TORREY MEMORIAL BIBLE CONFERENC:
by Dr. Robert B. Thieme Pastor, Beraehah Church Houston, Texas
PHILIPPIANS 1:5-9
indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. The “day of Jesus Christ” is that glorious moment of the rapture of the church when “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Until that time, God has made provision for every believer during this earthly pilgrimage. There are many glorious aspects and facets of His grace. Included is forgiveness of sin (I John 1:9). It includes thou sands of promises to be claimed by us through faith. There is the filling of the Spirit, living in the Word, and complete occupation with the person of Christ. Paul’s confidence is not in the Phi lippians but in the principle of the Lord’s power. While the good work of this context refers specifically to money, the principle of application Dr. Thieme
■ S 1 7 S CANNOT CONTINUE A STUDY in W such an important portion of God’s Word without underscoring joy as the keyword of this epistle. It stands for the inner blessings and peace of the Christian which cannot be shaken by outward circumstances. The believer who walks by the Spirit, who lives in the Word, who is occu pied with the person of Jesus Christ, finds joy to be the very foundation stone of his daily existence. There exists a joy in prayer for Christians who discover this secret by coming boldly to the throne of grace. Verse five shows the continuation of this spiritual exuberance, “For your fellowship in the gospel since the first day until now.” No doubt he is refer ring to the gift which they sent him by Epaphroditus. The word “fellow ship” means anticipation in common interest or activity. This is the third time the Philippians have sent money to Paul. Philippians 4:15 shows that they sent it to him first when he was at Corinth. Again at Thessalonica (Philippians 4:16) it was given. Now, as a prisoner of Nero, a gift is be stowed upon him. Let it clearly be seen that the Church does not pay the person. Believers are to give as “unto the Lord.” In verse six he expresses the won derful truth, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Using the Greek perfect tense shows that Paul has had confidence in the past with results which now continues. The Lord Jesus Christ has begun a good work, and it is He who will continue it by His own power. We can be thank ful for the divine empowerment which is involved here. Left up to us, we would be nothing more than miserable failures. God has made provision for believers to honor Him through the
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