The Pervasive Expansion of Good Works

Growing up I was not unaware that my mom struggled with sin. Bitterness. Harshness. Bossiness. She knew she did. She asked God to change her. She enlisted me to pray for her. And pray I did. She cried. I cried. And it seemed that God did nothing. My struggle was bigger than seeing my mom given victory over the sin that so easily entangled her. This seeming lack of divine response shook my faith. If God could change her, why didn’t he? 

Fast forward four decades. I stood in the receiving line at my mother’s funeral shaking hands with more than 200 people. Do you know what word was used most often to describe my mom? Sweet. Her kindness. Her welcoming of strangers. Her hospitality. 

It was then I realized that God, who had begun a good work in her, had brought it to completion. In His time. In His way. God’s work in my mom’s heart and his work in mine made her parting from this world a joyful sadness. 

 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 1:6

I had read this verse before. Held onto it in difficult situations. Now I knew it was true. 

And it is still true. But this last month as I began to study the book of Philippinans, I realized, though the application we have made is legitimate, there is another valid application when we look at the verse in context.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

Philippians 1:3-7

Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

Philippians 4:14-18

The context for Philippians 1:6 lets us know that the “good work” that God is going to bring to completion is primarily connected to the “partnership” the Philippians had with Paul. Their “good work” was their financial support of Paul as noted in chapter 4.

(See also 2 Cor. 8:1-5; 11:9).

The promise of verse six is that their financial support of Paul was not a one time good thing. God began this good work by giving the Philippians generous hearts, putting it on their hearts to become a partner with Paul, and then supplying them the means to help him. God would see to it that through this good work there would be ongoing fruitfulness.  Many good works would flow out of their support. There would be “much fruit that increases to their credit.” The ripple effect of their support would not come to completion until the end of this age. In fact, anyone who has been blessed by the writings of Paul, is experiencing the pervasive expansion of the good work that began with the Philippians’ partnership. Those saints, now in heaven, are still watching the work that God is doing through their good work. 

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” Revelation 14:13

For the last ten years, we have been supported by partners in the gospel. Steve could not do the work God has called him to do unless others supplied for our financial needs. We are truly humbled and thankful for their generosity. We want them to know that God who began this good work in them, will expand it until it is completed on the day Christ comes again. There will be pastors trained, churches started, people who come to know Jesus, families strengthened and so much more that we can not see . . .  Because of their support, I have had the freedom to lead a dozen prayer workshops. The fruitfulness of these is still to be seen. Their good works will go on well past the writing of a check. Three of our initial supporters are now in heaven. The fruit of their good deeds is continuing to follow them. And we know that God’s bookkeeping system is impeccable and his Rate on Investment is the best anywhere! 

My mom’s story has not been completely written either. Several years before my parent’s deaths, I took over their finances. It was just too hard for them to keep everything straight. It was then I realized the extent of their generosity. They were supporting dozens of missionaries. All who they personally knew and wrote to and prayed for regularly. All across the globe in all sorts of ministries. When my mom saw Jesus for the first time, her bitterness and bossiness was, at last, completely gone. He had completed his good work in her. The fruit of the generosity He began in them has not yet reached its completion. It is still increasing. There will be more  good deeds to follow them.