God Is at Work: The End of Human Boasting


2:13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.


After commanding us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, Paul informs us that God is at work in us giving us both the will (desire) and the umph! (power) to do it.


We already saw one great value in being told this: knowing there is power from God to help us work out our salvation encourages us to step out in obedience. But there is another reason the knowledge of God’s working in us behind the scenes is valuable: it eliminates boasting.


Obedience can produce pride: "God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get." (Luke 18:11-12)


But once we understand that God is at work producing every bit of obedience and faith that we have, we can no longer take the credit. After we obey we don’t take the credit for ourselves but give the credit to God, who alone can move a sinner to obey. Once we have obeyed, we know that our obedience was something He did in us. He commands us to obey, we obey, and then we say, " You did it, Lord!" And when we say that we are speaking the truth. He is the one who did it. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is at work within you giving you the desire and the power to achieve His purpose."


"What do you have that you did not receive? And if you have received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1Cor.4:7)


This also means that it is wrong for us to accept praise for others and then keep it. Every bit of praise that comes our way is a gift of God He has given for us to use to worship Him. It does not rightly belong to us. Ultimately He deserves all the credit. The reason we get crowns is to lay them at His feet.


Heavenly Father, I praise You that You have chosen to work in me, in spite of my pride. Forgive me for taking credit for things that You did. I love glory and praise, Lord, even if it has to come from myself. Forgive me for not giving proper recognition where it was due. You, O Lord, deserve ALL the praise. You have done everything ; I have done nothing. Every act of faith, every obedient move I’ve made, has been a result of Your gracious work in me. If I had been left to myself, I would have done nothing but sin. To You be all the glory!