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"Holding fast the word of life..."

Text: Philippians 2:16

A NECESSARY WORD

The apostle Paul concluded this word about working out our salvation with this text.

“Holding fast the word of life,
so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ
that I have not run in vain or laboured in vain.”

Philippians 2:16

1. “The word of life”

a) This is an essential reference to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

b) Paul was deeply committed to the preaching and furtherance of the gospel.

c) He calls the gospel “the word of life” here.

i) It is a reference to the word of God.

ii) The gospel-word brings eternal life to those who believe in Christ for salvation.

2. “Holding fast the word of life”

a) The word of God was not meant to be set aside after salvation is obtained.

b) The believer must ever seek to hold fast to the word of life.

c) He may count on the Lord to work alongside.

i) He will continue to cause us to will.

ii) And to do.

3. “The day of Christ”

a) Once again Paul mentions “the day of Christ”.

b) The Return of the Lord Jesus was very real to him.

c) Christ’s return was always imminent to the apostle.

4. “In vain”

a) The word in Greek literally means “empty” (“kenos”).

b) Paul described his life’s work in two ways here:-

i) As “a race”

ii) As his “labour”

c) He desired that his work in the Philippian church might not be in vain.

d) If the Philippians held fast to the word of life that Paul had taught them, then his labour for God would not be in vain.