-12:2;           1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 13:5; Eph. 1:5-12; 2:8-10; Phil. 1:6; Col. 1:29; Heb. 12:28-29; 13:20-21)

II.                 A fruitful life shines the light of Christ in the darkest night; so we must avoid grumbling and disputing in all things (Vv. 14-16)

a.       Working out our salvation is expressed practically in life by doing “all things” without “grumbling or disputing”. “Grumbling” is negative thoughts, discontentment, and criticism, against God and everyone on the emotional level, which ultimately expresses itself outwardly in our lives through “disputing”. We grumble and complain in our hearts about others, their actions, and our circumstances, and then start arguments to prove we’re right, that our rights are important, and to try to win people to our side to justify our grumbling, unrest, and anger. We must do all things without grumbling and disputing “so that” we’ll prove ourselves to be “blameless”, “innocent”, and faultless. As children of God, we must express the fruits of the forgiveness and pure motivations of the gospel in our lives in our how respond to life and others so that they see Christ. It is God who saved us, and who is at work in us to supply us the grace to work out our salvation by “holding fast the word or life”, so that we shine blamelessly, innocently, and faultlessly into the dark, decaying, and perverse world around us. The reason we must work out our salvation, avoid grumbling and complaining, and live out purity in our lives, is so that we don’t dim the light of Christ shining in and through us to the world. People must see that we look differently, act differently, and are motivated differently, solely because of the work of the gospel. Every time we allow ourselves to be moved to grumble, complain, or compromise the gospel in our lives, we dim the light of Christ in the world. We must hold tightly to the hope of the gospel so that it motivates our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions to shine brightly and fruitfully into the world. (Vv. 14-16; Exod. 16:6-12; Numbers 14:2; 17:5-10; Deut. 32:5; Ps. 106:25; 139:23-24; Prov. 13:10; 29:8; Dan. 12:3; Matt. 5:13-16; 12:33-37; Rom. 9:20; 1 Cor. 10:6-14; Gal. 5:13-26; Col. 3:16; 4:2-6; Jas. 5:9; 1 Pet. 1:9-12)  

III.              A fruitful life shines the light of Christ in the darkest night; so we must rejoice the most in the darkest and most trying times (Vv. 17-18)

a.       Paul rejoices in be poured out as a drink offering for the Philippians, which is to say, he rejoices in being completely consumed and vaporized by the fires of this life, if His sacrifice is pleasing and glorifying to God by bringing others to Christ. He urges the Philippians and us to have the same view. When this reality describes our lives, we find the greatest joy and emit the brightest light in darkest and most trying times. When we’re absolutely convinced that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only source of life, light, and hope in a dark and dying world, and that Jesus didn’t die on the cross in order to simply improve our lives here, but to secure us in His glory eternally, we’ll see every trial and dark day in this world differently. That’s living a fruitful life by shining Christ’s light brightly. (Vv. 17-18;  Rom. 8:18; 1 Cor. 15:54-58; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; 12:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:18-23; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; 3:13-17)