He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it. Phil. 1:6.

Paul calls conversion a good work. It ends a life of sin and darkness. We were without God in the world until Jesus came into our lives. But now we see love, mercy, righteousness, the gift of God to us. Such mercy as we could never imagine has come to us. Now we enjoy fellowship and communion with Him. We are His children, His friends.

Paul emphasizes the fact that it is God who begins this good work in us. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). God makes the first approach. He takes the first step. He is in all our lives "the first and the last," "the beginning and the ending," the "Alpha and Omega" (Rev. 1:8, 11). "God . . . worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Phil. 2:13).

The work of salvation is begun and continued by God, not by us. Let us not venture to do it ourselves. Of ourselves we could never begin it, nor could we continue it. Let us stand by God's Word. Let us be attentive to what God does and to what He says. Let us fear lest God may often have been willing to do His work in us, but we would not.

The work done by God and not by us—what an antidote to pride and self-righteousness this is! Who of us can fail to humble himself and say, "If God had not called me, I would not have come. If God had not worked this change in me, it would never have taken place. If God by His Spirit had not led me to a life of trust and obedience, I would have continued in my enmity against the law of God." Who of us can ever glory in himself?

What good news it is: He who hath begun the work will finish it in our lives. We will meet with many difficulties. There are many obstacles. But we have put our hand to the plow. We have fixed our eyes on the incorruptible riches of heaven. We seek not the glory that the world gives, but eternal glory with Christ. He will not suffer the enemy to regain his power over us so long as we commit our lives to Him. Let us not wander from God. Neglect not the study of God's Word. Let not our prayers become cold, less earnest, and less frequent. God has no intention of leaving us to perish.