He Who Began

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

With great joy and gratitude, Paul opens his letter to the Philippians recognizing that God had begun a good work in them. Seeing their unity, love, and faith during his time of suffering, Paul encourages them in these things.

For us, too, it is important to recognize that genuine faith and spiritual growth come first and foremost from the God who began a good work in us. The very same God will also complete that work through the Holy Spirit at work in us! Our growth is not primarily about us and our change but about what God has done, is doing and will do. The God who saved us will not abandon us but will stay with us and work in us, making us more and more like him. Jesus Christ has saved us once and for all. In him, all our sins are forgiven and cast away! 

But we are not left in the same state in which we were first saved. We were made into new creations when we first believed in Christ, and now by his Spirit, we are also made to look and live as new creations! When Christ returns to bring us home, we will be blameless before him, not because of our own efforts but because he who began a good work in us will also bring it to completion! Praise be to God!