Grace OPC Sewickley PA

Sermon Series: Philippians

Holding Fast to the Word of Life

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 8, 1991.

About this sermon

Holding fast to the Word of Life, Paul’s own charge, requires the mind of Christ and a willingness to suffer gladly as a servant, more than merely intellectual assent. Numbers 28’s Old Testament offerings supply the pattern behind the Philippians’ own gift, discussed later in chapter 4. Even here, though, Paul has real chastisement for their grumbling, refusing to let affection replace correction.

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Sermon transcript

Our scripture reading begins this morning in the book of Numbers. This is Numbers chapter 28. We begin in Numbers this morning, the 28th chapter, the first verse. Let us hear the word of God. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire for a sweet savor unto me shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire, which ye shall offer unto the Lord.

Two lambs of the first year without spot, day by day, for a continual burnt offering. For one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even.

And a tenth part of an ephah, a flower, for a meat offering, mingles with the fourth part of a tin of beaten oil. It is a continual burnt offering which was ordained in Mount Sinai for a sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire under the Lord. and the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a him for the one lamb and in the holy place that shall cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even as the meat offering of the morning and as the drink offering thereof thou shalt offer it a sacrifice made by fire of a sweet savor unto the Lord. On the Sabbath day, two lambs of the first year without spot and two tenths meals of flour for a meal offering, a meat offering, mingled with oil and the drink offering thereof. This is the burnt offering of every Sabbath beside the continual burnt offering and his drink offering. And in the beginnings of your months, ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the Lord, two young bullets and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot and seven ten deals rather three ten deals of flour for meat offering mingled with oil for one boy and two ten deals of flour for a meat offering mingled mingled with oil for one ram and the several ten deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb for a burnt offering of sweet savor, a sacrifice made by fire unto the Lord.

And their drink offering shall be half a hen of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of a hen unto a ram, and a fourth part of a hen unto a lamb. And this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year. And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the Lord shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering and his drink offering.”

I’m turning over to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, verse 17 and also 18. This is Philippians 2, 17 and 18. Yea, and even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye rejoice, and rejoice with me.

Let’s pray together now. Our Father, remind us of our responsibilities in the world. Encourage us in our service to you in the midst of humanity to seek the good even of this nation in which we dwell. Strengthen us, Lord, in our resolve to do what is right, and that for the benefit of those around us. And help us, Father, in that we would rely upon that heavenly citizenship which you have granted us by grace, that we might be good citizens of this land in which we presently live. Our Father, we do ask for our nation, for our leaders. We pray, our Father, that there may be a consciousness of righteousness and a turning away from sin. We ask, Lord, that we might be an encouragement in this direction by the strength of character which is developed in us by your mercy. We ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

As we look at the seventeenth verse of Philippians chapter two, we are confronted with the unlikely, the uncommon devotion of the Apostle. Seeing things as they are, from the perspective of the Apostle, confronts us with just how upside down things seem to be from his point of view. The way in which he approaches matters, the way in which he approaches life, the way in which he approaches others, seems to be so unnatural. Here then is an uncommon, an extraordinary expression of devotion and piety, as that devotion and piety is directed towards these people to whom he presently writes.” By Paul’s contention, looking at the previous verse, verse 16, and reading into that seventeenth verse, Paul’s contention is this.

He seems to be saying that his joy in the day of Christ will be affected by the progress in sanctification amongst these Philippian believers. The progress that they make in their own devotion, in their holiness, in their responsiveness to the gospel. Now, working beneath the surface of his words, The Apostle is appealing to these folks on the basis of their great love, their unquestioned love for him. And he is saying that because of that love, they would not wish to be a disappointment to him, nor cause him any embarrassment on the day in which Christ returns. He charges them to hold fast the word of life in that sixteenth verse, to the end, that in the day of Christ they may have cause to glory, because I did not run in vain, nor toil in vain. But even more, even more than their love for him is their love their professed love for Christ. And Paul is suggesting in the language that he uses that this love that they bear to him and this love that they bear even more for Christ should be constraining them to live in such a way that they prove no embarrassment either to Him or their Savior when their Savior appears. But this they most certainly will do. They will, in fact, prove to be an embarrassment to the Apostle, to Jesus Christ, if they fail to hold fast the word of life, the opening words of that sixteenth verse. Now, what does the apostle mean when he implores these Philippians to hold fast the word of life?

Well, in actual fact, these words that begin the sixteenth verse round out, sum up, and complete a long list of statements that began back in the twelfth verse of the second chapter. Beholding fast of the word of life from verse sixteen, has the same essential properties as the working out of your own salvation with fear and trembling in verse 12. In other words, the apostle is driving at one and the same thing. Failure to hold fast the word of life equals a failure in working out your salvation with fear and trembling. But note the progression as you move from that twelfth verse towards the sixteenth verse. For one phrase will build upon another. Our failure to work out our salvation will also mean that we fail with respect to God’s good pleasure coming to expression in us. there will be the failure of the realization of the will of God in us. Verse 13.

And moving on, put in negative terms, then in verse 14, this spells itself out in the multiplication of grumblings and disputings amongst these Philippian saints mentioned in verse 14. As the grumblings and the disputings multiply, there is the failure, the compounding of the failure of these Philippians to work out their salvation in fear and trembling, to have the good pleasure of God realized within them as well as His will. This means, then, that the people will contradict, by their lives, by their behavior, the blamelessness and the innocence which is theirs as the children of God, as lights in the world, mentioned, spoken of by the Apostle in verse 15. Thus it is, as we move from verses 12 through verse 16, considering this concatenation, this chain, of descriptions and imperatives that are laid out in front of us, we are face-to-face with the prospect of robbing Paul, and even more, Christ Jesus Himself, of their joy in the last day. Having looked at verse twelve, having gone back that far, we haven’t gone back far enough, have we?

Because even more specifically, these Philippian Christians will disappoint their Apostle and disappoint their Saviour, causing them shame in the end if they fail to exhibit that mind of Christ, that attitude of Christ that the Apostle has spelled out for them in verses 5 through 11.

Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Now, it’s important here to pause momentarily, that we do not misunderstand what Paul is driving at. For he is not here speaking about something that you don’t have. Rather, he is speaking here of something that you do have and have been given by grace. Think of what he says in another text, 1 Corinthians 2, verse 16, where he tells those Christians, we have the mind of Christ. So when he encourages the Philippians to have that mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, he is merely telling them to have in themselves fully developed that which was given to them by grace.

Now, most specifically, the apostle here is calling upon these saints to demonstrate amongst themselves a loving unity. That’s how he builds up to that fifth verse in the second chapter. He wants demonstrated within them, within their midst as a congregation, this loving unity that should be peculiar to the people of God. Therefore, the particular exposition or explanation of all that he enjoins upon them in verses twelve through sixteen arises out of this attitude of Christ, which he has set before them in verses five through eleven.

Here is the explication, the explanation of the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is working itself out specifically as these people work out their salvation with fear and trembling. And the explanation of that salvation, which they are working out with fear and trembling, is nothing less than the mind of Christ, which is expressed in them. And what is that mind of Christ?

Well, read about it. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, nor emptied himself, taking the form of a bondservant and being made in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. So working out of your salvation is the making of yourself a servant, like unto Christ, for the sake of others.

The Father’s good pleasure is nothing less than this. Verse 13. His will is nothing less than this. Grumblings and disputings contradict, essentially, at the very root, this attitude and mind which is found in Christ. The blamelessness and the innocence of the children of God is expressed specifically here, as they, like unto Christ, become servants for the sake of others. It is precisely in this way that they appear as lights in the world. Verse 16. It is precisely in this way that they hold fast the word of life. But you see, these saints at Philippi are suffering from severe internal problems. An infection has invaded the body. And this infection threatens the saviors and the apostles rejoicing over them at the end of the age.

Here’s how it’s working itself out. These people love Paul. No dispute about that. They love Paul. And they possess a love for Jesus Christ. But they are having a great deal of difficulty loving one another. Now note just how much they have loved Paul. This church is commended by the apostle. It has been generous, generous to a fault. It stands out above other churches in its generosity.

You might turn over to the fourth chapter, the fifteenth verse, where Paul says this, and you yourselves also know Philippians that at the first preaching of the gospel after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone.

Here is the description of the singular interest these Philippians have taken in Paul’s ministry. Such has been their loving involvement in this ministry that Paul, even at the beginning of this epistle, the first chapter, the fifth verse, commended them because, he says of them, they participated in the gospel’s proclamation from the first day until now. And by that he means that they have contributed to his ministry. These Philippians, therefore, have been a model of benevolence. They have given specifically to Paul and to the cause of the gospel.

They have shown themselves to be servants of the Apostle, and presumably servants of Jesus Christ. But their attitude toward the Apostle and toward Jesus is one thing. Their attitude toward one another is something else altogether. To be sure, times are rough. At the end of the first chapter, Paul is acknowledging the persecution that has come to the saints at Philippi. They are now suffering for the sake of the gospel. He recognizes that. They are now victims, being assaulted by unbelievers. But in the midst of their distress, they have turned on each other.

Paul is telling them, as you have proved to be servants to me, and as you wish above all to be servants of Christ and servants of God our Father, so you must be servants of one another, even to the point, hear him now, hear him now, this is the crucial issue. even to the point of suffering gladly in your service to one another, remembering all the while your Savior, who suffered gladly for you. Here, then, is the summary of the apostle’s appeal leading into that seventeenth verse in the second chapter of Philippians. And now, how marvelously, how incredibly he presents himself in relationship to these whom he loves. He tells these Philippian believers, beloved of him in graphic language, just how far he is willing to go for them. For all of them.

You hear his words? The New American Standard gives a good reading of this verse. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. You see why I read from numbers chapter twenty eight this morning. You catch a glimpse of what the apostle is doing with this sort of vocabulary. These words are taking us back to that Old Testament text and its description of the morning and evening sacrifices and the sacrifices of the weekly Sabbath and the monthly sacrifices and even the periodic festival sacrifices. Did you know, as we went through the reading from Numbers chapter twenty-eight, how each one of these sacrifices are spoken of in relationship to an accompanying libation or drink offering. Description of things as he uses this image out of the Old Testament.

He will make the Philippians those who are performing the service, who are actually offering the sacrifice out of their faith. It is the sacrifice and service of their faith, that sacrifice by which they demonstrated their faith in their gifts to Him. You can go back to the fourth chapter of Philippians and look at what Paul says in the 18th verse there, where the sacrificial language is used once more. But I have received everything in full, he says, and have an abundance, and I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. So, the sacrifice and service of the Philippians faith is nothing less than the offering that they have presented on Paul’s behalf. But in this scenario, their offering is the chief offering. Their offering is tantamount to the whole burnt offering.

While Paul now portrays himself as the drink offering, he portrays himself as a minor aspect of the sacrificial service that is being performed, that aspect of the service that was meant merely as an adornment to the chief offering, the whole burnt offering. as something that was merely meant to be an aid in that offering, in order that the sweet aroma that went up to God might be enhanced.

Now, I want you to note in this the remarkable humility in the man. He is making himself the least, even in the sacrificial service. Surely the most important part of the sacrifice is that then which is attached to the Philippians and their service on Paul’s behalf, that Paul makes himself the mere drink offering, the mere libation. He is willing then to look upon himself as a minor part, a mere adornment to their sacrifice.

That’s how far he’s willing to go in his love for them. But how ironic. For the pouring out of that wine as the drink offering at the sacrifice for Israel was indicative of the pouring out of blood. So, while Paul’s language suggests to us that the apostle is merely presenting himself a minor aspect of the sacrifice that belongs to the Philippians, he is doing the full nine yards. To the point of being willing to be poured out with respect to his life and his life’s blood on their behalf. The man is willing to die for it.

If you have not addressed that question, you cannot love. I will be perfectly blunt about it. You will spend your life looking for love. You may spend some time even thinking that you found love. But love isn’t found unless there is a giving up of one’s life. What compounds Adam’s sin in the garden? It was his unwillingness to die for Eve. He wouldn’t do it. Do you want to know if you love someone? Will you die for them? Will you give your life up for them? Don’t bother me with your language about love if you’re not willing to do that. I’ll say it bluntly. You are a liar.

How ironic, then, This man is willing to make the supreme sacrifice, his very life, and yet he sees that sacrifice of himself as subordinate unto and in the service of these whom he loves. How unlikely, how upside down how uncommon, and yes, from the appearance of things, how unnatural. How out of keeping with the common course of affairs, the common way of thinking, Paul’s attitude is. What do you think of this guy? What about the natural response for someone who finds himself in the situation that Paul finds himself in?

These Philippians had proved to be congratulatory of him. They loved him regardless of what they thought of one another. Wouldn’t it be enough that they loved him after all? So why in the world would I damage, even threaten to damage, my relationship with them? Why would I even bring up matters like this? Why would I make an issue of their behavior? How many then go through life contending themselves with the flattery that is heaped upon them? and refuse them to criticize those who so revere and worship them.

My friends, this is no kindness, and most certainly it is not love. It is pure, absolute, unadulterated vanity. It doesn’t consider sings in the light of the coming day of Christ, but is merely content with and dotes upon the worshipful adulation of fond supporters. It is important that we mold our constituency, that we keep our constituency happy. Therefore, you don’t want to get too direct with them. You don’t want to speak about their failures or their sins.

You see, the apostle refuses, out of his love for these people, to allow matters between him and them to descend to such a level. but further in this of central and most important consideration. The apostle refuses to allow his present disappointment with these Philippians or his concern for their standing in the future day of Christ to mitigate his present service for them. He isn’t going to serve them any less, because there is this threat to him in the day of Christ. He isn’t going to serve them any less presently, because they are proving to be, in some respects, a disappointment to him.

And how is it with us? Isn’t it true of you that when you are faced with disappointment in others, that your zeal and your commitment to those people seems to dry up? Your interest in serving them is absolutely and completely submerged within you? And what about the threat that we might not get anything out of the deal in the end? that there is the prospect that we might run in vain or toil in vain, then are we not doubly drained of any zeal for service on behalf of these people who are so ungrateful and unresponsive?

And look at Paul. His response is so uncommon, seemingly unnatural. His response is supernatural. Christ is seen in this man. The Christ who is not deterred by a band of disciples and their multiple failures. A Christ who is not himself threatened by the diminishment of his joy in the last day. But despite present disappointments and that threat, nevertheless, out of a pure faith and confidence in his father’s purpose and out of a pure and faithful love, offers himself up completely for the sake of his people. We’ve talked about love. I’ll end with liberty. You want to be free? Let me direct you to a free man. Completely unintimidated by the threat of death and the fear of failure. Completely. What a trophy to God’s grace.

Wouldn’t you like to be like him? Even more, don’t you want to have the mind of Christ? What a gospel is ours, how rich the love, how broad the freedom, that you confer upon those you love, O God. May we delight to the full in this which you have given to us, namely, a love that comes from above and a freedom that is born in the Son of God himself. Hear us, our Father. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 8, 1991
A Salvation Dependent on Their Prayers

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 1, 1991.

