Philippians 2:12-18
12 “So then, my beloved, just as you 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; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.14 Do all things without complaining or arguments; 15 so that you will 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, 16 holding firmly the word of life, so that on the day of Christ I can take pride because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. 17 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. 18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.”
As you have always obeyed: Obedience is a working out of what has been worked inside of believers through the grace of God. Because believers have been born again and have the Holy Spirit living within them, obedience is simply living from the reality of the new nature existent in all Christians. Our new nature is compatible with Christ and therefore compatible with the fruit of the Spirit. Obedience is, therefore, expressing the fruit of the Spirit moment by moment. So, for Paul, obedience is first and foremost believing in the Gospel (see also Romans 6:17). After belief, Christians can obey God by living from His Spirit.
Both to desire and to work for His good pleasure: God is working within Christians to will and desire to work for His good pleasure. He has given us a new heart and continues to mature us in this reality. Paul does not leave room for Christian self-perfection.
Do all things without complaining: Grumbling and disputing was commonplace in Paul’s world just as it is in modern society. This is symptomatic of the world’s lack of unity under truth. Paul’s encouragement to Christians is to not act as the world does. Instead, believers are to live life free from grumbling and disputing with fellow Christians. This love proves our blamelessness and innocence. As our outward conduct mirrors who we are on the inside, we are outwardly proving what has taken place inwardly.
Lights of the world: Christ is the true light and believers can allow Christ to shine through them in the world. We are not the light and can never conjure the light through good works. Our place is to simply let Jesus be the light within us.
