Blue Letter Bible Presents

Day By Day By Grace
by Bob Hoekstra
August 21th

A Precious Promise of God's Completing Work


Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work
in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
(Philippians 1:6)

  Now, we return to the category we are calling "precious promises." (2
Peter 1:4). Here we have a priceless one concerning God's commitment
to complete the wonderful work of salvation that He began at our new
birth.

  If our faith is in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, God has
started a tremendous saving work on our behalf: " He who has begun a
good work in you."

  He has made us new creatures in His Son. "Therefore, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all
things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). He has supplied us with
immeasurable heavenly resources. "Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). What a grand work has
been started in us. Yet, God's saving work is "so great a salvation"
(Hebrews 2:3). Thus, whatever He has already been accomplished with us
is only a part of the whole. Wherever we are in this glorious process,
there is some completing work that God desires to do. He wants to
bring into our understanding, our character, and our daily experience
more of that which is fully ours in Christ.

  Furthermore, our God wants us to be confident concerning this matter:
"Being confident of this very thing." As noted in our previous
meditation, God does not want people living in self-confidence. That
misplaced trust is just another form of pride. This does not mean that
we Christians are to be without confidence in our lives. It does mean
that all of our confidence is to be placed in the Lord. "And we have
such trust [confidence] through Christ toward God" (2 Corinthians
3:4). Our Lord wants us to have strong assurance in Him that He will
complete this work in us.

  Also remember, this saving work of God is done within our lives: "He
who has begun a good work in you will complete it." The Lord has
established an eternal position for us with Him in heavenly places:
"and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6). Yet, He wants to effect a
godly walk for us here on earth. "Walk worthy of the calling with
which you were called" (Ephesians 4:1). This walk is not based upon
human theories of behavior modification. Our Lord Himself develops
this in and through our hearts. "Now may the God of peace . . . make
you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is
well pleasing in His sight" (Hebrews 13:20-21).

Dear Lord, I long to walk in more of the reality of that which is
mine in Christ. Thank You for these words that build my confidence in
You. I humbly repent of my self-confident attempts to do what only You
can do. I look to You anew and alone!


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The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
         ~ Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)