THE QUALITY OF OBEDIENCE IN THE LORD’S WORK

Phil 2:12-16 and Phil 1:3-6

Phil 2:12-16
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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 which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights 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
laboured in vain.

Phil 1:3-6
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ:

1. Obey with sincere heart

Phil 2:12
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.

Phil 1:27
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else
be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith
of the gospel;

Phil 1:5
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
KJV

2. Obey and work out the results of salvation in our ministry with fear and trembling
Phil 2:12
12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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.

1 Cor 15:58
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Eph 1:4-6
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:11-12
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

3. Obey because God works to enable us

Phil 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Phil 1:6
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day
of Jesus Christ:
Heb 13:20-21
20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Cor 3:5
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

4. Obey because what we do we will definitely give Him pleasure

Phil 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Eph 1:5
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will,

2 Thess 1:11-12
11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all
the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our
God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. Obey without murmurings and disputing (as Christ obeyed)

Phil 2:14
14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Phil 2:3-8
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of
men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross.

Eph 4:31-32
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all
malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you.

1 Thess 5:15
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves,
and to all men.

James 3:14-17
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
KJV