Imagine having one last chance to speak to your loved ones. What would you say? In the letter of Philippians, the Apostle Paul has been imprisoned for preaching the gospel and he writes to his beloved church to give them marching orders should he never see them again. He writes that: God’s priority is their sanctification, and so it must be theirs as well.

God began a good work in believers, and will bring it to completion (v. 6). This “work” is sanctification - that we may be “pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (v. 10). God begins this work through faith and baptism (John 3:5) and because he always finishes what he starts (Rom 8:30), he continues it through the Holy Spirit and God’s gifts of Word and Sacrament. 

Paul’s prayer shows the most important goal in a Christian’s life is that we grow in the likeness of Jesus. In this letter, he calls the church to the self-giving mindset of Jesus (2:4-5) and to “work out their salvation...for it is God at work in you” (2:12-13). We don’t make ourselves holy, but we do swim with the current of grace and aim to be “sincere and giving no offense” (another way to translate “pure and blameless”). 

This process of sanctification involves growing in love, spiritual knowledge, and moral discernment. This love is sacrificial love for others and is the beginning point of sanctification (v. 9-10). Spiritual knowledge is not just knowing about God but knowing God personally through faith and the means of grace. Finally, we need “insight” (v. 9, NIV) or spiritual discernment – the ability to see what is right (Heb 5:14) in a world that can be confusing. 

When we pursue these characteristics, we can truly “discern what is best” (v. 10). We will give up success, security, comfort, or other good things because we want to be ready when our Lord returns and see him face to face.

Discussion Question: How does God want us to make plans or important decisions?