About this sermon

In 2:16 and 1:19 Paul makes the striking claim that his salvation depends on the Philippians’ prayers for him, and he means it. Christ’s own ceaseless prayer shows itself in Paul’s ceaseless praying, in the Philippians’, and in ours. Prayer always reaches beyond one believer’s private discipline.

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Sermon transcript

We begin our picture reading this morning in Philippians chapter one. Chapter one. Verse twelve. Here the word of God. But I would, ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places, and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Some indeed preach Christ, even of envy and strife, and some also of goodwill. But one preached Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.

For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me, To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

And then in the second chapter, beginning with verse 12, “‘Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasures. do all things without murmurings and disputing, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain nor labored in vain. Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all, for the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me.”

I call your attention to the 16th verse of Philippians 2, where Paul says, as read in the New American Standard Version, “…holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory, because I did not run in vain, nor toil in vain.”

I want you to listen carefully. to what Paul says in that verse. Paul speaks, it seems, as if his joy, as if his thanksgiving in the day of Christ is in jeopardy. Do you hear what he says? He wants the Philippians to hold fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ he may have cause to glory or he may rejoice because he did not run in vain nor toil in vain. The suggestion seems to be that somehow His rejoicing in the day of Christ is threatened by the behavior of these Philippians.

He loves these Philippians. He writes to them out of love, but he is very straightforward. He is very direct. He speaks as if His delight at the end will be conditioned by the sanctification of the saints to whom he writes. Most pointedly, then, from this 16th verse, we see that Paul is contending that their success, these Philippians’ success, at holding forth the word of life will impinge upon his joy and sense of accomplishment in the great day.” Now, this sort of language from the Apostle is not something new. We hear him speaking this way in other places in his epistles. We even hear him speaking this way in another place in this epistle. And that is why I return to the first chapter of Philippians for our scripture reading. Do you notice that 19th verse in the first chapter?

Paul, in speaking about the predicament that has come upon him, says this, “‘For I know that this shall turn out for my salvation through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.’” He speaks in this text as if his salvation or his sanctification under the plight of his imprisonment would be accomplished through the prayers of these Philippian believers.

Now let me ask you, does our salvation, does our sanctification, The outworking of our salvation depend upon the prayers of others? What about the means of grace? What are the means of grace? do we not all know what the means of grace are? The Word, the sacraments, and prayer. But with respect to this latter means of grace, prayer, is it our belief that it is only our personal prayers for ourselves that are an effectual means of God’s grace to us?

Or is it rather that we stand even desperately in the need of the prayers of others? Now, in order that we might not miss the point, the apostle puts this whole matter in the strongest language possible. He talks in that 19th verse of the first chapter as if nothing less than his salvation depends upon the prayers of these friends of his in Philippi. If you don’t pray, I’m not safe. Now I want to ask you how different your prayers would be. If you saw clearly that the salvation of those for whom you pray depends upon your prayers.

How great the humility, even of this one, the Apostle, as he so expresses himself. His language declares a dependence upon others, and it generates within him a thankfulness for such devotion shown by them on his behalf. At the same time, you will note in this 19th verse of the first chapter how great a demonstration of Christ we find here.

You ask yourself, how is Christ demonstrated in these prayers from the Philippian saints on behalf of Paul? Will you notice the conclusion of that verse? What Paul does with the prayers of these Philippian believers, he actually places their prayers at the level of the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Do you see how these two things are there set in tandem? For I know that this shall turn out for my salvation through your prayers, one, and through the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, two.” These Philippians then in their ministry of prayer are actually elevated to the level of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. That’s how the apostle views them.

Paul, therefore, in his severe need in his imprisonment which he is undergoing, that even more in his self-recognized and self-confessed need of salvation and sanctification, is utterly dependent upon the intercessions, yes, the intercessions of that one who continually makes intercessions for his own, the Lord Jesus Christ. But now the Philippians pray without ceasing for Paul, and in that activity of prayer on behalf of this one they love, they take upon themselves the form of Christ’s own prayer. Their ministry of intercession on behalf of the apostle flows forth out of the intercessions of Christ. And as Christ prays without ceasing on behalf of his own, so these Philippians are praying without ceasing on behalf of those that one they love.

In fact, we can put it even more strongly. The perpetual heavenly intercessions of Christ are expressing themselves in the faithful intercessions of the saints for one another. As God has ordered things, just as you are dependent completely upon the intercessions of Christ from the right hand of God, you are dependent upon the intercession of one another. This then is what will indeed help your prayers. When you see them as but an expression of the prayers of Christ and his faithful intercession on behalf of those he loves. Will you not then likewise But the pattern we find here in chapter 1 verse 19 is asserting itself in chapter 2 verse 16. But you’ll notice how things are changed a bit here.

For it is not the salvation and sanctification of the apostle that is in view, rather it is the salvation and sanctification of the Philippians that are in view. Note verse 12 of chapter 2, where the apostle speaks specifically about the salvation of these Philippians. He says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The salvation of these Philippians then is in the balance. Their salvation as expressed through their sanctification. The Apostle speaks further about this matter as he presses home this issue of salvation and sanctification in verse 14, when he speaks to them directly about the grumbling and the disputing that have arisen among them because they’re having a very difficult time getting along with one another. And further, in verse 15, as he calls them to remember that they are blameless and innocent, that they are the sons of God above reproach, that they shine as light in the world in the midst of a perverse and wicked generation. But now Paul concludes his description of their salvation and sanctification in verse 16. calling upon them to hold forth the word of life. And then he states, with respect to the whole matter that he has been addressing, he states his joy, his rejoicing in the last day, in the judgment day, will suffer if they fail to persevere in their salvation and their sanctification. He will undergo disappointment. In fact, he will be subjected to shame, because it will appear that he has run in vain and he has labored in vain.

The apostle here shamelessly presumes upon the love these believers bear toward him, even though they are having a very hard time loving one another. The Apostle shamelessly presumes upon the love these believers bear toward him by making his joy, his rejoicing in the day of Christ at the last day, hang upon their continuance and progress in the faith.

Paul is appealing to their love for him, They then would not wish Paul, whom they loved so much, to suffer any disappointment in the day of Christ. And because that is true, they then will apply themselves without reservation to their calling in Christ, and the manifestation of love, one toward another, without demand. But of course, you know, Paul’s interest is not simply, or even chiefly, that these dear people, dear to him, would act out of their love for Him. For behind and beyond the Apostle, these folk must see Jesus Himself, the One whose joy in the day of His own appearing will reflect upon his people’s faithfulness. If these people would not wish to disappoint Paul in the day of Christ, how much less would they want to disappoint Jesus?

You don’t want to disappoint Jesus. in the day he appears to you. This one that you love so much, even more than any apostle, even more than any preacher or leader, this One whom you love so much, you don’t want to disappoint Him, nor do you wish to be a disappointment to Him when He appears. You do not wish him to be denied the joy that is his, which he is to find in you.

Rather, may you do everything as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling, as you demonstrate the fact that you are blameless and innocent children of God above reproach, shining as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life as you do everything you can, maintaining then Christ’s delight in you for that great and incomparably wonderful day. Give us grace, our God. May we live fully in the grace that you have supplied us, your wonderful love and mercy, your undeserved favor. And Lord, we pray that as we apply ourselves with respect to the salvation that is ours, that there would be no occasion for the disappointment of our Savior when he comes. O Lord, strengthen our resolve, build us up in our prayers, and in the demonstration of our love one for another, for surely Christ’s own life is coming to expression in us, and we are being ministered unto by his life as it is expressed in others who would serve us for his sake. We thank you, our God, for the richness and depth of your revelation, and of this salvation which is given us by you. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 1, 1991
Light Without Activism

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, November 17, 1991.

About this sermon

Being the ‘light of the world’ means something other than political activism, as the OPC’s official position affirms, and activism tends to fall into two errors. Matthew 5 uses the same image. The goal is Christlikeness, servanthood and submission, over influence or visibility.

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Sermon transcript

We begin our Scripture reading in Matthew 5, verses 13 through 16. Listen to the word of God. But if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men. that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain, yea, and if I be offered as an offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. And the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me.”

Father, we would desire to be where you are present to meet with your people. Our God, reveal the beauty of holiness to us. minister to us by your word. And we are conscious, Father, of the blessings that we desire in the service rendered to us by others. And therefore, our God, give us godly leaders, strong and faithful elders. Bless those who serve us We who are living stones, we who make up this building of the Lord, grant to us our God, godly elders and deacons, strength here and for your people around the world, that your people might be ruled and served rightly. We ask our God that each one of us equipped with the Word may fulfill that service that is right for us. We ask for strength in the Holy Spirit. We pray in Christ’s name. Amen. Every day it becomes more and more imperative that we look carefully at, that we look more deeply into the words we find here at the end of the 15th verse of Philippians 2.

The words, ye shine as lights in the world. One pressing reason for this necessity is that these words and those which we find in Matthew 5, verse 14, where Jesus calls his disciples the light of the world, one pressing reason for this necessity is that these words are too often mishandled by Christians. mishandled even by those who are reformed in their conviction, Calvinist in their confession. And the sad fact is that our failure at this point contributes to an increased confusion, the outcome of which is frustration. and even anger within the Christian community. But it goes without saying that Paul’s words here in Philippians 2 and Christ’s words in Matthew 5 are concerned with the relationship that Christians sustain to the world. Paul says, ye shine as lights in the world. Christ says, ye are the light of the world. So clearly, both Paul’s and Christ’s words are concerned specifically with the relationships that Christians sustain to the world.

And not one of us can deny the importance of this particular matter, this issue, our to the world. There are those in the Christian community, when approaching these texts, have a concern for personal piety. There are those in the Christian community who have a primary interest in personal piety, and yet are admitting that there is then this concern that weighs heavily upon us, namely, how does our Christian life impact the world around us? This whole matter is becoming greatly important. especially as we have witnessed the present unprecedented avalanche of violence within our society.

While things in a former era were not as bad as they are now, we might well wish for the good old days. And we cannot leave ourselves off the hook by merely saying that things now are as bad as they have always been. It is not true. There has been an unprecedented avalanche of violence within our society. Are you getting a little tired of the evening news? Are you a little distressed as your daily newspaper becomes increasingly similar to a tabloid? This matter of violence in our society is very apparent to those who have a particular interest in personal piety, for they are greatly concerned about the wanton slaughter of the unborn. And that rightly so. Does violence beget violence? Women in our society guilty of violence against the child they carry in their womb? Surprised that violence should be unleashed against them in their homes, in their bedrooms?

In addition to this, the utter disregard for responsibility and restraint in sexual matters. This inclusive of the development of a fierce belligerent subculture organized under the banner of sexual preference. Those concerned about a personal piety are also disturbed because they have witnessed the surrender of this society’s philosophical, moral, and religious responsibilities, not to the government, not to the educational establishment, but to the media. The media is now molding philosophical, moral, and religious conviction.

And because of this onslaught of pagan barbarism, conservative Christians are more than disturbed, they are outraged. who are so outraged that they’ve hit the streets, banners in hand, waving their placards, sporting mottos. They might even have a text on their placard or on their banner that reads, ye are the light of the world. as a comment as to what the Christian’s responsibility in society ought to be. So even the Christians, now the conservative Christians, are coming out of their closets, and they’re on the march, they’re mobilizing, they are politically active. Now to be sure, some have continued to concentrate their energies upon world evangelization. But at the same time, there is this movement that has taken hold now, in which conservative Christians are expending a great deal of their energy toward the political front. They feel that the answer that is needed is found within the realm of politics, and they must take a stand.

Some going so far as to say, we must claim this country for Christ. Christ must be recognized at every level of government, and that in an official way, in our official documents. Some are concerned for the enactment of what they call Christian legislation. Some, in this regard, to the point that they support the imposition of the Old Testament legal codes upon our present form of government. Many are concerned to elect Christians, only Christians, to public office.

And almost every one of these conservative Christians, concerned as they are for personal piety, have set a high priority upon the reversal of Rovers’ way. Here, they say, is the answer to our society’s collapse. In these matters we will find a resolution to the onslaught of pagan barbarism. And here is the certain interpretation, the certain and sure interpretation of Christ’s and Paul’s words when they speak about us as being whites in the world.

But these conservative Christians, these interested first of all and foremostly in personal piety, are not the only Christians around these days. More are those who say they have equal claim on Christ’s name, who offer a different approach Rather than starting with the primacy of personal piety, they begin with the primacy of public policy and morality.

They start there. The place at which they begin is the government itself. It’s not that they’ve decided to get involved in politics, they have already and always been in politics. They are much concerned about the business community, the attitude of business toward labor, and they are concerned about the labor establishment.

Here is a group claiming the Christian name, that is outspoken about urban and welfare problems, the needs of the poor and the homeless, the rights of the oppressed, whomever they may be, the rights of racial minorities, the rights of women, and even the rights of the gay community. We folks mobilize around environmental issues, they mobilize against nuclear energy, they mobilize for world peace and social justice.

So there you have it, right and left. the right’s interpretation of Christ’s and Paul’s words, the left’s interpretation of those very same words. And it is within this atmosphere now that the Church herself, both conservative and liberal, is becoming thoroughly and completely politicized. without the pressures that the church now faces. Whether she be conservative or liberal, she is pressured to establish political platforms, to comment upon party platforms, to comment on candidates, to endorse and even censure politicians, to make pronouncements of every kind. It is not just the liberal established churches that are wont to make political pronouncements in our time.

A few years ago, the PCA General Assembly decided that it was time for them to say something about North and South Korea, the political arrangement in that part of the world. And maybe you’ve noticed that the Roman Catholic bishops in this country seem to have something to say about everything. Even the OPC has felt the pressure to pursue a political identity.

Two years ago at the General Assembly in San Diego, we had an overture before us. We were asked to erect a standing committee whose job it would be to review public matters and to suggest courses we might take with regard to these political and social issues. We turned it down. We all had to be released. So how in the world, given this scenario, how in the world are we to keep our wits about us? We have the worsening social picture, and at the same time we have all of these pressures brought to bear upon us and they will continue to mount. These pressures brought to bear us, forcing us, it seems, to embark, in response to this worsening social picture, on a course of Christian activism.

You may have thought that you were going to get some help with the appearance of the latest issue of New Horizons magazine. You might have turned to Gail Bennett’s article expectantly, an article entitled The Christian Activist. You might have said to yourself as you moved into that article, well, here’s a Calvinist, here’s an OT, here’s a very bright woman, certainly she will be helpful for us. What is she?

She does cite the texts that interest us, Matthew 5.14, Philippians 2.15 by extension, She cites those texts and she says that we Christians as salt and white represent Christ to the world. Well, so far so good. Then she becomes quite specific about what she means.

Here in her judgment, In Matthew 5.14, in Philippians 2.15, here in her judgment is a mandate for Christian activism. What she has in view is an active, energetic program by which we Christians will achieve our chief goal. And what is our chief goal, you might ask? For according to Gail, it is the redemption of the creation by bringing every aspect of creation into subjection and obedience to Jesus Christ, the Creator and Redeemer King.

