FIRST QUARTER 2026
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #5
JANUARY 31, 2026
"SHINING AS LIGHTS IN THE NIGHT".

 

Paul was a prisoner in chains, living under house arrest in Rome when he wrote his letter to the Philippians.  Yet rather than appearing grieved about his confinement, we find his “Epistle of Joy” brimming with gratitude, optimism, peace, and love.  And what was the reason for Paul’s rejoicing?  Paul had an experiential understanding of the Cross of Christ.  He knew “whom he believed” (2 Timothy 1:12) and was committed to preaching the gospel, of which he was not ashamed “for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Rom. 1:16, NKJV).

Paul’s hymn of praise in Philippians 2 majestically encapsulates the gospel.  The cross of Christ shines through in all its glorious excellence here.  What incomprehensible, self-sacrificing, and condescending love!    

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11, NKJV).    

There is an expression, “context is everything,” and this holds true for the Bible passage we will consider this week. The rest of Philippians 2 is best understood in the context of this Christ Hymn which exalts our Savior who emptied himself for our sakes.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV).

“Therefore my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.  Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:12-16, NKJV).

All of Paul’s letters carry overtones of a father addressing his beloved children.  The church is a family, and the Philippian believers are Paul’s children in the faith.  In his epistle he expresses a fatherly interest and concern for the church in Philippi. 

Paul’s earnest desire was that these converts to Christianity be rooted and grounded in the faith.  Paul planned to send Timothy, his co-laborer and son in the gospel, to encourage them, and so he himself might be encouraged upon hearing how they were faring.  Paul had already sent Epaphroditus, his brother, fellow worker, and soldier in the faith so that the Philippian believers might rejoice and not sorrow (Philippians 2:19-30).  The apostle placed the needs and comforts of others above his own because “love seeks not its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5).  

Paul counseled the Philippians to receive the mind of Christ and reflect their Savior’s love to others. They (as we are to do) were to demonstrate what the gospel had done for them.  

In Paul’s absence, they were to “work out their own salvation with fear and trembling” remembering “It is God who is at work in you to will and to accomplish His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12, 13, NKJV). 

Ellen White shares the following insights on this portion of Philippians.

“These words were recorded for the help of every striving soul.  Paul holds up the standard of perfection and shows how it may be reached.  ‘Work out your own salvation,’ he says, ‘for it is God which worketh in you.’

“The work of gaining salvation is one of copartnership, a joint operation.  There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner.  This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character.  Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection.  But he is wholly dependent upon God for success.  Human effort of itself is not sufficient.  Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing.  God works and man works.  Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God.  On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness.

“God wishes us to have mastery over ourselves.  But He cannot help us without our consent and co-operation.  The divine Spirit works through the powers and faculties given to man.  Of ourselves, we are not able to bring the purposes and desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are willing to be made willing, the Savior will accomplish this for us, ‘Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:25.

“He who would build up a strong, symmetrical character, he who would be a well-balanced Christian, must give all and do all for Christ; for the Redeemer will not accept divided service.  Daily he must learn the meaning of self-surrender.  He must study the word of God, learning its meaning and obeying its precepts.  Thus he may reach the standard of Christian excellence.  Day by day God works with him, perfecting the character that is to stand in the time of final test.  And day by day the believer is working out before men and angels a sublime experiment, showing what the gospel can do for fallen human beings.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 482-483.

I find wonderful encouragement in the above words of inspiration.  We are weak, sinful, and helpless.  Our human effort is insufficient.  The good news is that success is not dependent upon what we can do ourselves but upon a God of infinite wisdom, compassion, and power.  If we are willing to be made willing the Savior accomplishes His glorious ideal for us his children.

Christ’s followers can live a life without blame or fault because they are children of the King.  They have been divinely adopted.  Through God’s great and precious promises, they are partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world (2 Peter 1:4).  As children of their Heavenly Father, they are called to reflect God’s glory in a sin darkened world.   

“We have nothing in ourselves of which to boast.  We have no ground for self-exaltation.  Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 63.

Though it seems paradoxical, E. J. Waggoner ties “work out your own salvation” with rest.

“The Divine command is, ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ Philippians 2:12, 13.  Our work is to rest in Him, and He becomes responsible for the results.  Thus in labor we find our rest, and heaven begins on earth to those who have God for their portion.”—E. J. Waggoner, Signs of the Times, February 23, 1893, p. 52.

Waggoner’s understanding harmonizes with Jesus’s own words.  

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30, NKJV).

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29, NKJV).

“No other light ever has shone or ever will shine upon fallen man save that which emanates from Christ.  Jesus, the Savior, is the only light that can illuminate the darkness of a world lying in sin.  Of Christ it is written, ‘In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.’ John 1:4.  It was by receiving of His life that His disciples could become light bearers.  The life of Christ in the soul, His love revealed in the character, would make them the light of the world.

“Humanity has in itself no light.  Apart from Christ we are like an unkindled taper, like the moon when her face is turned away from the sun; we have not a single ray of brightness to shed into the darkness of the world.  But when we turn toward the Sun of righteousness, when we come in touch with Christ, the whole soul is aglow with the brightness of the divine presence.”—Ellen G. White, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp. 39, 40.

“As morality declines all around us and conditions on earth become increasingly dark, God calls for His people to shine.”—Clinton Wahlen, Uniting Heaven and Earth, Christ in Philippians and Colossians, p. 49. 

“Among earth’s inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal.  Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people…God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to His law.  Even now they are appearing in every nation, among every tongue and people; and in the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan’s supreme effort is made to cause ‘all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond,’ to receive, under penalty of death, the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, these faithful ones, ‘Blameless and harmless, sons of God, without rebuke,’ will shine as lights in the world.’ (Revelation 13:16; Philippians 2:15).  The darker the night the more brilliantly will they shine.”—Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 188. 

Several years ago I visited a family who lived in a small log cabin on the outskirts of a rural mountain community.  My friends and I enjoyed a pleasant time together and the visit extended rather late into the evening.  It was close to midnight when I left.  I have never forgotten the sight that greeted me after stepping outside into the cold winter night.  The sky was ablaze with lights!  I do not remember before or since seeing the night so brilliantly lit up.  Heaven seemed very near, and the sight of the star filled sky was truly breathtaking.

“Arise, shine; For your light has come!  And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you and His glory will be seen upon you (Isaiah 60:1, 2, NKJV).

“The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love.  The children of God are to manifest His glory.  In their own life and character, they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them. —Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 415, 416. 

“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3, NKJV).

~Martha Ruggles