Perseverance with the Saints - Philippians 2:1-14

In March of 1973, the Lord opened my eyes to understand the Gospel, drew me to Himself, and saved me from my sin and His wrath.  I was 17 years old.  I began attending Sunday School at a Presbyterian church where the Bible was believed and taught.  Thankfully, I was taught about the sovereignty of God through passages like Romans 8:28 - “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.“  That was my introduction to Reformed thinking, even though I didn’t recognize it as such.

Many years later I began studying in earnest what we commonly refer to as the Doctrines of Grace.  To my pleasant surprise, I found that one of those five doctrines was much easier for me to accept and believe than the others: The Perseverance of the Saints.  Total Depravity was a hard doctrine for me to come face to face with.  Initially, I found it difficult to believe that there is none righteous.  

“You mean to tell me there isn’t even one person anywhere that does anything inherently good?  And that people are incapable of doing that would commend him to God in any way?”  That was a hard theological pill to swallow.  But as I read through the Bible, the evidence for this inability of ours to understand spiritual truth became very clear, and it seemed to suddenly be everywhere in the Bible.

I suddenly understood why Pharaoh and his armies didn’t have enough sense to leave the children of Israel alone.  After seeing the ten plagues that God sent against Egypt, who in his right mind would get in his chariot and run after the Jews?  

Joshua brought the people across the Jordan River on dry ground.  Then they circled Jericho for seven days.  And then all the walls just collapsed, and they destroyed the entire city.  Why did the kings of the land of Canaan think it would be a good idea to go and fight against Joshua and the God of Israel?  That was one of the dumbest moves in all the Bible.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.  The Pharisees hate it.  So what do they do?  They plot to kill Lazarus.  Does that make any sense at all?

At the last supper, Jesus says to the disciples, “One of you will betray Me.”  They are all in shock at this revelation, so Peter says to John, “Ask Him who it is!”  So Jesus says, “It’s the guy I hand this to!”  And all of the disciples watch Lazarus leave the room and wonder why.  How thick can you be?

Jesus is in the Garden with His disciples.  Judas and the Roman soldiers come to arrest Him.  They say they are looking for Jesus of Nazareth and He says, “I am”, and they all fall down.  Why do they get back up?

How can the children of Israel, given all the things they saw in Egypt, and at Mt. Sinai, and in the desert (like food falling out of the sky every day for 40 years, except on every seventh day!), and in Canaan, . . . how is it possible that they could ever think worshipping a piece of wood is a smart move?

If a person has the option of either enjoying sin for 100 years, or spending eternity in a place described as a lake of fire, . . . who in their right mind would run the risk of going there and missing out on eternity in heavenly bliss?  If there is even the slightest chance that that is true, who in their right mind would not do everything in their power, or believe anything necessary to insure the forgiveness of their sins and the acquisition of Heaven? 

So, the biblical evidence led me to conclude that we humans are indeed born not in our right minds.  Spiritually, we’re all completely brain dead until God moves upon us by His Spirit.  We cannot think rightly about God and we cannot act rightly before God.  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV).

Once I was able to nail down that truth, the other four doctrines of grace fell into place rather easily for me.  If our hearts are naturally entirely disinclined toward God, and the Gospel message is foolishness to us, then of course our salvation is totally dependent upon God and His work on our behalf.  Of course, salvation is of the Lord if the only thing I contribute to it is my sin.  

So, yes, God’s decision to save me is based upon nothing in me.  Yes, obviously Jesus did not pay for the sins of everyone in the world or else everyone would be saved and no one would go to hell.  And yes, obviously, even though we can resist God’s gracious workings in us to bring us to repentance and faith, we cannot overpower God with our resistance.  Our rebellion is not stronger than the shock and awe of His saving grace!

And finally, it is obvious from scripture that once God saves us, we’re saved forever, or as I used to hear it, “once saved, always saved.“  That fifth point of doctrine was the easiest of the five for me to believe because it was the most enjoyable.  I liked believing I couldn’t lose my salvation.  I was happy to believe that one.  In fact, I had believed in the perseverance of the saints all my Christian life.  So I guess I was always a one-point Calvinist, maybe even before I was a Christian.  It was the other four points that gave me trouble.

But since then, things have changed.  Now, the doctrine of perseverance has become the most difficult of the five points for me to understand.  Stating the doctrine is not the difficult part.  I understand what the different confessions are saying when I read their statements regarding perseverance.  I understand the various passages of Scripture that teach us that not one of the sheep of the Shepherd will perish.  I understand we are kept by the power of God unto salvation.  I understand that when John 3:16 says all who believe HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, that we presently possess life that will extend beyond this life into Heaven and will never end.  There is no such thing as temporary eternal life.

Here’s the part that troubles me.  In spite of possessing eternal life and being kept by God, I must also persevere in holiness.  I get it that God perseveres in keeping me.  But I also read in the scriptures, often, that I am responsible to pursue a godly life.  More than that, the Bible tells us that those who do not live holy lives will not inherit the kingdom of God.

