Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
Week 20: Chapter 19 — He Who Began a Good Work
Read Chapter 19 of Gentle and Lowly. Primary Scripture: Philippians 1:6; John 10:27–29.
This chapter asks the question that haunts many sincere believers: What if I don't finish well? What if I fall away? Ortlund turns to the promise of God's preserving work to answer this fear with the same gentle assurance that has run through the whole book.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Philippians 1:6 says, "He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Ortlund anchors the believer's perseverance not in their ability to hold on but in Christ's determination to complete what he started. How does this reframe the question of "Will I make it?" into a different question entirely?
2.John 10:28–29 records Jesus saying that no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand — or out of the Father's hand. The double protection (Son's hand and Father's hand) is striking. What does this layered security say about how seriously God takes the keeping of his people?
3.Ortlund addresses the tension between the doctrine of perseverance and the many biblical warnings against falling away (e.g., Hebrews 6). How does he hold these together? Is the doctrine of perseverance a guarantee of complacency, or is it the only basis for genuine fighting against sin?
a.Have you ever used "once saved, always saved" as a reason to be less vigilant about sin? How does this chapter correct that misuse?
b.Alternatively, have you feared falling away in a way that has produced anxiety rather than faith? How does Philippians 1:6 speak to that fear?
Closing Prayer
Full guideGet the Complete 25-Week Study Guide
All 155 discussion questions, weekly reading schedule, closing prayers, and a downloadable PDF for your group.
Get Your Guide — $24.99