The Sunday Sermon

Realizing God's Plan In Life (Part Four)
by Archibald T. Robertson
Edited by R.P. Woitowitz Sr.

12 Wherefore my beloved, as ye have always obeyed me, not as in my presence only, but now much more in mine absence, so make an end of your own salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed, even of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmuring and reasonings,
15 That ye may be blameless, and pure, and the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a naughty and crooked nation, among whom ye shine as blights in the world,
16 Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither have labored in vain.
17 Yea, and though I be offered up upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith, I am glad, and rejoice with you all.
18 For the same cause also be ye glad, and rejoice with me.

Paul's Pride (verse 16)

"For a ground of glorying in the day of Christ." This clause is related to all of verse 15 and the preceding part of 16. The day of accounts comes to figure more largely in Paul's mind as he grows older. The writer of Hebrews (a) speaks of the sleepless watch of the shepherds of souls "as they that shall give account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief; for this were unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17; Luke 17:7-10;) Paul longs' to have "whereof to glory" in the day of Christ. The success of the Philippians will give Paul something tangible to present to Christ. They will be stars in his crown. He means by "day of Christ" the judgment day, commonly termed the day of the Lord outside of this Epistle. Paul does not wish to be saved "so as by fire" with all his works gone. (I Corinthians 3:15) When that day comes and Paul looks back upon his work in Philippi, he does wish to feel "that I did not run in vain neither labor in vain." He has the metaphor of the stadium before him as in Galatians 2:2 (Philippians 2:16;) when he expresses the same dread about the Galatians. He does not wish it all to come to nothingness. The word for labor here means the weariness of labor. Toil and sweat and weariness were all for naught. It is a pitiful case when the preacher has to see the people go back to the flesh-pots of Egypt and leave his work null and void. The Philippians will be Paul's jewels in the presence of Christ as the mother of the Gracchi boasted of her boys.

(a) Editor’s Note - Many Biblical scholars think that The Epistle to the Hebrews was written by Paul the Apostle, but, there is no conclusive proof. However, Paul, being the expert on Jewish Law that he was prior to his conversion on the Road to Damascus, and the fact that the usage of similar words, analogies, and styling would indicate that it is highly probable that at the very least he had a hand in writing this chapter.