So my question is, does the Bible teach us that God perseveres in saving and keeping us, or do we persevere in living holy lives for God?  The answer, as far as I can tell, is “Yes.”  But for many years, at least in my experience in the south surrounded by Southern Baptists, there was plenty of emphasis on God’s preservation of the believer, and not so much talk about the necessity of practical, personal, godly living.  In fact, the teaching of God’s keeping His own and never allowing them to lose their salvation seemed to unintentionally provoke slack living.

God keeping us for eternity is a truth easily embraced.  But the necessity for us to persevere in holiness seems contradictory.  It’s hard to see how both could be true and not be a contradiction.  Somehow, they don’t contradict one another.  Rather, I believe God’s preservation of the believer actually provokes the holiness God requires of us.  Every true Christian will be moved by the Spirit of God to pursue holiness.

Here’s one text that I think spells it out clearly.  Turn with me to Philippians 2:1-16a ESV.

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant [lit. “slave”], and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out1 your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, . . . .

This is one of the most pregnant passages in the New Testament.  All kinds of stuff in here.  It’s like three months over due, so unpacking this text could take a while.  I never like starting a sermon text with the word “therefore” but we have to start somewhere.  And that verse has the number one in front of it, so that’s where we’ll start.

Verses 1 through 5 explain the CONTEXT in which we must persevere.

Verses 6 through 11 displays our MODEL for perseverance.

Verses 12 through 13 explain the POWER behind our perseverance.

Verses 14 through 16a show us the EFFECT of perseverance.

First, let me suggest that persevering in the faith is the same thing as persevering in obedience.  Those who persevere in their faith in Christ to save them are marked by a lifestyle of obedience to His commands.  The apostles were commanded to make disciples, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”  As Christ’s disciples, we are to obey all He has commanded and teach other believers to do likewise.  If we believe He is who He says He is (and He says all authority has been given to Him and therefore He is the Supreme Authority in all the universe), then genuine faith in whi Christ is will provoke to obey what He says.  So perseverance in the faith equals obedience to His commands.  Perseverance in the faith is not simply holding to the conviction that certain doctrines are true.  

Here’s what I mean by perseverance, and I take this definition straight off of Dictionary.com - steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.2

Perseverance implies resistance.  If there is no opposition, then it can’t really be called persevering.  We persevere AGAINST things.  Namely, we persevere against all our natural, ungodly tendencies.  The flesh wars against the spirit constantly, and thus the constant need for us to persevere and fight back.

1. The CONTEXT of Perseverance

Here in the first five verses of Philippians 2, Paul addresses the perseverance of the saints in the context of the local church fellowship.  

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves

In other words, since as individual believers you experience the encouragement and love of Christ, if you enjoy individually the fellowship and affection and compassion that comes from the Spirit of God, then spread that around amongst yourselves.  Live together as a body of believers with a common love for one another, a common purpose, a common mindset, a common selflessness that looks out for each other’s interests.

All of this assumes that we have personal relationships with one another that give us occasion to actually express these things.  Paul assumes these believers spend time with one another, and they live in relatively close proximity to one another, and they meet together as a church body on a regular basis.  Paul also assumes that none of what he is commanding them to do comes naturally.  The natural inclination of our hearts, STILL, even as believers n the Lord Jesus, is to be selfish, self-centered, and to regard ourselves as more important than everybody else, and to look out for our own interests above all others.  

It is at this point that perseverance makes sense.  I must persevere against my own fleshly inclination to think I must increase and everyone else must decrease.  I must persist in the fight against the natural worship of self and act towards my brothers and sisters in the same manner as God acts towards me: With encouragement, love, affection, compassion, and in fellowship.  The context in which we as believers persevere is the local church with our fellow believers, our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

2. Our MODEL for perseverance

In verses 6 through 11, Paul sets the Lord Jesus before the Church as their supreme example of what an attitude of perseverance looks like.  

who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant [lit. “slave”], and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Three characteristics of successful perseverance are:

a. a slave mentality

b. humility

c. obedience

Verse 7 has been interpreted in a lot of different ways.  One hymn says He emptied Himself of all but love.  I don’t think that is quite accurate, and I’m not sure I’m completely accurate in my interpretation of this.  But it seems that Jesus’ emptying Himself is directly tied in this verse to His becoming a bond-servant.  The word “bond-servant” is the Greek word “doulos” which means “slave.“  The one who was equal with God and deserving of all the glory and praise and worship that God deserves, laid aside His right to be glorified and honored as an equal with God in order to become a slave of God with no rights at all.

Slaves have no rights, and they have no will of their own.  Jesus took on the form of a slave to His Father, and humbly obeyed everything God commanded Him to do.  Repeatedly, we read of Jesus saying things like: 

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38 ESV).“

For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.” (John 12:49 ESV).

”I do as the Father has commanded me” (John 14:31a, ESV).

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”  (Matthew 26:39 ESV).

If Jesus, who was equal with God, CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN!, willingly gave up His right to be recognized and worshipped as God, humbled Himself to take on the role of a slave, and in complete humility obeyed everything His Father commanded His to do, even to the point of crucifixion . . .

