Work Out Your Own Salvation

"Work" by Photomath

Even More Musings on Gospel Servanthood

Philippians 2:12-13

The main emphasis in this section of Philippians 2:1-18 is found in verses 3 and 4.  Here is a call to humility.  It is a call to be obedient by becoming humble before God in your dealings with one another.  It is a call to self-denial.  It is a call to consider others to be more important than you are and therefore to put their interests before your own.  Now this is not something that we naturally want to do.  We also do not have the capacity to do this.  We resist and come up with all kinds of objections.   Paul knew this and therefore he gives us three powerful incentives that help us to obey in this matter.  Here are our resources to take up and put on the servant’s garments.  The first is the impact the gospel should be having on our hearts (verse 1).  The second is the great two-fold example of Christ’s humble self-denial and his subsequent exaltation.  The third incentive comes from the fact that God is working in you.  This should promote within your heart a sense of godly fear and awe so that you will soberly and with determination be sure that you are in faith obeying this call.

The first question that may come to mind is what does Paul mean when he says that you are to work out your salvation?  There are two points that must be stressed.  First this salvation is something that you already possess.  You cannot work out what you do not already have.  Second, you are to work out your salvation not work for your salvation.  Paul is not teaching that justification, reconciliation or adoption, which are necessary gifts of salvation that come from Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, are to be worked for or earned.    Nor can you work or earn the gift of the new birth that produces by the presence of the Holy Spirit saving faith in your heart so that you trust in Jesus Christ for your forgiveness and justification.   What he is saying is that when it comes to your maturity, growth, endurance in faith and sanctification you have a part to play. 

You work out your salvation as you in faith press toward obeying God.  You work out your salvation by putting on a heart of humility and seeking to serve others for their good.  You work out your salvation by being sure you cultivate your faith in Christ and obey him.  You are justified by faith in Christ alone but true faith never remains alone but expresses itself through love.  You are justified by faith alone but you mature in personal holiness (you are sanctified) by faith in Christ, which leads to obedience.   You are sanctified as you in faith work out your salvation.  

There is a connection then between humility and obedience here.  In fact Paul is calling you to be obedient by cultivating humility.  There can be no humility (and hence obedience) apart from maturing in Christ.  You have a relationship with Christ but are you maturing in that relationship?  

The manner or frame of heart by which you are to do this includes the following responses and motives.

1.      You are not to do this with a concern to please or impress other people.  This is especially the case with your leaders.  God gives you elders and teachers to help you grow and to whom you are to be accountable but you are not to obey only or simply when you are with them.  

2.      You are to seek to cultivate humility and obedience in working out your salvation with fear and trembling because God is working in you.   Fear and trembling are not due to craven fear of condemnation but a holy love for the august majesty and glory of God.  If you have such fear due to you knowing that God is actually working in your life then this is a strong incentive to a life of humble self-denial and obedience as a servant for Jesus’ sake.

3.      You are to work out your salvation knowing that God is working in you to give you two gifts.  He works in you so that you have the desire and inclination to obey him and he works in you so that you have the ability to obey him.  Both are necessary if you are to work out your salvation.  You would not be able to work out your salvation if he were not working in you to will and to do!

4.      Finally, you are to work out your salvation with the heart’s desire to honor and promote the pleasure of God.  God works in you for his good pleasure.  He takes pleasure in the process of this work and it its final completion.  You are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works and as such you are called to work under him and for his pleasure.

Your personal maturity in Christ is cultivated as you work out your own salvation.  This produces in your heart a growing humility toward others and before God.  This leads to greater unity in your relationships and in the church and with this a more significant impact on the world in which we find ourselves as a colony of heaven’s citizens.  Pray that the Lord will speak to your heart and encourage you to pour everything that you can into doing your part in working out your own salvation, which is seen in the lifestyle of a humble and loving servant of the Gospel.