Articles
God at Work
Christians need encouragement! This is evident from the abundance of Bible passages designed to build up and motivate. Certainly we need all the commands and all the warnings of the New Testament, but thank God also for all the verses that say in essence, “Your efforts to do right are well worth it—keep it up! God is your helper.”
Just one example of this kind of positive builder-upper is Paul’s statement to one of his favorite churches:
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6 NASB).
God is working in us! Christianity is not a do-it-yourself religion. We can’t make it on our own. God works powerfully in the lives of those who acknowledge their weakness and leave Him room to work in their lives (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
God’s work in us is a process. He began it when we obeyed the gospel, but there is much yet to be done: bad habits must be replaced with good ones; our thinking must be retrained; we must develop the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the Christian graces (2 Peter 1:5-11). Our tongues need bridling, and we have much to learn about how to use our words to bless and teach. It’s the challenge of a lifetime! God wants to finish what He started, and when Jesus comes back, the task will be brought to a glorious completion!
God is doing a GOOD work in us. During Creation Week God repeatedly looked at what He had made, and He saw that it was good. God, the Master Craftsman, doesn’t do shoddy work. He wants to be pleased with His work in each of us.
“. . . work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).
God is at work—in us—and the work is good!
