Work Out Your Salvation

Dear Friends,

Thought would like to start a thread with this question: What does it mean to work out your salvation with fear and trembling?

Phil 2:12
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, - ESV

Does the verse suggest that salvation needs to be worked for? Does the verse suggest that there are different ways in working out one's salvation? Are we to be in a constant state of fear and trembling as believers?


Do share your perspectives and how does it apply to you?

Would you be dissatisfied if I quoted the NLT? Here's how they understand Phil 2:12 (and verse 13):

Philippians 2:12-13 NLT - "Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him."

The short answer is "no," we are not to work out our salvation to get saved or even stay saved if one is saved already. Always read the context of what's going on in instead of isolating verses. Starting at vs 1, (and I'm going to highlight the main points) Paul wants the Philippian believers to be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose, vs2. What purpose?

Vs3, "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of your regard one another as more important than himself, i.e put others first. Vs4, "do not look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others. Paul then goes on to explain that believers should have the same attitude as Jesus Christ, (vs5).

Vs6, who, although He already existed as God He emptied Himself by taking the form of a bondservant/man. Vs8, And being found in the appearance as a man humbled Himself etc. The Apostle Paul is telling us to be like Christ who put others first even so far as coming down here and becoming a man/bond-servant to die for our salvation. This is the ultimate way of putting others first.

Now we come to vs12, "So then, my beloved just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in by absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;" Paul is saying work out the solution or DELIVERANCE pf your problems with fear and trembling. Why?

Vs 13, "for or because it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Vs14, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing; vs15, proving yourselves to be blameless in front of the world. We as Christians are even suppose to put others first, that are not Christians. You know, be examples of kindness and love your enemies. Does that make sense?

IN GOD THE SON,
bluto

Since salvation includes sanctification, Christians are to strive to walk in the Spirit daily (which includes good works) and shun all that is evil, sinful, and worldly ("the works of the flesh"). And this is called working out your salvation. "With fear and trembling" means to have the fear of God in your soul and to tremble at His Word, and what it says to you. To have reverence for God and Christ.

Hello again @Magpi89, you also had a question about the OT/Pauline phrase, "fear and trembling". Here's an excerpt from a commentary of mine that should be helpful (I'll include a little bit more about what it means to "work out" our salvation as well).


This is how I have come to understand "fear and trembling" in v12, IOW, that we (as we consider ALL that is involved and WHO it is who is involved) are to always, "work out our salvation" in "holy awe and wonder".

God bless you!

~Deut

So when Jesus completed his work on the cross, none of us here today that weren't born back then were saved? Seems to me he went to a lot of trouble to save all of the people that God gave to him. And Jesus assures us that not one of them was lost and that no one can take us out of his hand, not even ourselves.

People might be wondering how it is that Abraham is righteous because he believed. Well, gee, how'd that happen? Someone made that happen somehow ...

Belief is a fruit of the Lord's work on the cross. If you believe today, you were saved before the foundation of the world.

Hello OrphanedRepublican, where does that Bible tell us that we are "saved" before the foundation of the world? Are we not declared just by God/saved by His grace when we believe/when we come to saving faith

Thanks!

~Deut
p.s. - you broach an interesting topic, but it has little to do with this thread's OP. Perhaps creating a different thread would be the thing to do? (it would keep this one from being derailed) If you do, please let me know as I'd like to join in

Not at all. I think that sometimes different versions could express the same idea differently in the context of today's vocabulary and vernacular.

I'm also of the opinion that one should always go back to the original texts to see how it was written back then. I'm just used to ESV. haha

Hi Brother,

I almost misunderstood your first sentence. For the benefit of those reading this post, I think it is easy to get carried away by doing works to merit salvation. I think most religions in the world teach or advocate some kind of works-based salvation. But I think you are suggesting the contrary. If I might add, the cause-effect relationship of works vis-a-vis salvation is reversed for the Christian.

But won't you agree that the good works that a Christian is supposed to exhibit sometimes runs contrary to our nature. For example, it is sometimes easier to turn a blind eye to my own sins or the sins of others. Wouldn't this suggest that works sometimes might not come naturally to us as Christians and that some amount of effort on our part is still required.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." - ESV

Of course, one could say that I am enabled by the Holy Spirit to do good works as a Christian but it is sometimes not as easy as it sounds.

I agree with you that the key point that v12 is pointing to is Sanctification and not Justification. I think the rest of scriptures support a three-part view of Salvation: Justification, Sanctification, and lastly Glorification. I think this is an important point to note for the rest of the people reading this post.

I like the analogy of the working out our physical bodies - our bodies needs exercise for it to stay healthy. If I may extend your analogy, would you say that the Holy Spirit is like a Personal Trainer to help us 'keep fit'? haha

I think the verse below suggests that we are chosen and destined to be saved before the foundation of the world.

Ephesians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, - ESV

I think OrphanedRepublican is alluding to the question what was the proof of Salvation of the OT saints if Christ had not come yet. But I state categorically that the saving work of Christ on the cross is applicable for all believers, past, present and future, and it was one time sufficient for all. (i.e. Christ does not need to die twice for humanity's salvation).

Comments?

No one is saved by works, however after coming to our Savior, if we do nothing, we are like the wicked servant who buried his talent of gold in the soil only to recover it filthy when the master returned for it. Do not bury your faith in the soil, accept the works assigned you by God, for they are not yours but His.

All is for the glory of God.

PS, please keep always in the forefront of you mind and action that obedience to Jesus-Yeshua is not works rather it is our due, simple as that.

May I ask if this wicked servant had already received salvation?

If it is yes, then how would you reconcile with this verse?

Matt 25: 26-30
But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ -ESV

If it is no, then (i) what do talents in the parable mean and (ii) what does the parable imply when the Master (who is God) gives talents to the wicked servant?

It is a parable... It requires some thought. Perhaps even it re1uires meditation for some.

First thing to note that it is working "out" your salvation. You cannot work it out if you are not saved in the first place. What it means is that we need to be diligent, not complacent. We need to maintain what we have in Christ and we need to grow. That requires prayer, fellowship and study of God's word. The Christian life is not automatic. It requires us to take responsibility for our own walk and not delegate it to a pastor.

If we will seek the Lord, He will respond to us. If we get lazy or proud, we will stumble. God has already given us all that we need in Christ. But like a banquet is no use to us if we do not eat, so the wonderful salvation of God, with its many, many blessings, is useless to us if we do not feast on it. Some Christians will very much regret wasted opportunities in this life. It's all we get to prepare us for the next. Let's make the most of it.

This does not mean that we engage the power of the natural to do what we think God wants us to do. It means that we stay close to God and seek His will for our lives. We need to hand ourselves over to the lordship of Christ, so that His will gets done, not self will. Lord Jesus gave up all His rights as God and delighted to do God's will. We need also to come to that place. It's a process, but it starts when we dedicate ourselves to Lord Jesus.

Thanks excellent responce the winner for sure. i was like this untill i read your post. now im having eurika moment with a light bulb coming on lol.

simplicty is such a wonderful concept. thankyou for freeing my mind lol

God knows what is best for you and what is worst for you. fear of God.the worst for you must trembling.

Study the parable of the talents of Gold. Therein lies sthe response.