Work Out Your Own Salvation

Man’s Part

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. – Philippians 2:12-13

Is salvation all God’s doing, all the believer’s doing or a combination of both? Is God alone active in the pursuit of the salvation of man’s soul? Or are there things God expects man to do in seeking salvation. One theologian argued, “no one does come to God until God reaches down by grace…Even if every generation of mankind and every city and village on earth had a John the Baptist to point to Jesus Christ and to call us to him, apart from the supernatural work of God in human hearts no one would come.” However, Philippians 2:12-13 teaches that we are partners with God in pursuit of our personal salvation from sin. It shows that both God and sinner function in perfect harmony by fulfilling their respective parts in the Scheme of Redemption.

■ Following Christ’s Example

While studying the Bible, whenever one comes across “therefore” they need to stop and ask what the “therefore” is there for. Paul begins verse twelve with “therefore”. It refers back to the example of Jesus Christ in verses five and eight: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, …He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Christ obeyed; therefore, we must also obey. Christ both humbled Himself and became obedient even to the point of death by crucifixion. God therefore exalted Him.

■ With Brotherly Love

Paul begins with one of his standard expressions of endearment toward the brethren at Philippi calling them “my beloved,” (2:12b). Affectionately he calls upon them to remember Christ’s example and their past obedience to Him.

■ Continual Obedience

As they have obeyed God in the past they must continue to do so in the present: “as you have always obeyed” (2:12c). They had started a good habit and needed to continue in it. The Greek term for “obeyed” is hupakouo. This verb is made up from the preposition hupo and the verb akouo (from which is derived the English word for “acoustics”). It demands them to listen up to what God commands with a view to acting upon His commands. They were in the habit of doing this. In fact, hupakous was necessary to be saved from eternal punishment (2 Th. 1:8) and be saved from sin (cf. Rom. 6:17; 1 Pet. 1:2). Are you still listening to God’s commandments?

■ Sincere Obedience

Paul knew that they were listening to God with sincere obedience because they were obedient “not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence” (2:12d). Paul’s future was uncertain, and there was no guarantee that he would see them again. Earlier he told them, “only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). He could be freed from prison shortly or be executed.

Paul knew all too well that there were different motives for obedience. There are those who obey only in the presence of others. They do so out of “eye-service” (Col 3:22). Those who have a genuine faith obey God whether they are with others or alone. Obedience is done to please God. Paul had taught them the Gospel and expected them to be obedient whether present with them or absent. Their faith had to grow to the point that they were not dependent upon Paul’s presence for their continued faithfulness. The same is true of a child. Parents need to be present when the child is young to ensure they are listening. However, parents hope their children will one day mature to the point they will no long have to keep such a close eye on them.

■ On-going Faithfulness

Salvation has three time dimensions; past, present and future. There was the time when one was saved at the point of believing and being baptized (Mark 16:16). This salvation was in the past. There is the need to be saved in connection to the Day of the Lord’s return (1 Cor. 5:5; 3:15; Rom. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5;9). Peter put it this way: “receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9). This is eternal salvation which is coming in the future. But between the time one was saved from their sins and was born again, and the time Christ comes back to take us to Heaven for our eternal salvation, we must make sure we are saved in the present time. “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).

Paul is telling them to continue to daily “work out your own salvation” (2:12e). Not “work for your own salvation” as if salvation were a matter of doing something to earn it. Salvation is a gift given by the grace of God. It is the unmerited favor given. However, salvation initially comes with conditions and with continued obligations and effort on the receiver’s part. If someone were to give you a field with diamonds it would be of incalculable worth. However, you could not benefit from the riches of that gift unless you worked in the field recovering them. To “work out” means to “keep on working out to completion, to ultimate fulfillment.” Continued obedience is a daily requirement. Just because one was saved yesterday and hopes to be saved in eternity does not mean he can quit working in the present.

■ Personally Responsible

No one can be saved for us. It is our “own salvation” (2:12f). At the time of the writing of this letter to the Philippians they already possessed salvation. However, baptism is not the end point but the beginning point of being saved. Every Christians must personally work out his own salvation. Even the apostle Paul could not listen to God with a view to save them. Each Christian has to do their own listening and obeying.

■ Reverently & Seriously

Paul explains the manner in which they are to work out their salvation: “with fear and trembling” (2:12g). It is the Greek term phobos which is translated “fear”. Our English word phobia finds its origins in this term. This fear is in reference to reverence of the Lord. The “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of knowledge and will cause one to hate evil as well as prompts one to depart from evil (Prov. 1:7; 8:13;16:6). “Trembling” is from tromos which refers to shaking and is the word from which the English word “tremor” is derived. It describes one’s physical response to being afraid. These two show an abandonment of all complacency about one’s salvation. Taking both God and the condition of their soul very seriously.

Since this verse clearly shows the possibility of a Christian failing to remain faithful and maintain salvation, it goes against the doctrine of Calvinism. Calvin believed “once saved, always saved”. Christians can fall from grace. They can neglect their salvation and be lost. It they can never lose this salvation why the need for “fear and trembling”? Why trouble with repentance of sin and prayer for forgiveness? Salvation is essential for making it to Heaven and we need to take our salvation very seriously.