She assures us at the conclusion of her article that Christian activism of this sort will bring healing and correction to this godless world. That may well be that when you concluded that article, you jumped to your feet right away, ready to march to the music she was playing. But I want to say something to you before you go too far, and if you’ve heard her message this morning and you feel the same way, you’re about to jump to your feet and make your way to the door, let me have a word with you before you go.

The argument isn’t over what it means to be a citizen of this country. The argument isn’t over whether or not we do what is right as citizens of this land, do what is right politically, pursue what is correct morally, stand for what we believe is correct, and that even in a political setting. That is not the issue.

The point at issue is rather whether or not we can hang our particular political philosophy and our political agenda on Matthew 5.14 and Philippians 2.50. Gail admittedly presents her case well in that article. She writes well. But by the time we are done with her article, we are clear as to two matters.

She makes serious errors and goes glaringly in light of the clear intention of Matthew 5.14 and Philippians 2.15. First of all, Joel is mistaken about the Christian’s posture toward the world. Her assumption is this, that sometime in the world’s history, the situation Jesus describes in Matthew 5, the circumstances that Paul describes in Philippians 2, will cease to exist.

That means the opposition will evaporate. The persecution will be over. It will no longer be necessary to suffer for Christ’s sake. We then are to labor for world change, and we labor in confident expectation that at some point the world will change, because we Christians, as salt and light, will no longer be subjected to the hostilities of the world and the persecution of those who oppose the truth.

This means that in Paul’s language the time will come, according to Gail, when we can no longer call the world a crooked and perverse generation. The focus then that Gail has for herself and would lay before us is one that is well trained upon the world. It is a worldly hope for which we labor, forgiving that both Jesus and Paul are focused upon the heavens.

Do you hear Christ’s message in Matthew chapter 5 as he speaks to his disciples? He is expounding for them the gospel of the kingdom. How is that kingdom identified? In verse 17 of chapter 4, Jesus says this, “…repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The language there is deliberate.

You note in verse 3 of chapter 5, “…blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” You notice in verse 10, “…blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” You note in verse 12, “…rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.” for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” And in verse 16, you note, “…let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The orientation of Christ is towards heaven. The goal, the objective, is heaven. It is not the earth. And as it is for our Savior in this regard, so it is also for the Apostle.

In the first chapter of his Philippian epistles, he tells these Philippians that his desire is to depart and to be with Christ. Don’t you want to hang around for the revolution, Paul? What’s the matter with you? And specifically it is this hope of glory which the Apostle holds out to the Philippians as he speaks very pointedly about Christ’s exaltation. Do you think that when Paul says in verse 9 of chapter 2, therefore also God highly exalted him and bestowed upon him a name that is above every name, that he has merely in view a chapter in the history of Christ’s own personal ministry?

No, he holds that out before these Philippian saints because that is their hope as well, glorification with Christ in glory. The point to which Paul presses repeatedly in the Philippian epistle is the day of Christ, chapter 1, verse 6, for I am confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perfect it unto the day of Jesus Christ. 10, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ.” Then chapter 2, verse 16, “…hold fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory, because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.” The orientation of the Apostle is unmistakable.

Doyle’s message, then, in her article The Christian Activist, is mistaken about the Christian’s posture to the world. But secondly, Doyle is mistaken about the Christian’s posture in the world. You see, she is dedicated to an agenda. in which she envisions Christians taking over.

The objective is to take over the world. The objective is world control and domination. The end in view is power. Political power. Social power. Economical power. But what else could we expect? when the earth so dominates the perspectives. Our goal being an end in this world must then become the scene for Christian exaltation. This must be then the goal for which you strive. Your dominance and the world’s subordination. You are Lord and everybody is serving you. You on top and everybody else underneath.

Does that sound like the New Testament to you? It doesn’t sound like the New Testament to me. Does that remind you of the posture of Jesus in the world? It doesn’t remind me of the posture of Jesus in the world. Does that remind you of the Apostle Paul and his posture in the world? No. What is that posture?

That of being a servant, even though abused. not have self-sacrifice even while others are taking advantage it is the posture of love people talk about love but they never quite get the point because they never seem to grasp what Jesus is all about. The position outlined by Gail Bennett is very appealing. We all want power, we all want to be empowered. We’re tired of being kicked around.

For Jesus and for Paul, the issue is Christ-likeness. That’s what Jesus is doing when he delivers his Beatitudes to his disciples on that mount. He is actually setting before them the life that is found in him. Paul will do the same. He will set forth the life that is found in Christ by way of his own example before the faces of these Philippians. He will declare to them, for to me to live is possible. He was set before them that matchless imperative, have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

The one who was Lord became servant, that those in great need might be served and saved. What is our posture in the world until the day of Christ? He is that of Christ himself, the posture of a faithful, suffering servant, not an aggressive, dominating warlord. Oh God, how seductive power is, and what a temptation it is even to your saints. You remember Jesus when the multitudes tempted him with power, they would take him by force and make him king. And our Christ withdrew from them, for he knew the true nature of the kingdom and had devoted himself to that truth. Bless us as those who would follow him, our God, and may we not be seduced by the promise of political empowerment so that we might lord it over others. We pray, our Father, that we might be Christ-like in the world, given over to your service, that we might, in fact, shine forth brightly as lights in a dark place. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

November 17, 1991
Shining Like the Sun, Already

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, November 3, 1991.

About this sermon

Paul draws a real line between the Philippians and the world around them, deeper than a difference of belief alone. Daniel 12:3 promises that the wise will shine like the sun, and that promise is already and not yet, fulfilled now in the good works Christ does through his people. The shining is already underway, well before any future unveiling.

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Sermon transcript

Listen to the word of God. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of my people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. And at that time my people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that fleet in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn away many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book. even to the time of the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man closed in linen which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swear by him that liveth forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and a half. And when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

And I heard, but I understood not. Then said I, O my God, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for the worse shall close up and seal to the time of the end. Many shall be purified and make white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days, that go thou thy way till the end of days. For thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot. at the end of the days. And then turning over to Philippians chapter 2, verses 14 through 16.

Do all things without murmuring and disputing. that ye may be blameless and harmless to sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

Our Father, your word comes unto us and we are revived. Each of us, our God, could recount times in which your word came to us as salvation itself. Now, our God, we are assembled before you, and your Word comes forth from you, so that we might be strengthened. And, Lord, we are also mindful of the fact that your Word comes forth from you to regenerate the lost. We pray, our Father, that your word may save the lost, even as it is proclaimed today. Hear us, Lord, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

I’m calling your attention to verses 15 and 16 in Philippians 2 this morning. And I want you to note, first of all, how clearly Paul distinguishes these Christian believers to whom he writes in Philippi, how clearly he distinguishes them from the world.

On the one hand, Paul calls the believers, that is the church, blameless. He calls them innocent. He calls them children of God, above reproach. He calls them rights in the world. As I tried to express last week for you, this man is absolutely serious in his worship. He means every word of it. Yes, indeed. Without any kind of glance away from the nature of these Christians who assembled, without as much as batting an eye, the Apostle calls them blameless, innocent children of God above reproached whites in the world.

On the other hand, he calls the world a crooked and perverse generation. A word there in the King James’s nation, but it is better translated, generation. It’s easy for us to see in these descriptions a common theme, and that theme is one of progeny, lineage, and family ties. The Philippian saints are called children of God. The world is called a crooked and perverse generation. Underline the word generation. Thinking of it once more, the believers are the generation of God. That is, they have been generated by Him. They are born of Him. Those of the world are generated from elsewhere. Now, why do you say that? before you.

I want you to move along with me in the Apostle’s description of the Church. So the Apostle, after describing the Church as he does, with words reflecting upon the believer’s generation from God, goes on to add to this theme of lineage or family tie, that of illumination. For these believers are sons of God, but as such are described as lights in the world.

Now this latter description bears some explanation. It is one that we find repeatedly in the New Testament, used by Paul and others, but it has its roots in the Old Testament. And that is why we read this morning from Daniel’s prophecy, the twelfth chapter. It is in that twelfth chapter that we find, then, the root from which this image used by Paul groaned. A word of disclaimer at the beginning. I’m not going to explain to you the entirety of Daniel’s poem this morning, but we will be looking at verse three. When this prophecy is cut short, there are many mysteries and there is great obscurity in everything. This prophecy as a whole demands our attention. As we focus on this twelfth chapter, and particularly on that third verse, certain things should be clear to us. this above all, that the prophet is speaking here about the end.

And in light of that end, the prophet speaks about those who are called the sons of God. The sons of your people, in verse 1, These who have been written down in the Lord’s book. And Daniel is assured in his vision that they will be rescued, even though through the fire of tribulation. The resurrection will come. The vision goes on, verse 2. And in that resurrection, the bodies of the dead will be raised. followed by the glorification of the elect, who will shine as the brightness, that is, as the sun, as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars forever and ever. Surely the description of our end could not be more wonderful than that. We have here then in this third verse of Daniel 12 a marvelous picture of the coming exaltation of the children of God.

Now what Daniel says in this portion of his prophecy may strike a responsive chord in you because You remember what Jesus himself has said on one of those occasions when he was delivering parables to the multitude in the hearing of his disciples. I have in mind what we find in Matthew chapter 13. Jesus has given the parable of the wheat and the tares in that 13th chapter of Matthew. And that parable of the wheat and tares is like Daniel 12 concerned about the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the wicked, and the glorification of the righteous.

Well, at the conclusion of Jesus’ explanation of that parable to his disciples, Jesus tells his disciples that the wicked will be burned like hairs. And then he says in the 43rd verse of Matthew 13, the righteous shall shine forth as the sun. in the kingdom of their Father.

Here is not merely a wonderful picture, but a glorious one. But I don’t know how many of you want classical music. But I ask you if you have not heard that the Earl of Hollywood, no, not by Paul McCartney, but by Felix Mendez, called the writing that you would take an afternoon or an evening to soak that idea. Felix Mendelssohn himself was a believer, who was converted from Judaism and embraced Christianity enthusiastically. And his faith comes out when he writes, when he composes.

But of all the members, the wonderful members, that defined the network for me, there is one, a tenor soloist, He says these words of Jesus in Matthew 13, verse 43, to me. Then shall the righteous shine as the sun in their heavenly bodies now. And let me tell you, when you hear it sung, you sing.

So then, we have here as background, Paul’s statement in Philippians 2.15, Daniel’s remarks of his religion as a church father, and that’s also reinforced in the Scripture in Matthew 13, verse 43. But I want you to know, in the 50th verse of the 2nd chapter of Philippians, how Paul answers what is said by Daniel and by Jesus. Daniel and Jesus give us that magnificent and overwhelming description of our future. The present records were both of their remarks in the future.

But as you look at the 15th verse of Philippians 2, you notice that Paul is here not speaking about the future, rather he is speaking about the present. It’s not that these saints in Philippi will become knights in the world, People like the sun shining forth brightly, he is saying that they are lighting already. They are already shining. They are already so to fly.

Paul Hill on Daniel. Paul, in building upon Daniel, is perfectly aware of the future reverence in Daniel’s prophecy. But having that as his foundation, nevertheless he says to these Philippian saints that they are right present. Now it’s important for us to understand, so that we can get to the bottom of Paul’s thinking here, just what Paul doesn’t have in mind.

He is not saying that we will be white in glory then, and we are also white presently. No, that’s not what he’s saying. What he is saying is What we will do, we have already begun to do now. He is saying that the future glory that is promised to us has already begun to shine in us and through us.

Even before we come to the end, Even before the literal resurrection of our bodies, the light of resurrection glory has already broken out upon us and is shining in and through us. which would be the greatest blessing to us, now has an effect, an impact upon the world. Is it not clear to us that Paul encases The superlative blessing meant for us in heaven above, and speaking about it in this context, we understand how we are to be of service in the world while we are here. We have the blessing then. The promise and the certainty of the sons of God, those who shall shine forth brightly as the sun in the kingdom of heaven, we then are a blessing to the world precisely because of our relationship to that light that is promised to us. We are a means by which God then conveys his word to the world. Do you see what he says in verse 16? Our being life in the world means that we hold forth the word of life unto the day of Christ. Is the Apostle Paul here coming up with his own doctrine? Is he being inventive at this point? Is he being imaginative? Is he even romantic in his explanation to the saints of their relationship to God and life in the world?

Well, possibly you’re already ahead of me, and know that our Lord, Jesus Christ, has said the same thing, the very same thing. Pharaoh twice in Matthew 13, 43 speaks about our future glorification in terms of our becoming white. He also speaks about our already having been the light of the world, so designated and so defined. If you remember this word, in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, verse 14, we are the life of the world.

The 16th verse of that fifth chapter of Matthew explains further what Jesus has in mind. Let your life so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father. which is in heaven. It is at this point, then, that we have a match to what we find in Paul. For Jesus, like Paul, features at the coming future glory, of which he and Daniel speak, is in present reality in the vines of the same tree. But Jesus tells them again and clarifies what precisely is meant by being a light in the world. His words have to clarify even what Paul means when Paul says that we are to hold fast the word of life since Litman’s series 16.

Jesus has specifically in mind when he speaks of the saints as being like the light of the world, he has specifically in mind those good works which they, the saints, perform. But once again, to understand more deeply the character of those good works which Jesus has in mind, we have to do a little bit further. What are these good works of which Jesus speaks? What are the good works that come before you as you survey what Jesus has said in the sermon on the Mount to that day? where the good works specifically as they come before in the Beatitudes and in what Jesus says about the want of the righteous in the world in relationship to the world that is hostile to the gospel. Look at those Beatitudes for a minute, if you will. The first four Beatitudes, verses 3 through 6, express the lot of the faith of the Lord in relationship to Christ.

Because he is bound to Christ, he is therefore described as one who is poor in spirit, he is one who mourns, he is one who is meek, he is one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness. and each one of those descriptions are as they are because the people of the Lord are beset upon by those who are the enemies of God and the enemies of the gospel.

Why are you described as the poor in spirit? Because you’re the victim of those who are rich in spirit. Why are you those who are mourned? Because you are the victim of those who laugh and scorn. Why are you described as to meek? Because you are the victims of those who exploit themselves at your expense. Why are you the hungry and the thirsty? Because you are the victims of those who are fat and poor. What is your response to those who treat you in that way? Verses 7 through 9. You are merciful. Even to those who abuse you. You are pure in heart. That is, you do not lose your focus. And you persist in being a peacemaker. Even though others are making war on you.

And when you come to verses 10-16 of Jesus’ message there in Matthew 5, what do you find but Jesus’ commentary on the Beatitudes themselves? You first of all have verses 10-12 which talk about the persecuted lot of those who belong to Jesus. And Jesus’ words to them, who are being reviled and persecuted, His word to those against whom all kinds of evil are being spoken, evil is being spoken falsely on account of him. The final words to them, Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

That is what then corresponds, verses 10-12, that is what corresponds to verses 3-6. in the Beatitudes themselves. Jesus then goes on to say in verse 13, and that’s this chapter, you are the salt of the earth. Verse 14, you are the light of the world. And verses 13 through 16, then next, verses 7 through 9, they are explained by what Jesus has said about the merciful, the pure in heart, and the faithful.

