John Calvin Commentary Philippians 1:6

"being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ:" — Philippians 1:6 (ASV)

Persuaded of this very thing. An additional ground of joy is found in his confidence in them for the future. But someone will say, why should people dare to assure themselves about tomorrow amid such great infirmity of nature, amid so many impediments, hardships, and dangers?

Paul, assuredly, did not derive this confidence from the steadfastness or excellence of people, but simply from the fact that God had manifested His love to the Philippians. And undoubtedly this is the true manner of acknowledging God’s benefits—when we derive from them reason for hoping well for the future.

For as they are tokens both of His goodness and of His fatherly benevolence toward us, what ingratitude it would be to derive from this no confirmation of hope and good courage! In addition to this, God is not like humans, so as to be wearied or exhausted by conferring kindness.

Therefore, let believers exercise themselves in constant meditation on the favors God confers, so that they may encourage and confirm hope for the future, and always ponder in their minds this syllogism: God does not forsake the work which His own hands have begun, as the Prophet bears witness (Psalms 138:8; Isaiah 64:8); we are the work of His hands; therefore He will complete what He has begun in us.

When I say that we are the work of His hands, I do not refer to mere creation, but to the calling by which we are adopted into the number of His sons. For it is a token to us of our election that the Lord has called us effectually to Himself by His Spirit.

It is asked, however, whether anyone can be certain about the salvation of others, for Paul here is not speaking of himself but of the Philippians. I answer that the assurance an individual has regarding his own salvation is very different from what he has regarding that of another.

For the Spirit of God is a witness to me of my calling, as He is to each of the elect. Regarding others, we have no testimony, except from the outward efficacy of the Spirit; that is, insofar as the grace of God shows itself in them, so that we come to know it. There is, therefore, a great difference, because the assurance of faith remains inwardly contained and does not extend itself to others.

But wherever we see any such tokens of Divine election as can be perceived by us, we ought immediately to be stirred up to entertain good hope, both so that we may not be envious toward our neighbors and withhold from them an equitable and kind judgment of charity, and also so that we may be grateful to God.

This, however, is a general rule both for ourselves and for others—that, distrusting our own strength, we depend entirely on God alone.

Until the day of Jesus Christ. The chief thing, indeed, to be understood here is—until the termination of the conflict. Now the conflict is terminated by death. However, as the Spirit is accustomed to speak in this manner in reference to the last coming of Christ, it would be better to extend the advancement of the grace of Christ to the resurrection of the flesh.

For although those who have been freed from the mortal body no longer contend with the lusts of the flesh and are, as the expression is, beyond the reach of a single dart, yet it would not be absurd to speak of them as still advancing. This is because they have not yet reached the point to which they aspire—they do not yet enjoy the felicity and glory for which they have hoped.

And finally, the day has not yet shone that will reveal the treasures hidden in hope. And in truth, when hope is discussed, our eyes must always be directed toward a blessed resurrection as the main objective.