Faith’s Workout

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Paul, like anyone, understands what it meant to be human—to struggle against acting selfishly and focusing on his own needs over meeting the needs of others. That’s why he calls us to have the mind of Jesus—which means, thinking like Jesus thinks. When we do, we will be free of petty human arguments, conflicts, and strife.

Yet, Paul remains a realist, too. The Philippians will encounter people who reject the message of Jesus and will do everything in their power to persuade them to live for themselves and worship anything and everything but the God of grace who had redeemed them. Particularly, Paul warns them to beware of the “dogs” and “evil workers” (3:2) attempting to convince them to adhere strictly to Old Testament Law by insisting they be circumcised.

Paul passionately defends against that sort of false and misguided focus on keeping religious rules. He wants them to know how lethal that approach would be to their faith. In fact, he shows how he personally had taken first place in the category of religious zeal only to discover that none of this matters to God. That’s why Paul refuses to boast about anything other than His relationship with Jesus Christ, which he had received, not by worth of his own, but as a free gift of grace from the Lord (3:3-8). Remember? That’s the mind of Christ!

God doesn’t want any of us to be duped into thinking we can find peace with God by putting confidence in the way we lived before we met Jesus. It’s not about keeping rules or living the best possible life and earning enough spiritual points to please God. We must trust Christ alone. We do not look to ourselves for the answers to our deepest needs, nor can we live for Jesus by relying on our own smarts. That’s a recipe for spiritual failure and constant frustration. It must be Christ in us.

Do you know God that way? Have you turned from trusting yourself or in a personal system of what it means to live a good life? Have you fully put your trust in Jesus, only? That’s when you will be truly converted.

Paul sums up his own personal experience of what it meant to be saved in one life-changing thought: Righteousness comes from Christ and not from ourselves (3:8-9). Trust fully in Christ alone for salvation. When you need daily motivation to “work out” your salvation—turn to God. Salvation, God’s gift of grace, flows to all who recognize their need for a Savior and who call on Him in faith. Have you done that? Will you? He will be faithful not only to begin “a good work in you” but also to “complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6).

1. How can you focus on serving God well without turning good things into religious rules?

2. What are some ways, even as a believer, you might be tempted to trust in yourself and your own wisdom rather than the working of Christ in us?

3. What positive role can emotions play in the Christian life? What negative role can they play?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teachings on Philippians 2:12-26, Philippians 2:25—3:1, Philippians 3:2-6 and Philippians 3:7-14.