You can think of Paul's letter to the Philippians as being similar in some ways to Moses on the plains of Moab. Moses was about to die. He knew that he would not be with the children of Israel much longer. And while Paul believes that he will survive this imprisonment – he understands that he will not be around much longer.
Perhaps that is why he speaks of how they have obeyed, “not only as in my presence, but much more in my absence.”
And as he considers his impending death, there are certain things that he wants the Philippians to understand.
One of those things is found in verses 12-13, where Paul urges us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who works in us both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Note: both to will and to work.
John Murray says: “God's working in us is not suspended because we work, nor our working suspended because God works. Neither is the relation strictly one of cooperation as if God did his part and we did ours so that the conjunction or coordination of both produced the required result. God works and we also work. But the relation is that because God works we work. All working out of salvation on our part is the effect of God's working in us.... We have here not only the explanation of all acceptable activity on our part but we also have the incentive to our willing and working.... The more persistently active we are in working, the more persuaded we may be that all the energizing grace and power is of God.” (RAA, 148-149)
This strong statement of divine sovereignty and human responsibility sets up his warning against the perils of grumbling.
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