The Pulpit Commentary — Philippians — Section 34

memories nN>d to be dl"livl"red from treacherousness, and made reliable nnd ready in the ~l'rvice of Chri8t. Our affections need to be weaned from the world and sot on Christ. Our con!'Cicnces need to be delivered from searedness and endued with ten- drrness. Our wills, especially, need to be delivered from w~kness and eudued with power. It is throughout a work of liberation, emancipation the tr~nsformincr0 of the waste so that- ' "Flowers of grace in freshness start, Where onoe the weeds of error grc,v." (2) Bow God can be said to begin the good work in us. (a) It is to be traced tot.Tie Father's love. Take one who ha.s experienced something ot the "good work" in his heart-what is its history? 1f it is traced back and back, its be"'innings are to be found in the motions of the Father's love. It goes further back thtn even the Divine counsels. For it wa.s the love behind, essentially belonging to him a.s Father, that ma.de him think of and decree our salvation. (b) It is to be traced to the work of the Son. 'l'his is not going so far ba.ck as the Father's counsels; it is rather the carrying out of these counsels. The work of Christ outside of us is the reason why the good work can go forward in us. The Son of God, coming into our nature and grappling with a.II the difficulties of our position, obtained for us redemptive virtue. That is the decisi11efact to which the good work in us is to be traced back, just a.s the healing of men's bodies of old was to be traced back to the miraculous virtue tha.t was in Christ. (c) It i.s to be traced to the operations of the Spirit. This is God coming into closest contact with us. Left to ourselves the redemptive work of Christ would ha.ve been a. dead work. But it wa.s followed. up by tne Spirit of Christ coming into our heart, pro- ducing in us the desire for salvation, holding up before us saving merit, saving truth. And the good work in us is to be traced back to his gracious working, "And every virtue we possess, .And every victory won, And every thought of holinees, Axe his alone." (3) Our gr(Jfl,nd of conJ,cunce in God that he will perfect the good work m U& The work ia emphatically God's. "The transformation of apostate me.n From fool to wise, from ee.rt.hly to Divine, Is work for him that me.de him." (a) We confi<le in the infinitude of the Father's wve. If we ha.d only our own interest in our salvation to look to, we might be afraid of it dying out. But sooner will light die out of the sun than love die out of the heart of God. And we have that inex- tin=ishable love to rely upon to complete our salvation for us. (b) We =fide m the"'infinitude of the Saviour's merit. If we had only our own worthiness to think of, we mi""ht often enouuh hide our be.ad in the dust. But fuller than the sea. is of water ii; ChJ;,t of merit. And infinitely beyond onr need does his merit extend. And to his far-rea.chin"' merit can we look for the completion of our salvation. (c) We =fide in the infinitrde of tJ.e Spirit's power. If we bad only ourselves to look_to, we might well despair, considering the elements of weakness, of _fickleness, th~t. are 10 our hearts. Bnt more penetra.tin~, subduing than fire is the working of the Spmt. And when we are ready to stand aghast at the evil we discover in our hearts, let us look awa.y to the might of the Spirit that can infinitely more tha.n conquer it all. (4) Our grownd of confalence in God especially as having begun the good worlc. (a) He is bound by hia wudom. When he began the good work he must have ha.d a. <listinct end in view. And be must ha.ve known all the difficulties in the wa.y beforehand, especially the badness of our hearts. In the knowledge of all difficulties he must have seen his way 1c, tLe desired end all clear. To begin to build without knowing how to finish is foolishness, with which only man is chargeable. There arn no ha.If-finished worlds in God's universe. (b) He is bound by his faithfulness. '!'here is the Old Testament 1,romise, "For the Lord God is a sun a.nd shield: the Lord will give grace and glol}'.: i,c, gooo. thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Such a word a11 this iB eitcouragiDg: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan ha.th desired to have you, that he may OH, I, 1-80.] THE EPISTLE ·ro THE PHILIPPIANS.