God’s Part

In Phllippians 2:12 is seen man’s part in salvation. He is to begin by listening to God with continued obedience while following Christ’s example of humble, sincere and on-going faithfulness. One must take personal responsibility for their own soul’s salvation and do so with reverence and seriousness. Verse thirteen now speaks of God’s role in man’s salvation.

• Indwelling

Verse thirteen supplies a reason for the exhortation of verse twelve: “for it is God who works in you” (2:13a). Paul is reminding them salvation is not attained by man’s efforts or on the merit of his goodness. The true God is not like the distant, indifferent and impersonal pagan gods. In the Bible, He is described with all the aspects of a friendly and loving person. “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11). David understood the Lord’s continual presence with him (Ps. 23).

God is so close to us that He is said to dwell in the saints. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16). “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Cor. 6:19). “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people” (2 Cor. 6:16). God is always there to help us along. God is our “co-pilot” or better yet our wingman.

• Energizing

God does not just dwell in us, but He “works in you” (2:13b). Paul makes a play on words by using the word “work” twice. We work out and God works in us for our salvation. This is not said in support of the Calvinist’s doctrine of “irresistible grace.” That is God works directly by way of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of the sinner to “force” him to believe and be saved by God’s grace. Does God work directly upon the human heart, or does He work through such agency as the revealed Word? Man has the free-will listen and obey or reject God’s offer of salvation.

Man does need God’s help for he cannot be saved without Him. God wants man to do his part, and He is going to help him or energize him through the Word. Paul wrote, “to this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Col. 1:29).

How does God work in us? Paul did not find it necessary to explain how. Many things come into play, such as, various human agents (2 Cor. 1:3-7); answering prayers (Acts 6:4); sufferings (1 Pet. 4:12-19) and the Word. “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 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). God is like the energizer bunny in that He is the power source in every saint. After all, “work” here is from the Greek energeo from which we get the term “energy”. Remember, an electric razor is not going to cut whiskers without having a power source.

• Motivating Us

Because God is working, we are working. God wants us to have the “will” (2:13c) to work. How does God motivate us to get busy? The love of Christ is a force which causes us to do His will. God is holy and this motivates men to strive to be holy.  Believe it or not, the fear of going to hell motivates man to reject the “wages of sin” which is death. (Rom. 6:23) In the end, comes the second death. (Rev. 21:8) “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24).

• Enabling Us

God does not just want man to be motivated to work but to actually get to work. He enables us “both to will and to do” (2:13d). The will to do must precede the doing. In Nehemiah’s day, the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt in the mere fifty-two days because the people had a mind or will to do the work. A proper motivation results in godly work. Man and God are a team when it comes to working out an individual’s salvation. God is the Husbandman who tends the branches, but it is up to us whether or not we are willing to bear fruit. Apart from an abiding relationship with Christ, there can be no fruitfulness (John 15:4-7). “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).

• Pleasing

Man’s salvation gives God “His good pleasure” (2:13e). Man needs to be motivated to work. What is God’s motivation to working out our salvation? The great satisfaction and joy He receives from seeing His children on the path back to be home with Him in Heaven. All saints need to live to bring pleasure to our God. “That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10). God began to work toward our salvation from eternity and began to do so individually when we first were born again. Paul wants them to be reassured “that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).  The “day of Jesus Christ” is the Second Coming. God is waiting to send Christ back but is waiting to do so because He wants all men to be saved. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

No man can save himself. He cannot work to earn salvation. Once the sinner is saved by grace through faith, he must continue to work and walk according to the will of God for his continued and future salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10). Even free gifts must be kept safe lest they be lost. God and man work together to make sure what was given as a gift by grace is not lost.

Noah found grace before God. He was not saved by grace alone. He still had to build the ark and get on the ark to be saved. The Israelites were saved by God in the parting of the Rea Sea. God did His part in parting the waters, but they had to do their part by crossing over to the other side to find salvation from Egyptian bondage (Ex.14:13-14;15-16). Naaman was cured by God of his leprosy. However, he was not saved from this terminal disease until he listened to Elisha the Prophet and dipped seven times in the waters of the river Jordan. When the man born blind washed in the pool of Siloam (John 9:1-12), that did not make him his own healer. Jesus alone had the power to heal not the water. However, if the blind man had not listened to Jesus and washed in the pool, he would not have been saved from blindness.

On the Day of Pentecost, Peter preached a sermon of condemnation on those Jews present. They were guilty of crucifying the Son of God. Being “pricked in their heart”, asked Peter “what shall we do?” They showed faith but were not forgiven until they “gladly received his word and were baptized” (Acts 2:41). They were not saved by the waters of baptism any more than Noah, the Israelites, Naaman or the blind man were saved by the water. All of them had to do their part in “working out their own salvation”!

– Daniel R. Vess