Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Devotion based on Philippians 1:6

The apostle Paul expressed his confidence that the Christians in Philippi would remain firm in the faith and thus attain eternal glory. He was confident of this grand result because it rested on God’s gracious purposes. Paul’s confidence in the preservation of their faith was based on the power and the promises of the One who “had begun a good work” in them.

God graciously brings people to faith and assures them that, as they use his Word and sacraments, he will preserve them in faith so that they will assuredly receive the goal of heaven. Our spiritual security, therefore, does not depend on our sin-tainted efforts. It rests on the sure promises and sustaining grace of God. From eternity, he chose us to be his own. In time, he came to save us by the cross and the open tomb. In our lifetime, he began a good work in us—he called us to faith by the gospel. In the future, he will complete his work by bringing us home to himself on “the day of Christ Jesus.” Therefore, all the glory for becoming a Christian and remaining a Christian belongs to God, who will carry out his plan of salvation to completion for all his faithful people.

Through the Bible’s good news of a Savior who was born, lived, died, and rose again for you, God began in your heart the good work of saving faith in Jesus Christ. Live confidently for the day of the Lord’s second coming because God works through his Word to keep you connected to Jesus, your Savior. Hold fast to the Word and rejoice in the promise of your heavenly Father to preserve you in the true faith until you make it safely home to heaven.

Prayer: