5. Passages that express confidence, for the writer or his readers, that “God will perfect the work He has begun” in them are expressing confidence in what God will do, from His side, assuming that the persons spoken about continue in faith. This applies to Philippians 1:6 and 2 Thessalonians 3:3, for example, where Paul’s readers are referred to; and to 2 Timothy 1:12; 4:18 where Paul refers to himself. 6. While it is true that 1 Peter 1:5 expresses confidence in God’s power as the means of keeping,