The specific words of kindness, the specific good works which Jesus has in mind are those that are performed precisely in response to the hostility and the cruelty of the world. Now why is that so important? Because that is exactly what Jesus did. which we are going to do this society, we have to be conformed to Jesus. We were ones that are enjoying the colonospora of a peace with Christ’s own, who when abused and insulted persisted in showing mercy, demonstrating purity, and persevering in the mounting of peace. For him who is the light of the world, for Jesus himself, who is the light that is to shine in us, by which we stand over again a crooked and perverse generation. By which, in the words of Daniel, you return money to righteousness. And in the words of Jesus, money runs free in these good works that glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Our God, how we thank you for the marvelous promise that we will shine as the sun in glory. But Father, we are also called the light of the world. And Lord, may the light shine wonderfully in us as we hold firm the word of life. May it be obvious to us that the Word of life is found in Jesus. And O Lord, that we will be performed to Him. Bless us, then, Lord, when we are persecuted. Bless us, then, Lord, as those who are enemies to the world that despite the hostility, we might persist in mercy, that we might be pure in heart, that we might insist upon the making of peace. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

November 3, 1991
A Wilderness Generation

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, October 20, 1991.

About this sermon

Philippians 2:14-18 warns against grumbling, and a string of Old Testament passages shows the Philippians as a wilderness generation facing Israel’s old temptations. Biblical-theological reading makes that connection visible where moralism cannot. Grumbling against God incurs real and just wrath.

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Sermon transcript

This morning, we are turning to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And we begin reading at verse one. Here are the word of God. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud. and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were for our example, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day free and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed as serpents. neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come.

Wherefore let him that thinketh, he standeth, take heed, lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. But God is faithful. He will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

And then turning over to Philippians chapter 2, Verses 14 through 18. Philippians 2, 14 through 18. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as whites in the world. holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy and rejoice with me.”

Let’s pray together. Our Father, we come unto you knowing that you will feed us. We do ask, Lord, that we might be fed, fed with your word, for your word is life. May it be plain to us, we ask, just where our life is to be found. We pray, our Father, that we would have discernment then with respect to the words of men. We ask our God that we might not be led astray, but insofar as their words do in fact match the word of life, that we would hold fast that word for our good. Do encourage us, our Father, as we listen, as we take in your word, and may this mean our satisfaction in You. We pray this for the sake of Christ, who is Himself the living Word of God. Amen.

Now I could hope that you all have your Bible open this morning. And even if you don’t know the person next to you, they have a Bible while you don’t, you just scoot over and look on. This is one of those texts that is important to have opened in front of you, because it is so explosive. I have in mind here verses 14 through 18 in Philippians 2. In the space of a few verses, the Apostle Paul has packed together material so suggestive, so reflective, so instructive, as to leave us all reeling when, in fact, these verses are unleashed. I want you to consider, as you look at these verses, the Old Testament references and allusions that are laid within the lines. They all are obvious. The first one is plain and clear.

We shouldn’t have any difficulty identifying the murmurings and the disputing. Those murmurings and disputings mentioned in verse 14. Our mind does race back to earlier portions of scripture We could begin reading the story of the children of Israel at chapter 5 in the book of Exodus. We could read through to the conclusion of Deuteronomy, and there has a chronicle of the murmurings and the disputings of the children of Israel.

The background of Paul’s statement there in verse 14 is all that. You might want to specifically mark texts like Exodus 15, verse 24. Exodus 16, the second verse. You might want to look at Numbers chapter 11, verse 2. Again, Numbers chapter 14, the second verse, where we have pointed descriptions of Israel’s attitude in the wilderness. It’s going on, then, to verse 15.

We have that phrase appearing there, a crooked and perverse generation. Now, I know that there are a number of times in the New Testament where that phrase appears. Jesus himself used that terminology. But those words are actually lifted from Moses. You may want to check out Deuteronomy, chapter 32, verse 5, where Moses uses those words explicitly in reference to the generation of Israelites with whom he had the deal. And the sentiment expressed by Moses in the 5th verse of that 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy is reflected on again in that same discourse in the 20th verse so as to bring the point home, the 20th verse of Deuteronomy 32. So twice, Moses makes mention of it, like the people missed the point.

Many have found connection between Paul’s remarks at the end of this 15th verse where he speaks about these Philippians being lights in the world, they have found a connection between Paul’s words there and a most remarkable text. Now, I don’t have in mind what Jesus says in Matthew 5. I have in mind what Daniel says in Daniel 12, verse 3.

There the prophet speaks about the saints of the Lord in their wisdom, shining as the brightness of the firmament and as stars in the heavens forever.” A remarkable text. Powerful in its own right. And some, with respect to these words at the end of that fifteenth verse, have seen a further tie in the creation story, running us all the way back to Genesis chapter 1, and God’s command with respect to life, let there be light, and that followed in verses 14 through 17, with God’s placing of the lights, the sun, the moon, the stars, in the firmament. Then verse 16 of chapter 2 in Philippians. Here things become a little bit more obscure.

But this verse contains references to the latter chapters of the prophecy of Isaiah. When Paul speaks of his hope of not laboring in vain, There is, as background for that, the Song of the Servant in Isaiah 49, verse 4, a passage where that servant of the Lord expresses his own personal strain and agony in his devotion to the Lord, but concludes in the overwhelming confidence that the justice due to him was safe with the Lord, who would keep his reward, if not be his reward. You may want to look at that prophecy of Isaiah, the 49th chapter, the Song of the Servant, as the servant expresses himself both with respect to his distress and also his magnificent hope But this language, with regard to futility, laboring in vain, reappears in Isaiah at the conclusion of the prophecy, the sixty-fifth chapter, the twenty-third verse. And here it’s not with respect to the servant of the Lord specifically, but rather with respect to all of God’s children.

And these are now viewed in the setting of the new heavens and the new earth. The new heavens and the new earth spoken of in verse 17 of that 65th chapter of Isaiah. And in the context of those new heavens and new earth, these children of God will rejoice, rejoice incomparably. Verses 18 and 19, they will give life in the ends for which they have labored. Verses 21 and 22, and they will live in an environment that is surrounded by and secured within peace itself, verses 24 and 25.

And still with all of this, in a few short verses, Paul isn’t done. We move on to verse 17, and I would like to read that verse to you from the New American Standard, the sense of it doesn’t come out as well in the King James Version, but here from the New American Standard, that even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. Do you see what is in the background, then, of the Apostle’s words? He’s building upon figures that arise out of Numbers 28, verses 1 through 8, and the description that you find there of the morning and evening sacrifices. Sacrifices which were always to be accompanied with libation, with drink-offering, which were to be burned then with the sacrifices being offered up to the Lord. So as you move through verses 14 through 18, you can see that these verses are simply packed.

They are packed full of references to, allusions to, matters that arise for our consideration out of the Old Testament. We are not a people who embrace merely the New Testament, we follow the lead of those servants whom the Lord has given us. We hold together the Old and the New Testament understanding that the background for the New is the Old, and much of the imagery that comes to us in the New actually arises out of the old.

Here you are, then, merely in terms of the book’s reference to the story. Here you are moving from Genesis to Exodus to Numbers to Deuteronomy to Isaiah to Daniel. But as well, you are moving through the wide sweep of biblical declaration and revelation. You’re moving from creation to deliverance for Israel from Egypt, you’re moving into the experience that the children of Israel had in the wilderness and the institution of the sacrificial system. You’re having placed before you once more the captivity of Judah and the promise of the servant of the Lord, the glorification of the elect, and the coming of the new heavens and the new earth.

Philippians 2 verses 14 through 18 is an extraordinary text. It says, “…if it compressed a mountain into a symbol.” These verses, then, are a veritable goldmine for biblical theologians. I know that some of you understand what I mean when I speak of biblical theologians. Those theologians who are especially interested in understanding the relationship between portions of Scripture, between Old and New Testaments, and seeing the connections that are there unearthed or discovered or seen seeing those connections in light of the grand and glorious goal which God has set in his wondrous plan of salvation. It all fits together. It all coalesces. It’s a marvelous, integrated whole, this plan and purpose of God.

But how do we handle all of this? It’s one thing to let it all out from the page and spill it out in your presence, but how do we then gather it up together and make use of it? How do we do justice to a text, a passage like this? How do we get at all the riches that are here for us, for our benefit? How do we look at this particular text, wishing to delve into the riches that are here, and keep in mind the Apostle’s intention at this particular point in his letter? It’s not an easy task. We will only begin it with mourning. in verse fourteen. What does he mean when he says, do all things without rumbling or disputing, without murmuring and disputing?

It is clear to us, I’m sure by now, that the Apostle Paul has in mind at this point some correlation with the experience of the children of Israel in the wilderness. We recount that experience. We go back over that history. And we recall how disappointing that history was How, in fact, God overthrew many in the wilderness, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 10.

In the broadest terms, then, the Apostle Paul is saying to these Philippian saints, and through these Philippian saints to us, the Church of this day, don’t be like them. The children of Israel did everything with grumblings and disputings. And we are to do nothing with grumblings and disputes. That in the broadest terms, then, is his intent. Don’t be like that. But is there something here deeper than merely this? imperative don’t be like them. Paul wants you to see something here more than the fact that these.

Wilderness Israelites are an example to. Philippians Christian. By using terminology like this, the Apostle Paul is actually suggesting to us that the Philippian Christians, the Philippian saints, are themselves a wilderness generation. No, even more than that, these Philippian Christians are THE wilderness generation. They are, in fact, that generation that is in between, quote, in between, unquote, in between their liberation and their introduction into the promised land, in between their redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and then their reception in their resurrection bodies into glory. They are the in-between generation, the wilderness generation.

Now, this fact upon which the Apostle is playing is both exhilarating and sobering. For Paul sees them, the Church of Jesus Christ, as the true and final Israel of God. Don’t let anyone dislodge you from that conviction. I know there’s a lot of excitement about things in the Middle East. I know there’s a lot of excitement with respect to what is happening in Palestine presently. But please keep this spiritual perspective in mind from a Jew who knew.

The Apostle Paul is writing against the background of a conviction that he has with respect to the Church of Jesus Christ, and the fact that that Church is the true and final Israel of God. She is what the Old Testament Israel credited to, and the Old Testament Israel finds her fulfillment in her. in the church.

So keep this then in mind. It’s not merely the fact that the apostle Paul is saying to the Philippian saints, don’t be like that wilderness generation of Jews so many centuries ago. Instead, he is saying, you are the wilderness generation. Truly, strangers and pilgrims here, wayfarer, in between your liberation through the death and resurrection of Christ and your reception in your resurrection bodies into glory.

But secondly, this deal, true, the Church must always be on her guard against murmurings and disputing. Because it was specifically those murmurings and disputing that incurred the wrath of God in Israel’s case and brought her over. You could make a case for Israel’s idolatry, but an equal case could be made for Israel’s murmuring and disputing evidence of her dissatisfaction with God and the redemption that He provided. In fact, the two go hand in hand, don’t they? People who are dissatisfied with God Those who are dissatisfied with him and the redemption that he has provided will, in fact, look for other gods.

But we want to ask ourselves one more time, what is the precise nature of these murmurings and disputings of which Paul speaks? The precise nature of them as he speaks of them in the context of this Philippian congregation. Now, it may well be that in answering this question, we have before us an explanation that would take more time than we have this morning to give it and develop it.

But let’s get started on it, nonetheless. Get pointed in the right direction. Let’s rule out a few things, first of all. Obviously, it is not as some have interpreted it. It’s not as if the injunction here is meant as one against all debate, all argument, and all militancy. Christians are nice, they don’t argue. Oh. Or, Christians are nice, they shouldn’t argue, and therefore all arguing is wrong. Oh. I was just at a presbytery meeting. Were we all sinning? Maybe. Some have interpreted the text that way.

In Christian circles, from Christians, then all debate, all argument, all militant is out of place. But isn’t it true that in other places in Scripture we are actually commanded to contend, the word is contend there, contend earnestly for the faith? Jude, verse 3. Is it not a plain fact that Jesus and his apostles argued, debated, not only with their opponents, but also with each other?

The whole notion of a church court, or a governing body, is predicated upon this point. So no, this text is not the justification for doing away with sessions, or consistory, or classes, or presbyteries, or general assemblies, or synods. Deliberative bodies are given to debate and argumentation, and that rightly. Note, then, the point The pause-making lies elsewhere.

And in the most general sense, it lies with the parallel that exists between that Israelite wilderness situation and the present church situation for the Philippians. Do you remember against whom the Israelites grumbled? could say they grumbled against God, and ultimately that was true, but in the first instance they grumbled against Moses. Now why is that important? Because you see, Moses was their head. He was for them, an Old Testament type of Christ, and that is why you are told in 1 Corinthians 10 that the Israelites were baptized into Moses and into the sea. The Israelites were crumbling against their head, their covenantal head, their leader, In grumbling against Moses, they were actually grumbling against Christ, who stood behind Moses and in him. The Israelites were grumbling against this One who was set over them in the Lord. and they were grumbling against their identification with him. And all that that identification meant. They were grumbling and disputing against their union with Moses.

I think you know where I’m going. The specific point at reference then, when Paul comes to the murmurings and the disputings that have arisen within the Church at Philippi, is this. The Philippians, in some way, are grumbling, that is, murmuring and disputing against Christ, their head in their wilderness of present suffering. They are murmuring against their union with Him, with Christ. But think a little bit further on this point.

Paul isn’t here specifically concerned that these Philippian saints might be grumbling against Christ because of the suffering that has come their way, because of identification with Him, that is, with Christ. although that tangentially is in you. Therefore, the grumblings and disputings are not because of the suffering these people are experiencing at the hands of those who are outside and enemies of the Church. Instead, he has in mind that suffering that is born of the self-sacrifice of these individual Christians in their posture, one toward another, as members of the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul has in mind specifically that suffering that is the product of self-sacrifice towards those who are of the body of Christ. Don’t murmur, don’t grumble, don’t dispute against your identification with Christ, this one who calls upon you to offer yourself as a sacrifice in service for others. just as he offered himself in service for you upon the cross.

You will have to sacrifice when the demands are made of you. It will be very, very painful. And you will have to put yourself last for the sake of the one you’re serving. We could have a testimonial here this morning in this congregation. We could have individuals stand up and tell of the cost to them of serving someone in dire need. But such service is that is not to be extraordinary.

It is to be common amongst the people of God so that at all times we are offering ourselves up as sacrifice for the service of others in imitation of Christ who sacrificed himself for us. You agree, do you not? Amen. Our Father, that Christ would become more and more evident in us and that our selfishness would be shelved. Oh Lord, light unto him then, in whom we are found, that we would not insist upon our position, but actually give ourselves up, that others might be served, and you may be honored. So then, Lord, bless us in the Spirit, so that this congregation is characterized through and through, from the oldest to the youngest, by this attitude. That attitude, which is found nowhere else but in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

October 20, 1991
Christ Who Never Grumbled

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, October 20, 1991.

