Work hard; Give joy

When Christians live out their salvation by rejecting the temptation to grumble or complain, the gospel is proclaimed and those who have poured into us are encouraged.

Bracket

editing

Philippians 2:12-16

esv

Therefore, my beloved, f as you have always g obeyed,

so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence,

temporal

work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

actionmanner

for h it is God who works in you,

both to will

and to work for i his good pleasure.

progression

ideaexplanation

ground

Do all things j without grumbling or k disputing,

that you may be blameless and innocent,

l children of God m without blemish

comparison

n in the midst of o a crooked and twisted generation,

among whom you shine p as lights in the world,

holding fast to q the word of life,

locative

so that in r the day of Christ s I may be proud

that t I did not run in vain

or labor in vain.

alternative

actionpurpose

inference

discourse

Notes

As has been said before, asking whether God's sovereignty or our effort is more important with regards to sanctification is akin to asking whether the left wing or the right wing is more important on an airplane. What God has joined together, let no man separate. Paul's separate notation of God's work with regards to my will and then my work reminds me of how foolish it is to try and change behavior without getting to the root of the problem in the heart. There are two encouraging notes in verses 12 & 13. First, it is God who is at work in us, and God never fails. Second, us working hard on our sanctification brings pleasure to God! Grumbling and complaining tells unbelievers that the gospel isn't all that good or at least all that different from what they believe. Let us not try to make a difference by being clever or inventive. Let us make a difference by holding fast to that gospel that saves and that word of God which is truth. We're not islands. Countless men and women have poured into us, and when they see us fighting for holiness and giving thanks at all times, it brings them great joy.

Comments

Brent Karding

Your Notes are helpful. Your last two are especially good. (And your comment about grumbling supports making 14-16 an Explanation or Manner of 12-13.)

Brent Karding

Hi Andy, I see that Wellington made some comments before I got here! :)

I echo each of his comments (except the last one, because dividing there isn't necessary, although it is possible, since "as lights" and "in the world" aren't propositions).

And your Main Point Summary fits better with Action-Manner or Temporal than Inference - you start with "when." Sometimes a conflict between an MPS and a bracket reveals that you should change the bracket, and sometimes it reveals that you should sharpen and change the MPS. But Ac-Mn or Id-Exp would work better here than Inference, as Wellington pointed out.

Wellington Driedger

Hey, I love the theme of your arc. Very relevant to my life. I got some suggestions though for your relationships though.

12b should be split into a negative-positive relationship. "Not only" and "but" signify the need for this relationship

12a and 12b should be a comparison relationship. The main point is that in the same way they have obeyed in the past they should also do now not only as if Paul was there but even more when Paul is absent.

I would say also that 13a with 13b-c is a purpose statement, not an Idea-Explanation relationship. God works in us to cause us to will and work for his good pleasure. 13b-c does not describe the work of God but the desired result, that is, his purpose.

Your large inference relationship between 12-13 and 14-16 does not fit as nicely as using an Action-manner or Idea-Explanation relationship. It seems that Paul is unpacking what it looks like to live 12a-c in light of 13a-c in 14-16. This is how we work our salvation with fear and trembling: not disputing with each other or having a spirit of complaining.

you could also split 15d into three more relationships: A comparison "as lights" and a locative "in the world"

I hope that you find these helpful.

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