. . . then how is it that we who are clearly NOT equal with God, and who obviously DIDN’T come down from Heaven, should be proud and demand to be honored and respected by everyone everywhere, inside and outside the church?

If Jesus took on the role of a humble, obedient slave to His Father, shouldn’t we?  Here, Paul is telling us we should be each other’s slaves.  We are to persevere in denying ourselves in order to serve one another.  Like Jesus did.  Jesus’ life was not His own.  His life was subject to the will of His Father who loved Him.

Our lives are not our own.  We have been purchased, bought, and paid for with the blood of Christ.  We belong to Him, we are to be like Him, and we are to serve one another selflessly.  That is a picture of perseverance.  We must persevere against indwelling pride and self-centeredness, and humble ourselves like slaves in our absolute submission to our good Master, the Lord Jesus.  Jesus is our model in perseverance.

3. The POWER behind our perseverance.

The question we ask ourselves when we hear these things is, “Who is sufficient for these things?”  “Who can persevere like that?”  That is my whole point.  It’s not called the Perseverance of the Saints for nothing.  The perseverance of the Saints requires that the saints persevere!  But we do not persevere alone, or in our own strength.  Look again at our text:

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Let me paraphrase this a little.  I think Paul is saying, “Y’all were good when I was there with you.  You behaved well when I was around.  But now that I’m not around, but I’m over here in this prison in chains, don’t even think about misbehaving.  You keep on being obedient just like when I was there.  You keep on working out and living out your new life in Christ, because God is there even if I’m not.  God is there, and He is actually at work IN YOU to cause you to WANT to do His will and to actually DO His will, instead of living the way you used to live prior to your salvation.”

In other words, God supplies the grace and the power and the enabling for us to do what He requires of us.  He works in us so that we continue in obedience to Him which we cannot perform in and of ourselves.  

But Paul throws in that little phrase in verse 12, “with fear and trembling.”  Why does he say that?  If he had left those four little words out, the verse would have been much cleaner, more convenient, less confusing.  Seems like he could have just said, work out your salvation . . . for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Just do what God moves you to do.

But it is more than that.  This is an expression of our responsibility before God to persevere in holiness.  We live out what He is working in us with fear and trembling specifically because it is GOD who is working that in us.  We had BETTER work out what He’s working in us.  We had better ditch our wills and submit to His will.  We must perpetually deny ourselves, bring our sinful wills into subjection to His will, and cry out for Him to cause us to will to do His will.

God Himself CAUSES us to persevere in His will.  We persevere in obedience to Him.  He makes it happen.  And it’s as though we did it.  

It’s still a mystery to me exactly how it works.  But what is comforting to me is this: God is not standing across the room, waiting for me to muster enough strength within myself to be obedient to Him in everything.  The obedience, the submission, and the perseverance in these things which He requires of us, He works in us.  

There was a time when I feared that I would never live the Christian life in a way that was sufficient to please God.  I don’t fear that any more.  Now I KNOW I can’t live the Christian life in obedience to God.  But I also know that God is at work in me so that my will is becoming more and more conformed to His will so that I live less and less for me, and more and more for His good pleasure.  He works perseverance in us.  He is the power behind our perseverance.

4. The EFFECT of perseverance

Finally, when we humble ourselves like Christ and selflessly love one another and serve one another in the church because of God’s gracious work He is doing in us, what effect does that kind of persevering obedience have?  Verses 14-16: 

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, . . . .

When we live this way with one another, we evangelize the world.  The effect of a godly church is they become a light to the world.  We become lights to the world around us, both individually and corporately.  Do you want to make an impact on your community for the sake of the Gospel?  Then persevere in your love for one another.  You say, “That’s not outreach!  If we’re gonna evangelize the community, we need to knock on doors and share the Gospel and leave literature hanging on doorknobs and such.”  

Well, that is certainly a good way to reach out, and surely we must share the truth of the Gospel with others.  But Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples: if you have love for one another.”  In other words, if we do not persevere in our obedience to Christ’s command to love each other, then we can say whatever we want about the Gospel and they will know we don’t really believe it ourselves.  Perseverance in the faith takes place in the context of the local church.  We persevere in obedience to Christ’s commands by loving His people.

And it’s hard!  Some of the hardest obedience involves our relationships with each other.  That’s why it is so important, and why it makes such an impact on outsiders looking on.  Even the unbelieving world will realize we belong to Christ when we persevere in our love for one another.  That is not natural.  It is supernatural.  It is the result of God’s working in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure, and it is His good pleasure that we love the brethren.

The eventual effect of long-term, faithful obedience to Christ to love each other is a credible witness to an unsaved world.  When we live together without grumbling or complaining against one another, being motivated by the grace of God at work in us so that His will becomes our own, then we do those things that please Him.  That is how God causes us to persevere in the faith and shine as lights in a dark world.

----

1. Katergazomai (kat-er-gad'-zom-ahee)

1. to perform, accomplish, achieve

2. to work out i.e. to do that from which something results

2a of things: bring about, result in

3. to fashion i.e. render one fit for a thing

2. "perseverance." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 10 Jun. 2010. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perseverance>.