“…work out your own salvation WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING; for it is God who works in you BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO for His good pleasure (God works in us so we will have the DESIRE AND POWER to do His will). Do all things without complaining and disputing, 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, holding fast THE WORD OF LIFE, so that I MAY REJOICE in the day of Christ…” (Philippians 2:12-16)
Paul has just described the mentality of Jesus and exhorted his Philippian partners in the gospel to make AN INTENTIONAL DECISION TO ADOPT THE SAME MENTALITY. That might be summarized as “Obeying God, no matter what, is the path to our greatest fulfillment, even when it would be easy to think otherwise.” Paul continues this theme, and transitions to application with the bridge of So then, my beloved. The So then connects what is about to be said with Paul’s admonition to adopt Jesus’ attitude of RADICAL OBEDIENCE. Jesus left the most comfortable and desirable situation imaginable, to take on a task that was, by comparison, horrific, because He knew OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHER IS ALWAYS THE BEST POSSIBLE PATH TO TAKE. We are asked to believe the same way.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham