Philippians 1:6 - Homilies By V. Hutton

The truest guarantee of perseverance.

Note—

I. ST . PAUL 'S CONFIDENCE THAT THESE PHILIPPIANS WOULD PERSEVERE UNTO THE END .

II. THE GROUNDS ON WHICH BE RESTS THIS CONFIDENCE .

1 . That it is God ' s work. If we know that God is working in us we can trust him to complete his work.

2 . God ' s work demands man ' s he ' s co-operation. St. Paul recognizes in the zeal which these Philippians displayed in the furtherance of the gospel (verse 5) the best evidence of their co-operation with God, and therefore the best guarantee of their perseverance.

III. WHAT THIS ZEAL IS NOT . It is not the same as anxiety for the victory of a party, of a particular set of views, or of our own personal influence. It is not a devotion to the merely external aspects of religion.

IV. WHAT THIS ZEAL IS . It is joy at the progress or God's kiugdom in human souls by whatever methods that progress may have been brought about. It is readiness to bear witness for Christ and to work for him.

V. THIS ZEAL FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL IS :

1 . Apostolic ( Acts 11:23 ).

2 . It is angelic ( Luke 2:13 , Luke 2:14 ).

3 . It is Divine.

VI. THIS WITNESS - REARING IS IN ITSELF AN ELEMENT OF STRENGTH ; and therefore of perseverance ( Romans 10:10 ).

VII. If you lack perseverance, remember its secret, which is that it is to be found a GENUINE CO - OPERATION IN GOD 'S WORK for mankind.—V.W.H.