John Calvin Commentary Philippians 2:13

"for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure." — Philippians 2:13 (ASV)

It is God that works. This is the true instrument for bringing down all haughtiness—this the sword for putting an end to all pride, when we are taught that we are utterly nothing and can do nothing, except through the grace of God alone. I mean supernatural grace, which comes from the spirit of regeneration. For, considered as men, we already are, and live and move in God (Acts 17:28). But Paul reasons here about a kind of movement different from that universal one. Let us now observe how much he ascribes to God, and how much he leaves to us.

In any action, there are two principal aspects: the inclination, and the power to carry it into effect. He ascribes both of these wholly to God; what more remains for us as a reason for boasting? Nor is there any reason to doubt that this division has the same force as if Paul had expressed the whole in a single word, for the inclination is the foundation; its accomplishment is the capstone of the building brought to completion.

He has also expressed much more than if he had said that God is the Author of the beginning and of the end. For in that case, sophists would have objected captiously that something between the two was left to men. But as it is, what will they find that is in any degree distinctly ours?

They toil hard in their schools to reconcile free will with the grace of God—free will of such a nature, I mean, as they conceive it—which might be capable of turning itself by its own movement, and might have a distinct and separate power by which it might cooperate with the grace of God. I do not dispute the name, but the thing itself.

Therefore, so that free will may harmonize with grace, they divide in such a manner that God restores in us a free choice, so that we may have it in our power to will rightly. Thus they acknowledge having received from God the power of willing rightly, but assign to man a good inclination.

Paul, however, declares this to be a work of God, without any reservation. For he does not say that our hearts are simply turned or stirred up, or that the infirmity of a good will is helped, but that a good inclination is wholly the work of God.

Now, in the calumny they bring against us—that we make men like stones when we teach that they have nothing good except from pure grace—they act shamelessly. For we acknowledge that we have an inclination from nature, but as it is depraved through the corruption of sin, it begins to be good only when it has been renewed by God.

Nor do we say that a man does anything good without willing it, but that it is only when his inclination is regulated by the Spirit of God. Hence, as far as this aspect is concerned, we see that the entire praise is ascribed to God, and that what sophists teach is frivolous—that grace is offered to us, and placed, as it were, in our midst, so that we may embrace it if we choose. For if God did not work in us efficaciously, He could not be said to produce in us a good inclination.

As to the second aspect, we must hold the same view. “God,” he says, “is ̔Ο ἐνεργῶν το ἐνεργεῖν, He that works in us to do.” Therefore, He brings to perfection those pious dispositions which He has implanted in us, so that they may not be unproductive, as He promises by Ezekiel:

I will cause them to walk in my commandments (Ezekiel 11:20).

From this we infer that perseverance also is His free gift.

According to His good pleasure. Some explain this to mean the good intention of the mind. I, on the other hand, take it rather as referring to God, and understand by it His benevolent disposition, which they commonly call beneplacitum (good pleasure). For the Greek word εὐδοκία is very frequently employed in this sense, and the context requires it.

For Paul has it in view to ascribe everything to God and to take everything from us. Accordingly, not satisfied with having assigned to God the production both of willing and of doing rightly, He ascribes both to His unmerited mercy. By this means He shuts out the contrivance of the sophists concerning subsequent grace, which they imagine to be the reward of merit. Hence He teaches that the whole course of our life, if we live rightly, is regulated by God, and that too from His unmerited goodness.

With fear and trembling. From this Paul deduces an exhortation—that they must with fear work out their own salvation. He conjoins, as he is accustomed, fear and trembling for the sake of greater intensity, to denote serious and anxious fear. He, accordingly, represses drowsiness as well as confidence.

By the term work, he reproves our indolence, which is always ingenious in seeking advantages. Now it seems as if it had in the grace of God a sweet occasion for repose; for if He works in us, why should we not indulge ourselves at our ease? The Holy Spirit, however, calls us to consider that He wishes to work upon living organs, but He immediately represses arrogance by recommending fear and trembling.

The inference also is to be carefully observed: “You have,” he says, “all things from God; therefore be concerned and humble.” For there is nothing that ought to train us more to modesty and fear than our being taught that it is by the grace of God alone that we stand, and we will instantly fall if He even in the slightest degree withdraws His hand.

Confidence in ourselves produces carelessness and arrogance. We know from experience that all who confide in their own strength grow insolent through presumption and, at the same time, devoid of care, resign themselves to sleep. The remedy for both evils is, when, distrusting ourselves, we depend entirely on God alone.

And assuredly, that man has made decided progress in the knowledge both of the grace of God and of his own weakness, who, aroused from carelessness, diligently seeks God’s help; while those that are puffed up with confidence in their own strength must necessarily be at the same time in a state of intoxicated security.

Hence it is a shameless calumny that Papists bring against us—that in extolling the grace of God and putting down free will, we make men indolent, shake off the fear of God, and destroy all feeling of concern. It is obvious, however, to every reader that Paul finds matter for exhortation here—not in the doctrine of Papists, but in what is held by us.

“God,” he says, “works all things in us; therefore submit to Him with fear.” I do not, indeed, deny that there are many who, on being told that there is in us nothing that is good, indulge themselves the more freely in their vices; but I deny that this is the fault of the doctrine, which, on the contrary, when received as it ought to be, produces in our hearts a feeling of concern.

Papists, however, pervert this passage so as to shake the assurance of faith, for the man that trembles is in uncertainty. They, accordingly, understand Paul’s words as if they meant that we ought, during our whole life, to waver concerning the assurance of salvation. If, however, we would not have Paul contradict himself, he does not by any means exhort us to hesitation, inasmuch as he everywhere recommends confidence and (πληροφορίαν) full assurance.

The solution, however, is easy, if anyone desires to attain the true meaning without any spirit of contention. There are two kinds of fear: the one produces anxiety along with humility; the other, hesitation. The former is opposed to fleshly confidence and carelessness, equally as to arrogance; the latter, to assurance of faith.

Furthermore, we must take notice that, as believers repose with assurance upon the grace of God, so, when they direct their views to their own frailty, they do not by any means resign themselves carelessly to sleep, but are by fear of dangers stirred up to prayer. Yet, so far is this fear from disturbing tranquility of conscience and shaking confidence, that it rather confirms it. For distrust of ourselves leads us to lean more confidently upon the mercy of God. And this is what Paul’s words import, for he requires nothing from the Philippians but that they submit themselves to God with true self-renunciation.

Work out your own salvation. As Pelagians of old, so Papists at this day make a proud boast of this passage, with the view of extolling man’s excellence. Furthermore, when the preceding statement is mentioned to them by way of objection, It is God that works in us, etc., they immediately use this shield to ward it off (so to speak): Work out your own salvation.

Inasmuch, then, as the work is ascribed to God and man in common, they assign half to each. In short, from the word work they derive free will; from the term salvation they derive the merit of eternal life.

I answer that salvation is taken to mean the entire course of our calling, and that this term includes all things by which God accomplishes that perfection to which He has predestined us by His gracious choice. This no one who is not obstinate and impudent will deny. We are said to perfect it when, under the regulation of the Spirit, we aspire after a life of blessedness.

It is God who calls us and offers us salvation; it is our part to embrace by faith what He gives, and by obedience act suitably to His calling. But we have neither of these from ourselves. Hence we act only when He has prepared us for acting.

The word which he employs properly signifies to continue until the end. But we must keep in mind what I have said: that Paul does not reason here about how far our ability extends, but simply teaches that God acts in us in such a manner that He, at the same time, does not allow us to be inactive, but exercises us diligently, after having stirred us up by a secret influence.