About this sermon

Paul’s focus throughout this passage is the unity of the Philippian church, and he urges sacrificial service to fellow saints as true Christlikeness. The song of Moses in Deuteronomy 31-32 gives an ancient backdrop of complaint. Christ, unlike Israel in the wilderness and the Philippians now, never grumbled in his service to us.

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Sermon transcript

Once more, Genesis will wait, and we turn to Deuteronomy chapter 32. I probably should give you a little explanation of the Genesis problem, and that is that my schedule has been almost inhuman And while I’m working in Philippians, it is much easier for me presently to just continue to work with that single text at this particular point. And I’m hoping to get a little breather where I can then get into Genesis the way in which it deserves. And I hope that you can hang with me on that.

But here we are in Deuteronomy chapter 32 this evening. And we will be reading the first 22 verses of this chapter. Well, we’ll begin with verse 30 of chapter 31. Then Moses spoke in the hearing of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song until they were complete.

Give here, O heavens, and let me speak, and let the earth hear the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as the droplets on the fresh grass, and as the showers on the earth. For I proclaim the name of the Lord, ascribe greatness to our God, the Rock.

His work is perfect, for all His ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. They have acted corruptly toward him. They are not his children because of their defect, but are a perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is not he your father who has bought you? He has made you and established you.

Remember the days of old. Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of man, he set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob is the allotment of his inheritance.

He found him a desert land and in the howling waste of the wilderness. He encircled him, he cared for him, he guarded him as the pupil of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young. He spread his wings and caught them and carried them on his pinions. The Lord alone guided him, and there was no foreign god with him.

He made him ride on the high places of the earth, and he ate the produce of the field, and he made him suck honey from the rock, and oil from the flinty rock, curds of cows and milk of the flock, with fat of lambs and rams, the breed of Dacian and goats, with the finest of the wheat and of the blood of grapes, you drank wine. But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. You are grown fat, thick, and sleek.

Then you forsook God who made him, and scorned the rock of his salvation. They made him jealous with strange gods, with abominations. They provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons who were not God, to gods whom they had not known. New gods who came lately, whom your fathers did not dread. He neglected the rock who forgot you and forgot the God who gave you birth.

And the Lord saw this and spurned them because of the provocation of his sons and daughters. Then he said, I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end shall be. For they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness. They have made me jealous with what is not God. They have provoked me to anger with their idols. Sir, I will make them jealous with those who are not a people. I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. For a river, I’m sorry, for a fire is kindled in my anger and burns in the lower part of Sheol and consumes the earth with its yield and sets on fire the foundations of the mountain.

Then turning over again to Philippians chapter two. Hearing once more verses fourteen through eighteen. Do all things without grumbling or disputing. That you may 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, holding fast the word of life so that in the day of Christ I may have pause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Now this morning, we endeavored to lay out for you the incredible depth of these five verses in Philippians 2. It’s clear to us all, I’m sure now, that these verses are rich. They are rich in Old Testament background. And we are endeavoring now to unearth those riches, to dig out that wealth. This morning we specifically looked at verse 14. And we noted its rooting in the wilderness experience of the children of Israel. And we attempted to get at the specific line upon which Paul was moving in utilizing the phrase murmurings and disputing the specific line upon which then he was applying the murmuring and disputing mentality. It is so obvious from Exodus through Deuteronomy amongst the Israelites.

We said that the line was found in the covenant. Now I didn’t use that word this morning but I hope that some of you picked up on that. The line was found in the covenant and the notion of a covenantal head. The people then being in union with that one who was over them.

Israel was reacting against her covenantal head, Moses. She was, in effect, rejecting her identity in him, refusing to be defined by him. The church then, as we saw, murmurs and disputes when in fact she refuses to be defined by to be defined by her covenantal head, the Lord Jesus Christ. At issue specifically in Philippi is the serious matter of the unity of the church. Harmony within the membership.

Now, we have stressed this all along in our exposition of Philippians. You might recall how we made a point of Paul’s repeated use of the word all in the first chapter. So as to impress these Christians with the fact that in Paul’s address to them, none was to be excluded. This is underscored as well in the first verse of the epistle.

Paul and Timothy bond slaves of Christ Jesus to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi. The unity of the church, the harmony of the membership, they’re in view. But then Paul goes on to say, including the bishops and the deacons. as if somehow they were being excluded by some, or as if they might be excluding some. So the unity of the Church at issue.

And this is specifically the point as you come to verse 27 in that first chapter, where you hear Paul saying this, only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The words used there by Paul are suggestive of the citizenship of these folk, namely a citizenship which they have in common, citizenship in heaven. Only conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith, the gospel. Well, that sets off the section that we are presently dealing with. Note what he says is that section progresses, and we enter the second chapter, which speaks there this way, if therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, etc. Is it not clear, then, that that issue is the unity of the Church, harmony for the membership? It is in this context, then, that the murmurings and the disputings spoken of by Paul in that fourteenth verse take on a definite colouring.

These murmurings and disputings are the eruptions which are occurring specifically over the demands that the membership of the body of Christ bring upon one another, and that inevitably, simply because of the nature of the body. In this situation, it is specifically that sacrificial service is called for in the relationship that the saints bear towards one another. Now, it can be said at this point that suffering caused by a hostile world, due to those who are hostile to the gospel and enmity with God, is the occasion for this command, demand, this imperative articulated by the apostle. But that suffering caused by the hostile world, though the occasion, is not the specific substance of the imperative which the Apostle gives in that 14th verse.

Do all things without grumbling and disputing. We can go further. It may well be that certain Philippians have complaints against God. Why is my lot as it is? Why are things not turning out for me as I vote? It may even be that the leadership of the church is at issue in some regard. Either because they are not accepted, or they are administering their office improperly. and thus grumblings and disputes have arisen.

These issues of complaint against God or complaint about leadership or by leadership are not irrelevant, but they are not the precise interest of the Apostle at this point. His concern is Christ-likeness. like Jesus. And that in a specific way, namely in sacrificial service for one another. It is this Christ-likeness that stands at direct variance to the self-centered school scorecard approach.

That threatens the effect you know what I mean. The kind of attitude that is always how. Keeping an account. Keeping a score. They owe me. They better pay. I did this for them. Shouldn’t they be doing such and such for me? Why, it isn’t fair. I expend myself so much, but no one seems to care about me. No, no. That’s not the mind of Christ at all. The mind of Christ is the sacrifice of self. And as one enters upon a life so defined, it is a life then that excludes murmurings and that arise out of self-interest, or out of an interest to see that we get our due.

How well then this exposition of verse 14 then fits with Philippians 2 verses 5 through 11. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, and you know how that goes. how well this fits in with what we have already said about verses 12 and 13, where we have expounded the obedience of verse 12. You know how Paul speaks of obedience there. So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, how we have expounded that obedience, and the phrase, working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, and the phrase, God’s good pleasure in verse 13, which God is at work in us to perform, how we have expounded all those terms in light of this point.

Christ-likeness. That’s obedience. Christ-likeness. That is working out your salvation with fear and trembling. Christ likeness, that is God’s good pleasure, which he is at work in you to perform. And we can see as well that this fits in so well with what is coming in verses 17 through 18, where Paul speaks of himself As a drink offering that is being poured out upon the sacrifice and service of the Philippians. In our service one to another. Let there be no grumbling. and complain. You know the gospel. You’ve read them. Do you remember any grumbling and complaining on the part of Jesus. As he was pursuing the fulfillment of his father’s will. In service for us.

Well, this then helps us understand a bit better, a little bit more deeply, the intent of the Apostle. In some ways, all we’ve done this evening is reinforce what we’ve said this morning. My hope was to be able to go on with you into verse 15 and expound for you the passage that has to do with the crooked and perverse generation, and I’m sure you picked up on that in our readings from Deuteronomy 32. But we’ve run out of time this evening, and so we’ll conclude at this time.

Here is our Father. Encourage us with respect to this lesson that is so vitally important. Once more, we offer prayer for those who are officers in our midst, that each of us might be sure to pursue this line, outlined for us by the Apostle, whereby in our service there would be an absence of murmuring and complaint. But also, Father, we are asking that the entirety of the congregation might also learn the lessons of Christ, and that the beauty of our Savior may be found in us, as then we would stand forth in distinction from the world. We pray that you would help us, that you would deal with us And that there would be that resolve within us born by your spirit. Wherein we would prove to be truly. That final that consummate Israel the people of God. Truly blameless and innocent. In that we are the sons of God. Children of our father. And not children of the world. Here as we pray in Jesus name, Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

October 20, 1991
His Good Pleasure

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, October 13, 1991.

About this sermon

A summary of 2:12-13 sets up a closer look at just how broad ‘his good pleasure’ actually is, the same phrase appearing in both Ephesians 1 and Philippians 2:13. Sanctification and good works, once again, carry a genuinely corporate dimension that individual application easily loses. God’s pleasure, rather than human effort, remains the operative cause throughout.

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Sermon transcript

hear the Word of God. And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets. This is Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11.

And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all respects into him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. This I say, therefore, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer as the Gentiles also walked in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their hearts. and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him, just as truth is in Jesus, that in reference to your former manner of life you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self, which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you with his neighbor. For we are members of one another.

Be angry, and yet do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. And do not give the devil an opportunity. Let him who steals, steal no longer. Rather, let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he may have something to share with him who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed for the day of redemption. that all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has also forgiven you.”

And then turning over to Philippians chapter 2, once more this evening, verses 12 and 13, “‘So then, my beloved, just as you have also 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, for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do, for his good pleasure.

I hope you’ll be patient with me this evening. I am departing from the script and the bulletin you have Genesis 1 listed and message on the creation. And I know that some of you came specifically to hear about Genesis 1 and the creation. But if you’ll bear with me, I’d like to finish up some thoughts on Philippians 2 verses 12 and 13 this evening, including my messages on this portion of Paul’s letter.

Tonight, I would like to focus specifically on verse 13, and most specifically on the conclusion of that verse. Now, we have already looked at this verse over the course of these messages. We have made some comments about this thirteenth verse. We have spoken of it in relationship especially to the general theme of the supremacy of God and the supremacy of God in the matter of our sanctification.

While it is true that we are called upon in the twelfth verse to work out our salvation, focus being upon our responsibility and our response, we are reminded then We are reminded that such effort as we put forward, as is in view in that twelfth verse, is conceivable only because God is at work in us. We have the effect then of the connective as you move from the twelfth verse to the thirteenth. very important connective. Yes, work out your salvation with fear and trembling for, or because, it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. The force of that connective then being so important.

We conclude, therefore, in this connection that we are not faced with some dual-track view of sanctification or salvation. Our sanctification is from the Lord. Ultimately, it is from the Lord, and we must give all praise and all glory for that good that He works in us and that good, then, that is worked by us and is even attributed to us. This should then be abundantly clear to us. We are not, therefore, removed in our responsibility to good works. We are impelled to good works, knowing that God, who has committed himself to good works, is at work in us.

So then, we see this relationship to our sanctification and God’s sovereignty in such a way as to put to rest those suggestions that our sanctification or even our salvation is some sort of dual-track consideration, as if we and God are involved equally and ultimately in these matters and in the same way. Well, that’s one of the things that we have tried to point out as we have looked at this 13th verse. Also, we have seen this text, particularly in light of the concluding words of verse 12, and that’s what we dwelt on this morning, those words being fear and trembling. And we have been impressed by the fact that our worship and our walk in faith are characterized by reverence and sobriety, because after all, wonder of wonders, God is in our midst.

He is among us. He has condescended to dwell in us.” The appropriateness, then, of that fear and trembling, knowing that God is here. The consciousness of the God of glory then dwelling in us astounds us even more. It overwhelms us with a sense of His grace, with a conviction with regard to our own position due to that grace by which we have been brought into the kingdom of light.

We are moving on to the conclusion of this verse, where we read that God is at work in these Philippian saints, and no less in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And what interests us is the specific force of Paul’s words, is good pleasure. God’s good pleasure. What is specifically in view as Paul uses these words. Now we could read these words in their broadest sense. We could read them as if Paul has in mind the widest expanse that would be brought into our view because of the comprehensiveness of this term. in view would then be the fullness of God’s purpose and will in its comprehensiveness.

God’s good pleasure in this regard then would pertain to what we find spelled out in Ephesians chapter one, that marvelous chapter that speaks so powerfully about God’s purpose. about God’s plan, about God’s will, about God’s good pleasure. You have mention made of it in verse 5 of that first chapter in Ephesians. He predestinated us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, widest consideration. Verse 9, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him, the widest consideration with respect to God’s good pleasure. Verse 11, also applicable, also we have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will. So then, this widest consideration for what is spoken of by Paul in Philippians chapter 2, verse 13, where Paul speaks about God’s good pleasure. You could say then that this text, in light of what we have seen in Ephesians chapter 1, deals with God’s predestinating purpose by which he controls all things, and most specifically, the destiny of his elect. Wide, broad, sweet for our consideration and our understanding of Paul’s words.

But we have been maintained, have we not, Now, Philippians 2.13 deals specifically with the matter of sanctification. But there is a narrower focus for Paul’s intention at this point. It’s not as if the widest consideration of God’s purpose is dismissed. No, not at all. but we must narrow things down a bit, be a little bit more specific with regard to what Paul has in mind when he speaks as he does at the end of that 13th verse in Philippians 2. The specific focus is sanctification.

Philippians 2.13 is concerned with that matter.

But that being the case, then, could we say that the sanctification that is in view is specifically that which has to do with our personal holiness and our own individual struggle against indwelling sin? Is that the application for the significance of Paul’s words where he is placing before us the fact that God is at work in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Is God’s pleasure then to be interpreted in this context as his interest in our pursuit of personal holiness and our individual struggle against indwelling sin? Now once more, you see, as it was in the first instance, we cannot dismiss the comprehensiveness of God’s purpose and plan when we come to even take up the matter of the specific interest of Paul at this point. Neither can we dismiss entirely the matter of personal holiness and individual struggle against indwelling sin as we come to this text.

In this regard, it has been the habit of some, for instance, to match up what they find here in Philippians 2, verse 13, with what you find in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 4 and 5. You want to check those verses. They’re very explicit, very direct. 1 Thessalonians 4, I’m sorry, verse 3 is the verse that we want to begin with.

For this is the will of God.” Specific reference to the will of God, with respect to the people of God, these saints at Thessalonica. This is the will of God, even your sanctification. That is, it goes on further, that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God. and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you, for God has not called you for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”

It has been the habit of some to read what we find in verse 13 of Philippians 2, in connection, then, with what we find in 1 Thessalonians 4, 3 through 7. That in view specifically, then, as we expound God’s good pleasure, is this matter of sanctification as it pertains to personal holiness and the individual pursuit of that holiness as we struggle against indwelling sin. And over against this, I would remind you of something that we saw early on in our study of this text. That is, as we have approached it, we have endeavored to maintain this truth, that there is a corporate focus for this passage in Philippians chapter 2.

