Select Page

Are You Being Perfected?

by | Nov 25, 2008 | Bible Devotions, The Bible

Sometimes Scripture echoes in our minds and it won’t go away. Perhaps that is God wanting us to focus on a particular truth that He is revealed in His word. Let us consider the words of God found through the Apostle Paul in Philippians.  It should always be an encouragement for every Christian,

Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 1:1–6).

I am drawn to the final verse and as I think about it, I am encouraged.

We need the confidence of knowing that the Lord is working in us, that He has not left us alone, and that He is very concerned about us.  Sometimes we experience that stale and dry season, where we seem to have reached a stone wall in our spiritual development.  Of course, this could be true for many due to sin or rebellion of some sort.  But, for those who simply seek God and desire to experience Him more and more and yet find themselves wondering and waiting, this verse is for you.  It has three main parts:

First, the work that was begun in you was regeneration.  When you trusted in Christ and were born again, you were changed.  This is the beginning of the work of God in your hearts.  God saves us as we are, but He does not leave us as we are.  He changes us.  Initially, when we are saved, we are justified; that is, we are declared righteous in God’s eyes.  That is the easy part, because it is all done by the Lord.  The hard part is the changing part.  It is called sanctification and is the process God puts us through to conform us more and more into the image of His Son, Jesus.  It is this second part, this sanctification, that is hidden in the phrase of Phil. 1:6 where it says, “…will perform it…” In other words, the Lord is “performing” (KJV), “perfecting” (NASB), us.  This perfecting will proceed until “…the day of Jesus Christ.”  This is a reference to the return of Christ.  By design, the Bible leaves us with the impression that the return of Jesus can be accomplished at any time.  This work will continue in all Christians in all places and in all times, until the return of Jesus.  Once He has been revealed, we will all be with Him (1 Thess. 4:16-5:2) and we will no longer as a whole church or as individuals need to be perfected since the full manifestation of our salvation has been realized in the resurrection and/or change of our bodies to the incorruptible state.

So, Phil. 1:6 carries with it the past, present, and future work of God in us and for us because of what Jesus has done on the cross.  Remember, it is because of Jesus, and only because of Jesus that the Lord will and is working in us.  If you are having problems of some sort, doubting your salvation, unsure about your growth, let the Lord speak to your heart by spending time in prayer and reading His word.  He uses these things to “perfect” the work that He has begun in you.  Remember that the Lord will never forsake you or leave you.  He cannot be unfaithful and His love for you cannot fail.  To the Lord be the glory.

SUPPORT CARM

Thank you for your interest in supporting CARM. We greatly appreciate your consideration!

SCHOOLS USER LOGIN

If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at [email protected].

MATT SLICK LIVE RADIO

Call in with your questions at:

877-207-2276

3-4 p.m. PST; 4-5 p.m. MST;
6-7 p.m. EST

You May Also Like…