Philippians 1:6 (NIV) Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

One of the things that I have said repeatedly when I am speaking publicly is that we are all “a piece of work.” What I mean by that is that in general, we as people are difficult and complicated. We can make mountains out of molehills and turn something positive into a negative very quickly. This is all due to our sinful nature, which makes us stubborn, ornery and that makes us feel that whatever we feel about a certain thing has to be right. While I’ve said it in a joking manner, it is very true. But in another sense, it is biblically true.

According to the scripture verse above, when we received the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives, a good work began in our lives. We immediately came out of the darkness and into the wonderful light of God (1 Peter 2:9). That was a huge and radical change. We were heading in one direction, which was completely wrong and that was leading to eternal damnation and we turned and are now on the road that leads to eternal life and to an eternity in fellowship with Jesus. But as awesome as that is, the work that God began in us is nowhere near being done. That work will go on for the rest of our lives until we see Jesus. In one sense, we are already positionally sanctified because God has declared us holy through our union with Jesus (Christ dwells in us). But in real time we are making progress towards sanctification as we are being transformed by the Holy Spirit from glory to ever-increasing glory (2 Corinthians 3:8). That means that the Spirit of God is making us more and more like Jesus as we continue to follow Jesus. Just looking back on your own life, isn’t it true that you are not the same person that started the journey? You have been and are continually being transformed. It’s a holy work in progress!

The wonderful news about all of this is that there is no doubt that the work will be completed because it was God who started it and God finishes what He starts. As human beings, we are famous for starting things and not finishing them. But God NEVER starts anything without bringing it to completion. This awesome work will be done when we see Jesus face to face because we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2). The Word of God tells us that we will then be like Him! The work in you and me is guaranteed because of the reputation of our God. He not only tells us the truth, He is the Truth. He not only shows us the way, but He is the way. He not only has given us life, He is the Life! We may be a piece of work now, but we will be a completed work one day to the glory of God!

Pastor Joey Vazquez