It is not so much concerned with our individual pursuit of personal holiness, It is rather concerned with the corporate life of the people of God. Not that personal holiness doesn’t impinge upon that. It most certainly does. And you’ve probably already picked that up from our reading in Ephesians chapter 4, where Paul seems to introduce matters of personal holiness into his discussion at that point. So yes, personal holiness and purity and refusal to buckle under to the pressures of sexual immorality, these are very much a part of the corporate life of the people of God.

But is that the specific reference and interest of the Apostle Paul at this point? Is that what he is getting at? As important as this interest is, it remains too singular, too personal in nature to satisfy the significance of Paul’s words at this juncture. We need an explanation that brings into view the relationship that these Philippians then bear to one another, not just how they conduct themselves personally with respect to their own personal holiness in their struggle against indwelling sin, but how they treat one another.

This then being the case, possibly what Paul has in mind as he talks, as he does, is something along the lines of what we find in Ephesians chapter 2, turning to that passage. So after we have that marvelous excursus on grace, you can rattle it off from memory, I’m sure, Ephesians 2, verse 8, and also verse 9, we come to verse 10, a text that is often neglected and forgotten. For we are his workmanship, we are told, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. And we have something of the comprehensiveness of God’s purpose brought into relationship with this corporate dimension that we have been created for good works. And these good works are definitely to be expressed, cannot be expressed otherwise, but in the context of other people. As these Christians then are enjoined with respect to their behavior in relationship to one another.

Is the good pleasure of God then, as it is spoken of in Philippians 2.13, is the good pleasure of God the active engagement in good works. God’s good pleasure is that we, his people, be zealous for good works. There’s another text that speaks of that matter. You might think of Titus chapter 2, verse 14.

That good which specifically, then, has wonderful benefit for those who are around it. For while we are closer to the truth now, we’re getting there. But we’ve moved in our thinking now, with regard to this whole matter, down the line. We are not yet home.

Rest this text. has in view our sanctification, it has in view that corporate reference, so that it is more focused upon our relationships, one with another, and with our own personal progress in piety, that is, personal holiness. But there is that specific point of reference now, that unpacks Paul’s meaning when he speaks of God’s good pleasure or His purpose in this context. There is that specific point of reference in relationship to God’s good pleasure which is working itself out in His saints. And that is the bond that exists between the good pleasure that is spoken of here at the end of verse 13, and the presentation which Paul has made of Jesus Christ himself in verses 5 through 11. It is more specific, then, than just good works. As much as they may be in view with his more specific still than just good works as Paul speaks of God’s good pleasure, what God is accomplishing in us.

You see, Paul here has in mind the coming to expression in us, of that atmosphere and environment that is found specifically and nowhere else but in Christ Jesus. And how does Paul expound that atmosphere and environment that is found specifically and uniquely in Christ?

He expounds it in terms of the willingness of the Son to forgo privilege in order to be made as if he were nothing. He who was Lord becoming servant, taking upon himself a position of lowliness in order that others might be served. This, then, is the exposition specifically of the Father or God’s good pleasure at the end of verse 13 in that second chapter. It is that God is at work in us, in His Church, so as to bring about transformation in us, so that we, like His Son, are giving ourselves over to one another and for the sake of one another.

It is more specific than just the admonition for good works. It has specific content with regard to the whole history of the life of Christ. Therefore, So, very specifically, what the apostle has in mind as he uses these words is that progress in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ of which he speaks in Ephesians 4, verse 13, which we read previously. But growing up into Christ then means that you become a servant like unto Him. And the mind that is consistent with this Christ is that which is found nowhere else but in the environment and atmosphere of Christ Jesus Himself.

Our God’s purpose then, and His presence among us, is to the end that we might then express that atmosphere and environment found in Christ, that this might be worked out thoroughly within us as we, in servant fashion, even as cross-bearing disciples, are conformed to the image of our Savior for the good and the service of others. God is at work in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. our conformity to Christ as servants for God’s sake. Let’s pray. Our Father, if we are to expound the obedience that the apostle has in mind. If we are to expound his words, work out your own salvation. If we are to expound his words, your good pleasure.

We cannot do so apart from what he has set before us in the person and work of your Son. O Lord, exalt Jesus in our hearts and for us as a congregation, that this One who is our Savior would be exalted truly as we live in and from Him. His mind at work for us, and determinative for us, as in fact we live as He lived. Give us the strength then, Lord, to give ourselves up, to even take up our crosses daily and follow Him, and by way of that cross, which is set before us in Him. May we make ourselves available as He has made Himself available. May we prove to be servants indeed in His likeness. May we rejoice, our God, that in this our full humanity is discovered. For along these lines, surely, We are renewed in the image of God. Hear us, Lord. We pray for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

October 13, 1991
Saved Before the Offering

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, September 22, 1991.

About this sermon

Philippians uses ‘salvation’ again and again, and Abraham’s salvation in Genesis 15:6 came well before God asked him to offer Isaac. Christ’s wilderness experience follows the same pattern, with obedience following salvation. Saved people spend themselves, and their spending never saves them.

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Sermon transcript

This morning we begin our scripture reading in Genesis chapter 22. We begin our reading from verse 1. Hear the word of God. And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham and said unto him, Abraham, and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him therefore a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

And Abraham rose up early in the morning and saddled his ass and took two of his young men with him. And Isaac, his son, enclaved the wood for the burnt offering and rose up and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I, the Lamb, will go yonder and worship and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac, his son, and he took the fire in his hand and a knife, and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham, his father, and said, My father, and he said, Here am I, my son.

And he said, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering. So they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of.

And Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac, his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh, as it is said to this day, in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven a second time and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.”

Then turning over to Paul’s letter to the Philippians, chapter 2, verses 12 and 13, Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for his God, which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Pray with me now. Our Father, there have been those days when we have run from Your Word. And Lord, there have been those days when we have run to Your Word. And we are praying that today as You are working in us by Your Spirit that we would run to Your Word and find in Your Word that which we need. Our Father, we ask that we might even distinguish between that which we want and that which we need. And in this matter, our God, deal with our sinful inclinations and purify us for Yourself. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

The word salvation appears three times in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The word salvation appears three times in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In fact, all three appearances of that word take place in the first two chapters of this epistle. Now, we have read this morning the last of those occurrences from verse 12, in that second chapter where Paul presents us those famous words, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. But you will note that you will find this word salvation also two times in the first chapter, the first being in the nineteenth verse of that first chapter, where Paul says, “‘For I know that this shall turn out for my salvation.’” That’s the literal rendering of that word, even though in the New American Standard it may be translated deliverance. “‘For I know that this shall turn out for my salvation through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.’” Paul here is speaking about his circumstances. You know something about those circumstances. he’s speaking about how those circumstances will, in fact, work out for his salvation, in keeping with the prayers that are offered, in keeping with the operations of the Spirit of the Lord. There’s one other occurrence of the word salvation, and it occurs in verse 28.

There you see it, and this time, with respect to the Philippians, Paul points out to the Philippians that they need not be alarmed by their opponents. He tells them that the activity of their opponents is a sign of their opponents’ destruction. But while it’s a sign of their opponents’ destruction, it is a sign of salvation for them. That’s why the apostle writes, as he does, “…in no way alarmed by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too from God.”

So here, then, are these three occurrences of the word salvation in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Now, as you put these three occurrences together, of course, you recognize in the first instance, Paul is speaking with respect to himself. In the latter two references, he is speaking specifically with regard to the Philippians and their own situation.

At the same time, in all three of these occurrences, there is a thread, a common thread running through. and there is a unified picture that is being presented. In fact, so marvelous is this thread, so encompassing is this unified picture, that it’s almost as if the totality of what the apostle has to say is summed up in the consideration of these occurrences of the word salvation. I want you to note, first of all, the common line that we find running through these expressions with regard to salvation. Salvation, as it is spoken of by Paul in each one of these instances, is in the process of confirmation. We are here considering salvation in process, that salvation being confirmed in those of whom it is spoken. Now, as we go down this road, it’s important for us to keep certain things in mind. What I have said namely that salvation is here envisioned as that which is in process of confirmation, is not intended to suggest that Paul and the Philippians are not already saved, nor that the gospel, as Paul proclaims it, doesn’t minister a definite assurance of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

That is all proof. At the same time, these verses contain a certain prospective element. You may look at that 19th verse of the first chapter, for example. “‘For I know that these things,’ or this, or these circumstances, “‘shall turn out for my salvation.’” Paul here is speaking in such a way so as to anticipate the great spiritual benefit from his current situation as his salvation is established in those circumstances and in that situation.

Same notion then is seen in verse 28 of that first chapter as Paul speaks to the Philippians. He assures these Christians of the prospective blessing in their present predicament, as their salvation will most certainly come to light in their predicament. Therefore, not only As Paul and these Philippians have been saved, they are being saved as their salvation is confirmed through the circumstances and the predicaments of their lives. Now, what Paul has to say here is not all that extraordinary.

In fact, this is in keeping with what we find throughout Scripture. There are many portraits of this very thing given us in the Bible, very many, many portraits of this very thing given us in the Bible, and possibly the most poignant is that which we find in the case of Abraham.

That’s why we read from Genesis chapter 22 this morning. Is Abraham a saved man before the offer is up, Isaac? What would you say? Is Abraham a saved man before you arrive at Genesis chapter 22? Maybe you would like to go back to Genesis 15 Remember that text? Abram is invited by God to stand out under the moonlit and star-studded night, and there Abram is confronted with the promise from God, and we are told in the sixth verse of that fifteenth chapter that Abram believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. Is Abraham a saved man?

Before you get to Genesis chapter 22, you would have to say, yes, he is. That text in Genesis 15 is used repeatedly in Scripture. You think of the occurrences of it in Paul’s letters to the Romans and to the Galatians, where he makes his case for justification. We are justified by faith. Indeed, Abraham was a justified man. Abraham was saved. He had been saved.

And yet later, when Abraham’s faith is tested, and after he offers up Isaac in that 22nd chapter of Genesis, God says to him, “‘Now I know.’” You didn’t know before? “‘Now I know.’” that you fear me.” You could even translate that passage, “‘Now I know that you love me.’” Verse 12 of that 22nd chapter. Abraham, then, this man who is saved, who is justified, is in the process of being saved through the confirmation of that very salvation that has been conferred upon him.

He will, in fact, be tested and tried, and that salvation will come to light. Is that not the pattern that we find in the experience of the children of Israel, the nation as a whole? What do you say? Are they saved as they are delivered? from Pharaoh and brought out of Egypt, and yet they are then introduced to that wilderness experience in order that their faith may be tried and tested, and those who are truly saved, those who are truly justified, have their salvation confirmed through the process of that ordeal in the wilderness. And this is something from which Jesus himself does not turn.

He too passes through waters, just as Israel passed through the waters of the Red Sea. He is declared to be the Son of God, Thou art my Son, in whom I am well pleased. But immediately, so the Scripture says, the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness for the purpose of being tested and tried. Yes, even this one, our Lord undergoing that experience, common, common to the people of God themselves.

Is salvation then that momentary thing that leaves you with a sweet memory of what happened to you when you were 14? Or is your salvation always coming to light, always being confirmed, always being established and even re-established by the circumstances that overtake you, the ordeals that you face day by day, week by week? year by year.

Yes, we are saved. Glory be to God. And we thank him for that confidence that he grants us. And the ability that He has conferred upon us to say that very thing, we are saved, but at the same time we are being saved as our salvation, is confirmed in us through our lives.

It wasn’t over when you made that decision. It wasn’t over when you went forward and dedicated your life to Jesus. It certainly wasn’t over when you were baptized or when you received your first communion. So it shall be for us who belong to the Lord. The fact that we belong to Him will be confirmed throughout our lives. until God is pleased to take us to Himself.

Well, having established that fact, we want to then plumb a little deeper into the texts that are before us. For in them we will find not just a common expression, but a common experience that is played out well now by the Apostle Paul for the benefit of these Philippians. And it is precisely at this point that the epistle to the Philippians comes together, congeals, holds together, It is precisely at this point that the epistle begins to open up to us its deepest intent. Let’s run through the outline one more time of Philippians to this point. Of course, there is the opening salutation by Paul, verses 1 and 2 of that first chapter. Then there is his prayer in thanksgiving, verses 3 through 11.

We might say that all that Paul has to say is wrapped up in those texts, it’s cryptically laid in there, it would be brought to light as Paul expresses himself further. But then, beyond that 11th verse, you have Paul setting forth for these Philippians whom he loves his Circumstances as something of a missionary report verses 12 through 26 title that Paul’s experience But this is followed by verse 27 of chapter 1 moving through the second chapter verse 18 Where Paul speaks directly to the Philippians about their situation? The interesting fact is that as you read these two sections that stand back-to-back, the one about Paul’s situation and then that about the Philippians’ situation, you find out that they match. It’s almost as if you could have a large sheet of paper, And on the one side you could have a column titled Paul’s Circumstance, and on the other side you could have a column titled the Philippians’ Circumstance, and match them up one-to-one as you go through.

It’s a nice exercise. You may want to try it yourself. But note these parallels now. Paul personally is experiencing persecution. Is he not? Verses 12 and following tell us that he is in chains. He is in prison. He is being persecuted for the sake of the gospel.

But what about the Philippians? Let’s move to the other column, the other side of the page. And what do we find? The Philippians also are oppressed and persecuted by their opponents. You remember, verse 28, they are experiencing suffering and great conflict. Verses 29 and 30 of that first chapter. So as with Paul, so with the Philippians. But let’s go on. Note also in verses 15 through 17 of that first chapter that Paul speaks about the internal strife within the church.

He says that there are actually preachers in the church in Rome, where he is in prison, who are taking advantage of his bonds, and that they are motivated by envy and jealousy and selfish ambition. Sound familiar? Let’s go across the side of the page to the other side of the ledger.

What about the Philippians? They, in their current distress, are experiencing factions, divisions. And what does Paul suggest to us with regard to those divisions and factions? They arise because of pride, empty conceit, and contentiousness. Read verses 1 through 4 of that second chapter, especially verse 3. Once more, as with Paul, so with the Philippians. We’re beginning to pick up a pattern here, almost as if it’s deliberate. And Paul is organizing his epistle along these lines deliberately. Let’s note once more with regard to the apostle.

On his side of the ledger, the internal struggle for the Church of Rome, as well as the external persecution that it is experiencing, as well as Paul, will turn out for Paul’s salvation. Verse 19 of that first chapter. It will turn out for his salvation. all these bad things that are happening will turn out for his good.

Sounds a bit like Romans 8.28, doesn’t it? For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are becalled according to his purpose. For Paul, then, the internal struggle of the Church, as well as the external persecution, will turn out for his salvation. It will become the occasion for the confirmation of his salvation.

What about the Philippians? Go to the other side of the ledger. The internal strain as these factions have developed within the church at Philippi, and the external persecution that they are undergoing, will only give evidence of the salvation that belongs to these Philippian saints, as, in fact, they provide an occasion for the working out of their salvation. Thus, verse 12 of chapter 2.

It will be specifically in that context that their salvation will be worked out in terms of their salvation being confirmed. But keep on going. This is where things get difficult, very complex. As you move on from that 19th verse in the first chapter where Paul speaks about his own salvation, you’re confronted by a lot of language in which the apostle speaks of his intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. This becomes the explication of the working out of his salvation. This is what it means for him.

For Paul, the working out of his salvation will be the consistent exaltation of Jesus Christ in his body, whether he himself is present in this world or departs in death. And it is because that is true that the apostle is confident that he is not one who preaches out of selfish ambition and envy. At every point, he is concerned to see the Lord Jesus Christ exalted, the very life of Christ come to expression in him.

What about the other side of the ledger? What does working out one’s salvation mean for these Philippians? Likewise, it is an exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ whereby the unity of the church of Jesus Christ is upheld because of the unity that exists between Christ and His own. You might note verse 27 of that first chapter, where Paul is enjoining them to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind standing together, striving together for the faith of the gospel.

But one other point now, with regard to this whole matter. For Paul, once more, on the left side of the ledger, the consistent exaltation of Christ is effected only, and I underscore only, only by vital union with Christ, in which the very life of Christ comes to expression in the apostle, in a service that is sacrificially tendered for the sake of the Philippians. Hang with me here. I know that this is difficult.

For Christ to be exalted in this man, is merely the expression of the vital union that exists between Him and Christ. And that vital union means that the very life of Christ will come to expression in the man. And the life of Christ comes to expression in the man in a sacrificial service tendered for the sake of others. Is that not what Jesus did? In 2, verses 20 through 26, then, of that first chapter, as Paul speaks about what drives him, motivates him, what is, in fact, coming to expression in him.

For to me, to live, is Christ. And in my living, as Christ has expressed in me, I give myself not only to Him, but to you. But what about the Philippians? What does the exaltation of Christ in the life of a Philippian church mean to those who are members of that church? It means that they are in vital union with Christ. And who is this Christ? What kind of mind does He have? Why? Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

The one who had every advantage and every privilege and gave them up in order to be the sacrificial servant and offering for sin. How then can you insist upon your privilege and your rights when Christ didn’t insist upon His? How can you hold back when Christ Himself did not hold back? Will you not then give of yourselves sacrificially?

How wonderfully Paul then reminds these Philippian Christians of the sacrifice that they have been willing to express. It is a sacrifice for him. They have given liberally for his support, even while he is in chains. But he doesn’t want that sacrificial service merely for himself. he sees that that sacrificial service and Christ himself is in jeopardy as these Philippian Christians consider one another.

And therefore he says, do nothing from selfishness and empty conceit, but with humility of mind that each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Do not look out merely for your own personal interests, but look out for the interests of others. What then is the content of the phrase, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling?

The content of that phrase is that the very life of Christ would come to expression in the congregation to which Paul speaks. As with the apostle, so with the people. And as with the first century, so with the twentieth. The Word is still the same. It comes to you who sit here this morning. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, by which it is meant. May the life of Jesus Christ come to expression in you, whereby you are willing, out of your great love for Christ and union with Him, to be expanded for the sake of your brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our God, we thank you from the depths of our hearts for the message of the gospel, that we have been saved, that we are justified by grace through faith. And Lord, we also rejoice that the circumstances that you have sent our way will not mean our overthrow, but rather the confirmation of that salvation which we have embraced. Indeed, we are saved, but we are being saved. We are working out our salvation as the very life of Christ comes to expression in us. We are making our calling and our election sure, and that through our obedient response in Christ to the gospel which you have sent for our salvation. Hear us, Lord, and help us as we would persevere to your glory. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

September 22, 1991
Working Out What God Works In

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, September 15, 1991.

About this sermon

Philippians 2:12-13 raises the question of human responsibility and God’s sovereignty, and the text answers it directly. Justification and sanctification belong together as obedient faith. God’s prior action grounds every human action, and no human action stands beside it as an independent contribution.

More sermons from Philippians · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

This is Paul’s letter to Titus, the second chapter, and we begin at verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee. Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men. For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers’ lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace We should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying. And these things I will that thou affirm constantly. That they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

But avoid foolish questions and genealogies and contentions. and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable in vain. A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself.” Then turning over to Philippians chapter 2, Verses 12 and 13. Therefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure. How we need your help our father We need it Lord every day we rise to greet our responsibilities and those duties which you have set upon us and Each day when we rise to the joys of this life, O our God, we need your instruction and your patience and forbearance with us that we might, in fact, live as obedient servants. Be merciful to us, Lord, and may you be merciful to your people throughout the world as they even now, many of them are gathering together to exalt You to glory in Your Son Christ. Hear us now as we pray that we might be well instructed from Your Word and that we might please You in all things. Amen.

We have spent a great deal of time looking at Philippians chapter 2, verses 5 through 11, a very famous text and one that is quite moving indeed. And now we are going on to the subsequent verses, especially verses 12 and 13 in that second chapter in Philippians.

Now if things were somewhat difficult for us in those prior verses, they may become even more difficult for us here. It may be like moving from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. There’s an uneasiness that is associated with these verses because they set before us topics that demand attention and Oftentimes we’re not always prepared to handle the matters that these verses raise for us. Controversies in the previous verses raged over the exact nature of Christ, but here now in these verses, the battles have traditionally raged over the relationship of human responsibility, verse 12, and divine sovereignty, verse 13, and even have gone so far as to be waged over the matter of the relationship between faith and works. Using the text simply, straightforwardly, It has seemed to some that we are here faced with an insoluble problem and even an unbearable tension in the thinking of the Apostle Paul. As we move from one verse to the other, some have suggested to us that we are dealing here with a flat inconsistency.

We’ll note in verse 12 that there is command given to the people of God, this church in Philippi, that it seems that what they are commanded to do in verse 12, God performs in verse 13. And with regard to that thirteenth verse, insofar as God is always bound to accomplish His good pleasure, then what possible force can working out our own salvation have? Say some, we encounter here a bold-faced contradiction to the degree that the sovereignty of God triumphs then our efforts become superfluous, and the notion of judgment inherent in the words seared and trembling in that twelfth verse proves to be nearly hypothetical, if not a downright fiction. And to the degree that we are then called upon to exalt human responsibility in verse twelve, we must hedge in the sovereignty of God and make less of it than what seems to be made of it by Paul here in the plain reading of the text. So thinking about that one matter, that whole question about the superfluity of our own efforts, the notion that judgment inherent in that twelfth verse speaks only of a hypothetical, if not a fictional, judgment. We are brought face to face with problems that seem to afflict people everywhere where the gospel is encountered.

And in this regard, I have in mind that great theologian Bill Mad Dog Matlock, former third baseman of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, I don’t know if any of you were reading the series of articles in the Pittsburgh Press this last week, but they were quite interesting. On the sports page we had a series of articles that dealt with the Christian faith of professional athletes. It just so happened that when the evangelical wave came through the National League a few years ago, Bill Matlock was playing for the San Francisco Giants. And there were a number of San Francisco giants who were converted.

Bill was having a little difficulty. He says, their belief in God’s power and sovereignty is so great that they don’t have to go out and do anything. They said, well, if we’re going to win, we’re going to win. If not, then we won’t. He said, I was put out a bit by that.

Well, the problem of which we speak even touches the clubhouses of the National League. The problems here are even more complex, more difficult. Let’s look at verse 12 a little more closely. So say, This verse speaks as if our salvation is still an uncertainty. It’s something future yet to be realized.

Work out your own salvation as if it was still in the balance, something that was as yet undecided. And in light of that, what are we to do then with our traditional confidence that our salvation is an already accomplished fact, an already done deed. Have we not confessed that we have been saved, that we are saved already? Further, what are we to do in light of this text with the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints? We have confessed that, but yet it seems as if something is in the balance, something we must do, as if in fact our salvation was uncertain and our salvation was yet to be realized.

And I might add at this point that a text like this has become a conundrum for many a son of Calvin, or at least one raised within Calvinism, to the point that it forced him out of his Calvinism. And it has caused many more, outside of Calvinism, to throw stones from a distance. God may be sovereign, but, after all, in the end, it depends on us. We’re not done yet. Because there’s more at stake in this text than our Calvinism.

That should be evident from the comments that I made previously about the certainty of our salvation. So if that is up for grabs, in the balance is the very substance of the gospel as we have come to embrace it. After all, do we not confess with the Apostle Paul, who speaks elsewhere, by grace.

He had been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. You know the text. Ephesians 2. Paul speaks additionally in Galatians 2, verse 16, by the works of the law shall no man be justified. And again, most clearly, “…but to him who does not work, his faith is reckoned to him as righteousness.”

Seems to be a lot of working going on in Philippians 2.12, but Paul says, “…but to him who does not work, his faith is reckoned to him as righteousness.” Not only do these verses that we’ve just recited speak about a present possession of uncertainty about salvation, they clearly exclude works.

2 Thessalonians 2.12 introduced uncertainty where Paul elsewhere seems to be so certain, and doesn’t this verse introduce works or working where Paul elsewhere will have none of it?

What then are we to do with the problems of the text? Are we to assume that this text was written late in Paul’s life or that the pressures of prison life got to him and he was collapsing under the mental strain? He wasn’t able to hold up, maintain that wonderful gospel dialectic that he was so adroit at previously in his ministry? Maybe he was becoming a bit weary, mind weary, in his latter years. He wasn’t as nimble of mind as he once was. So now he’s collapsing.

Suggesting to us then in concurrent text, concurrent verses, things that are absolutely contradictory and mutually exclusive. Maybe he was like Clarence Thomas. I understand that Clarence believes in natural law when it comes to political theory. But when it comes to courtroom practice, somehow natural law doesn’t seem to apply. Just as Thomas seems to live in two places at once. Maybe that’s consistent with his Catholicism, I don’t know. You see, they were the ones who proposed a natural grace dualism long ago, that in fact you could live in mutually exclusive terms. Well, you can see I’ve been reading the newspaper this week.

I’m not certain that we can satisfy everyone with regard to these nurses in front of us this morning, but as we work out our own solution, it would be well for us to keep a couple of things in mind, clearly before us. First of all, with regard to the matter of the relationship between faith and works, here is a complex subject. But let us be clear about one thing.

The text in front of us is not talking about justification, it is talking about sanctification. Now we, in this day and age, are not as conversant as our forefathers in theological terminology. But I think For this congregation, there is a grasp of the difference between justification and sanctification. Justification being the act of God wherein He declares us to be righteous for the sake of Christ, whose righteousness is imputed to us, that righteousness we receive by faith alone. Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace. whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled, of course, by His grace, to die more and more to sin and to live unto righteousness. So as we look at the text, let us remember, let us keep in mind that the apostle here is speaking about sanctification, he’s not speaking about justification.

And let’s give him the benefit of the doubt that what he says here is consistent with what he says everywhere else in his epistles. Setting the matter straight, then, properly speaking, this text is not about someone coming to Christ, That is, becoming or getting saved.

This text is about demonstrating a salvation which is already in possession, which is already in hand. There’s an interesting feature of this twelfth verse that you may well want to keep in view. The apostle says, work out your Salvation. It’s a salvation that is already within your hand. It is within your grasp. It is a present position, something that belongs to you. So he’s not here speaking about the acquisition of something you don’t have. He’s speaking here of using something you’ve got. You can’t work out salvation unless you’ve got salvation.

It is also well for us to keep in mind that the works that are here in you in verse 12 are essential to the apostle’s gospel, and no wise jeopardize his position with regard to works in their relationship to justification. As much as works are absolutely excluded from justification, the ground for justification, they are necessarily so in view when it comes to sanctification, and that consistently throughout all of the apostles’ writings.

Did you catch it as we were reading through Titus? That forgotten letter of Paul, that magnificent epistle 10 by him, Would you catch it as we move through our reading of our text from Titus this morning? Verse 7 of that third chapter, that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. And he goes on in verse 8, this is a trustworthy statement And concerning these things, I want you to speak confidently so that those who have believed God may be careful to engage in good works.

The coalescence, then, of justification, which excludes works, and sanctification, which necessarily includes them. But at the same time, we are distancing the Apostle’s doctrine of justification from good works, we are maintaining that good works are not detached even from that doctrine of justification which he espouses. For justification and sanctification are intricately bound to one another. According to the Apostle Paul, then, For one to have that faith which justifies, that faith which is judged to be true faith, one must have an obedient faith. In the very epistles that are usually cited, in order to defend the classic Protestant doctrine of justification, by faith.

There are those statements by the Apostle in which he brings into view his relationship with faith, yes, obedience, and even works themselves. Here the Apostle in Romans 1 verse 5, at the beginning of that epistle, again in verse 26 of the 16th chapter as he concludes it, when he commends to these readers of his in Rome that obedience of faith, that faith which obeys. And hear him once more in the epistle to the Galatians, the fifth chapter, the sixth verse, where he speaks about that faith which works by love. The apostle is saying, if it doesn’t work by love, then it’s not the faith I have in mind. If it’s not a faith that is obedient, that goes on to obedience, then it is not the faith I’m writing to you about.

It is specifically, then, that obedient faith that is in view as the Apostle writes the twelfth verse of the second chapter of Philippians. And that’s how he would have us to understand it. So then, my beloved, he writes, just as you have always obeyed, get that phrase, just as you have always obeyed. And he explains that phrase at the conclusion of that verse with the words, work out your salvation with fear and trembling, as if the latter part of the verse explicates the former part of the verse.

The working out of our own salvation, then, is but the explication of the obedience which has already been mentioned. Will you exclude obedience from your estimation of Christian life and service? Just as obedience offers no contradiction, then, to our faith, neither does our sanctification contradict our justification. And is this not the case with Christ Himself, who is the central figure in all that’s being said by the apostles at this point?

His faith in His Father, does not remove from him his obligation to obey his father. Rather, it enhances that obligation. Do you note? How Paul now is moving from those prior verses, 5 through 11, into 12 and 13. The word he picks up on as he bridges the section is the word obedience. Verse 8, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. So then, my brethren, just as you have always obeyed, you have always been obedient, as it was with Christ. So it is with you. His faith does not then obliterate his concern for faithfulness. And it must not be the case with you either.

Secondly, we need to look at this matter of God’s sovereignty and its effect on human responsibility. Sovereignty being emphasized in the 13th verse and human responsibility being spoken of in the 12th. Is it as some have suggested, the sovereignty of God destroys all human responsibility? Or is it as others have suggested, human responsibility hedges in God’s sovereignty? Does Paul’s doctrine then land him in an insoluble contradiction? Some, in thinking about this text, have now suggested to us that we must adopt a two-track position, in which we must teach that both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are equally ultimate. But as it was in the former case in regard to faith and works, so it is here with regard to God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

The Apostle is absolutely consistent in all of his epistles from beginning to end. He grounds all of the actions of the people of God in the prior action of God Himself. That, for the apostle, is gospel. If God doesn’t act, then there is absolutely no possibility of response on our part. Our response is predicated upon God’s sovereign activity. If God is not at work in us, then we cannot respond. The text assumes that God is at work in us, that he has come to us, that he is presently operative, but that his actions are the prior condition for all of our actions.

His activity, the indicative of his action, is the ground of every imperative of Scripture. And so, therefore, When the apostle or a prophet placed upon the people of God an obligation and they set before them a command, that obligation and command is grounded in God Himself, who has already performed the activity, and that’s what magnifies grace. You’re working out of your own salvation, is merely entering into the arena of God’s own activity on your behalf, so that in the end you won’t congratulate yourself, but you will praise Him. For how thoroughly responsible He is, for we’re told that with Him alone lies the willing and the doing of His good pleasure in us. What there is of us, then, what there is in us of a willing of that which is good and the doing of that which is good is found in Him. God’s sovereign work then does not jeopardize our responsibility, it establishes our ability. So then, you who are beloved of God and called by Him, You in whom God is sovereignly at work, do you not know that He is at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure, and the outworking of that will be in you a working out of your salvation? With fear and trembling, since you are conscious of the One who is in you, Well, we’re going to start at working out our own solutions with Fear and Trembling to the conundrums of the text that is before us.

There is more here, much more, for edification. And we will look more deeply into the matter later on. Let’s pray. May we give all praise to you, our God. May we rejoice, Father, in the sufficiency of your blessing in salvation. For indeed, by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, Yet as the Apostle so wonderfully proclaims, we are your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that you beforehand foreordained that we should walk in them. Our Father, we are responsive and And in our responsiveness we find indication of the presence of your Spirit with us, yes, convincing us of the sufficiency of the salvation that is found nowhere else but in Christ, but also the sufficiency necessary to do those things that please you, that honor you, that glorify your Son. We thank you from the depths of our hearts for such magnificent grace. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

September 15, 1991
By Faith, Not by Sight

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Philippians” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, September 8, 1991.

About this sermon

Christ’s own revelation and existence saturate Philippians 2:5-11. Believers receive it by faith, and logic and reason serve that faith without replacing it. The real glory of the Christian life lies in the next world.

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Sermon transcript

Once more, we are reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We are reading from the first chapter, verses 27 and following, into the second chapter, the 11th verse. This is Philippians chapter 1, verse 27. Hear the word of God. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now here to be in me. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord of one mind.

Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Pray with me now. Our Father, we know that by your Word we are given life, and Lord, we ask that you would strengthen us in this conviction. We are praying, Lord, that we might have occasion to turn to your Word regularly, in fact, daily, and to feast upon what you have provided us there. We ask also, Father, that we would not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, that you would give us a heart that is intent upon coming together for the sake of being blessed by you as a people. And, Lord, here we ask that there might be apparent to us the glories of the kingdom above. For surely we shall not be in glory alone, but we shall be there with all the rest of your people, and even with this congregation. We ask, Lord, that even now the very patterns and attitudes and dispositions of heaven may be expressed by us as we give our attention to your holy word. For Jesus’ sake, amen.

I’m so glad that the folks from Washington are here today. I know that some of the people from Grace are waiting for the time when I will move on from this text, but now our guests have come and I have to start all over again. My family down here to my left groaned if you didn’t hear that. And of course, the question may well be, how much time is too much time to spend on a text like this?

This wonderful passage from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, the second chapter, a text that we know well and we are quite familiar with. We have been spending our time with this text trying to press out of it all we can get. We have looked at the context of the passage, endeavoring to profit from what we see there, as Paul brings his case to these Philippians who are struggling a bit, having trouble because persecution has arisen.

We have looked at the form of the text, We have noticed its poetic structure, how it moves so nicely, so evenly. It has such a remarkable balance to it. We’re drawn to it for no other reason than the wonderful poetic cadence that it evidences. But then there are those marvelous declarations, those wonderful statements, those beautiful and powerful statements of who Christ is, His relationship to us, and His coming glory.

We have spent some time on the subtleties in the text, trying to draw out some of the hidden matter that is here for our benefit. And we are rejoicing in the power of this passage, as we are benefited immeasurably by contemplation upon meditation upon our Savior. Well, I am now moving on to wrap things up, believe it or not, and my message this morning is intended to be one more sweep through the text so that we might appreciate its scope, its depth, and its unique character. That these might be impressed upon us Indulgently. First of all, with regard to this passage, and I have in mind specifically verses 5 through 11 of that second chapter.

First of all, then, this passage confronts us with the reality of the revelation that is found in Christ Jesus. And by that root, then, the revelatory character of our faith in its essence. This passage confronts us with the reality of the revelation, underscore the word revelation, found in Jesus Christ.

This passage is full of information about the Son of God made available to us only through revelation. Now, that may be a statement that is so plain in itself that you’re asking yourself, why in the world would you bore me with that insight? Well, I want you to think about it and not pass by the power of what is here presented. This passage is full of information about the Son of God, available only through revelation. What do I mean by revelation?

I mean something that’s coming to us from without. I don’t mean some religious imagining. some religious speculation. I’m not here speaking about philosophy, a philosophy that is generated from within man, that comes from within the world. When I speak of revelation, then I am speaking of something that comes from without, intrudes into our lives, into the plane of our existence, into this creation from God, who is Himself, outside of this world.

The information that we are given then about the Son of God is that He existed even before He was known in the flesh. How is that by nature to be known? How does that arise from the considerations that occur to us from within ourselves? How does a description of Christ’s pre-incarnate state occur to us?

We can’t even imagine it. It must come by way of revelation. It comes from without. It comes from God. There is the revelation of the Son’s essence. We are told in verse 6 that he existed in the form of God. Is that apparent? As we look at this man who is described in the pages of the Gospel, is that apparent to us? He’s a man, a very important man, a very powerful man, a very magnetic personality to be sure, but is it apparent to us that this one has pre-existence and that this one, in his essence, is God? We are told that he is equal to God in that verse as well.

Do these things arise from the nature of the case, from out of creation, from the potentialities that we see within him, or the considerations that we would make of him as those arise from within ourselves? No, it is by way of revelation. And note what else is told about him in these verses. Verse 7, “…by a free decision on his own part, He comes into this world, he empties himself, he takes upon himself the form of a bond slave, and he is made in the likeness of man.

That one who is preexistent now comes in the form of human flesh. Is this obvious to us? Except by revelation. We do not know these things. Then there’s the matter of Christ’s exaltation, verses 9 through 11. God has highly exalted him, we are told. How do we know this but by revelation? Except it be revealed to us. Except God tell us that he himself is exalting this one Christ Jesus. A name is bestowed upon him above every name. How is that apparent?

And what about the intention of God, as it is described for us in verses 10 and 11? The intention of God is that this One, known to us as Christ Jesus, should have a name that is equal to His own. He has given this One the title and the name Lord. The sweep of these verses 10 and 11 is rather remarkable. It’s familiar to you enough It is familiar enough to you, the name of Jesus is that name at which every knee should bow, verse 11, and every tongue confess that he is in fact Lord.

Now these words that Paul uses at this point are not his own. He steals them. He steals them from the Old Testament. He steals them from Isaiah chapter 45. Verse 23. You want to check that passage out? Find out who Isaiah is speaking of in that text? Paul now takes those statements from Isaiah, applied to Jehovah, and he applies them now to Jesus Christ. This one, then, in the estimation of Paul, is more. Paul here is giving us more than just his assessment of Jesus Christ. He is telling us what the intention of God is.

The intention is that this one, and this one only, is exalted to have this position, this exclusive position. It was in light then of the revelation concerning the pre-existence of the Son of God and His glory, the glory into which He is entered, that you make assessments about the uniqueness of His life and ministrate.”

Why is His death different from anybody else’s death? Doesn’t everybody die? Well, maybe in that He is Raised from the dead, he is like some of those Old Testament saints that were spared. Maybe he’s like Enoch, who was translated. Maybe he’s like Elijah, who was carried away in a chariot of fire. But no, this one is utterly unique in his life, in his ministry, in his death.

And it is only by revelation by that which comes from without, that such value is placed upon this one. So, first of all, the passage confronts us with the reality of the revelation from God found in Jesus Christ and in Him alone. And without that revelation, accompanying this One, this Jesus, He ends up being nothing more than just another man. The next thing that I want you to note from this passage is this fact.

It confronts us with the necessity and the priority of our faith. Will we, in ourselves, find out Christ? Will we, with our own native abilities, discover the Lord of Glory? Will we, by the power of our reason and our logic, come to the conclusions that are here presented in the gospel. This passage then confronts us with the necessity and the priority of our faith. In this passage we are called to believe in an absolute sense the things we cannot see.

Did you exist prior to creation? Were you there in the councils of eternity when the Father and the Son were speaking to one another about the plan of redemption? Were you present when the Son was making decisions that He would humble Himself and become a servant and enter this world in flesh?

How else are these things going to be grasped by you than by the way that the Scriptures prescribe? You must grasp them by faith. You cannot see them, you were not there. You are faced with the revelation, and now the question is, do you believe it? Are you in heaven presently to observe the glory that has been bestowed upon the Son? Do you presently see it with your own physical eyes?

Is it not by faith, then, that you grasp these things and receive them and rest upon them? It is by faith that you assign, then, significance to and grasp in the cross the significance that is there to be grasped. It is by faith that you grab hold of the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice. Is He truly the Son of God? Is He without sin? Is He a sacrifice for sinners? Do you believe this? Is His death able to atone? Can it actually save? Do you believe this?

So you see, the passage confronts us with the necessity of our faith. It is only by faith that we then grab hold of the revelation. You cannot see it, you are not there. You are not in the mind of God, even to assign value. Yet you are receiving these things through the revelation that God has given of Himself in Christ. And in receiving them, you are resting upon them, you are trusting in them, because you have concluded that they are true. This is a work of God in you, by His Spirit.

We’re also said that this passage confronts us with the priority of our faith. Because in this passage we are challenged with respect with respect to the way in which we might approach God at the very outside. Is it a primacy of faith that leads us then into that right relationship with God, or is it by means of our logical ability, our reasonable facility?

Now, by suggesting to you the priority of faith, I do not want to suggest to you that the gospel is absurd. Some have said that. And because it is absurd, we should believe it. Nor am I suggesting that there isn’t an inner logic to the gospel that makes sense to us who believe it and embrace it. That is true.

Even as we go through this passage, verses 5 through 11, we see that there is an inner logic that appeals to us, we who believe and have embraced it. But I think that you would admit But honestly speaking, a quick run through this passage confronts you with a number of puzzles before which logic and reason must recede, because logic and reason do not reign. They are not a law that stands above God and determines for God and man what must be true. Logic and reason are tools that are now employed in the service of faith for we who believe.

So here you are. You want to run through the passage in terms of its logical categories? You’re introduced to this person who is Christ Jesus. You’re told he’s in the form of God. What? Equal with God. This is a man, equal with God. What sense does that mean? What sense does that make? Equal with God, he becomes man, though still God. You make sense of it.

Though God, he becomes obedient. How can God become obedient? Is he not obedient in himself? And though he is God, he dies. How can God die? And then, not only that, he is exalted. As if he needed exaltation, he is exalted by God and given the name of God. He already was God. How is he now receiving the name of God and he’s promised a universal dominion? Didn’t he always have a universal dominion? And all of this, to the glory of God the Father, as if there’s another part of God here that we need to consider as well. Another person, God the Father, God the Son. Well, I think you get the point. You apply your logical categories to it, you’re befuddled. You’re bewildered. You’re faced with mystery.

And in light of it, the faith which is called for in this text receives and rests in the sufficient revelation that is given us by our God in Christ. The just do not live by the absolute dictates of logic and reason. The just live by faith. Faith is what pleases God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. We are justified by faith, not by our reason, our intellect, or our logical facility. Thirdly, this passage confronts us with the substance of our Christian life.

There is some patience that is necessary at this point. Because you see, often this passage, verses 5 through 11 of Philippians 2, is taught as if Paul’s point, as if Paul’s point were that the Christian life follows a pattern which we observe here in Christ as Christ passes from humiliation to exaltation. And thus, the intent of the apostle is to call us to patient endurance. Now, that’s a legitimate concern and interest that you find expressed elsewhere by the apostle. Too often, this specific text is taught as if Paul’s point were that the Christian life follows the pattern seen in Christ as Christ passes from humiliation to exaltation, and we are guaranteed the same. We shall pass from humiliation to exaltation. But in actual fact, Paul’s point is this.

Christ, as he is observed in this text, moves from privilege to humiliation to exaltation. To get the first of it, he moves from privilege. He existed in the form of God, he was equal with God, and then he takes upon himself the form of a servant, and then comes exaltation. So the issue at stake is not simply from humiliation to exaltation, but rather from privilege to humiliation to exaltation.

And the humiliation involved here is the act of self-surrender and sacrifice for the sake of others. Now, why should that be important to the Apostle Paul? Because he wants those in Philippi who own the name of Christ to exhibit precisely that kind of spirit in their relationships one with another.

Are they not privileged? Are they not the sons of God? Do they not belong to the house of God and have all the advantages and blessings of that relationship that is sealed unto them in Christ Jesus? Yes, they are the privileged. Will they insist upon their privileges? Will they insist upon their place and position? No, Paul says they must not. Why? Because Christ did not.

And as Christ emptied himself of his position and his privileges, not insisting upon them, so must you. Now, what does that become in the Christian’s life? It becomes the reality of the cross lived daily for Christ’s sake. Will you not deny yourself, take up Christ’s cross daily and follow Him? And what will that mean? It will mean self-surrender, self-sacrifice for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ. That is the cross coming to expression in you.

And there’s one other thing, very importantly, that this passage confronts us with, and that is the true nature of our hope. Is the glory to which Christ ascends spoken of in this text a glory that he gains and enjoys in this world. I really can’t say anything more important to you than that at this time. And the reason for that is because there are so many who are saying to the saints of God, the glory to which we aspire is something that we can have now, and we can enjoy to the full in this world.

So grab it all. God not only wants you to be happy, He wants you to be rich. God doesn’t only want you to be well off spiritually so that your soul is healthy. He wants you free from all concerns, health-wise. And you have a right to that now. The point is that as long as Christ is in the flesh, He is present in the form of a servant, and it is not until He is raised and He ascends into glory that the glory comes. And as it has been with Christ, so it is with you. Your life presently in the flesh is patterned after His. As long as you’re here in the flesh, you will be servants, learning obedience, giving yourself over to God, even unto the extent of death itself, until He is pleased to take you to Himself. So don’t be confused about your present situation, present suffering that you may be enduring, the grief and the heartache that is presently yours. That is your lot. But the glory is coming, and it is guaranteed, as surely as Christ has been raised from the dead and presently reigns.

Let us pray. Our Father, we ask you that familiar texts like we have before us today would not slip past us without us giving them the kind of attention that they deserve. We pray, Our Father, that we might profit much from what we find here in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. May we rejoice in the revelation that you have given wonderfully. May we thank you even for the faith that you have worked in our hearts. May you be praised for how the very pattern of Christ’s life is coming to expression in us. We too call to be servants. And may we rejoice before you because As we are conformed to Christ’s image in service, so we shall also be conformed to His image in His glorious reign. For Christ’s sake, we pray, looking for His coming. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

September 8, 1991