Work Out Your Own Salvation

[dreadnought]

One works out their own salvation firstly in fear and trembling and then in obedience and fidelity to the teaching of Christ. Goodness is the fruit that the faithful seek to cultivate in themselves by means of the grace of God and the graces that God gives in the Church and in creation. In short if you keep the Lord's commandments, you will abide in God's love, just as the Lord Jesus Christ kept his Father's commandments and abides in God's love.

"If you keep the Lord's commandments ..." This is how I look at it.

 

[dreadnought]

God's commands aren't just about making sure that we stay out of trouble, but rather they are about teaching us to reflect God's attributes, such as holiness, righteousness, goodness (Romans 7:12), justice, mercy, faithfulness (Matthew 23:23), love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control (Exodus 34:6-7). Living according to those attributes will keep us out of trouble, but it is more growing in an intimate relationship with him where we learn to walk in God's image.

When I was young, I thought that when I sinned, I hurt someone. Now I believe that when I sin, I hurt myself.

 

[Marvin Knox]

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV
So how does one work out their own salvation?

Salvation is a very inclusive word.

It includes, of course, the basic translation of the elect into the Kingdom of God from out of the kingdom of this world. But then it also includes the renewing of our minds to mesh with the mind of Christ who is now ingrained in our being as well as our old nature.

We yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit as we cooperate with Him to bring us into a state of sanctification.

These yieldings are in respect to things He has determined beforehand to be necessary in order to sanctify us body and soul as well as in the Spirit - which has been already been sanctified (or set aside for God's purposes).

He is the one who, in His predestinating decree has decided what will be done, or as some would have it, allowed to be done.

 

[dqhall]

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV

So how does one work out their own salvation?

If you pray for work to do, expect God might put you to work, else go back and study the sacred scriptures again and try to correct where you failed.

I remember an old saying something like this: "If you pray for a blessing and God sends rain, pick up a hoe and chop the weeds in your garden."

Galatians 6:7-9 (KJV)
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

When I was young, I thought that when I sinned, I hurt someone. Now I believe that when I sin, I hurt myself.

Sin hurts God, ourselves, and others.

Sin is done towards God ultimately:
When David committed adultery and murder, and he was convicted of his sin, David said, "I have sinned against the LORD." (2 Samuel 12:13).

Sin is against ourselves and can have dire consequences to our soul (if not repented of):
Matthew 5:28-30 says if we look upon a woman in lust, we are in danger of hell fire.
1 John 3:15 says if we do not love the brethren, there is no eternal life abiding in us.
1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (Which is followed by forsaking sin or the fruits of repentance: See 1 John 1:7 and Proverbs 28:13).

Sin is against others:
Paul says in Romans 13:8-10 that loving your neighbor is tied to the moral law. So if we are breaking the moral law, we are also breaking the 2nd commandment to love our neighbor.

 

[St_Worm2]

...how does one work out their own salvation?

Hi DN, Philippians is written specifically to believers* (which is also true of v12-13, of course), so I think it's important to point out that St. Paul is admonishing us to "work out" that which we have already come to possess, our salvation .. e.g. John 5:24.

He's not telling us to "work at" or "work up" or "work for" our salvation (to gain it or to keep it), rather, he's telling us that we need to carefully and consistently work out our faith/growth in Christlikeness alongside of the One who 1. saved us in the first place and 2. promised to continue the mighty work He began in us to see us through this life to Glory .. e.g. Philippians 1:6, 2:13).

Our salvation is a gracious one, based on the works Christ did for us, His life, His death on the Cross, and His Resurrection (His innocence, His righteousness, and His atoning sacrifice), and not on the basis of anything that "we" do. IOW, we are saved by grace through faith unto the doing of good works, not because them.

Nor do we work at/for maintaining our salvation because, again, we are saved by grace through faith, not because of the works we do or fail to do .. Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5 cf Romans 4:5.

I apologize for taking your thread slightly afield in saying this, but it seems like a good idea to make these points whenever v12 is being discussed.

Yours and His,
David

​

*(So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence ... work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. ~Phil 2:12-13)

 

[Penny Feeley]

1 Peter 4: 1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.

 

[Penny Feeley]

The son of man had to be crucified for the sake of all of mankind due to our sins. For Jesus was made a little lower then the angels for are sakes. He had to suffer and rise on the third day because even the Apostle's didn't believe or remember he had said that. Whoever believes Jesus is the son of God through faith are blessed eternally and will have everlasting life

 

[Paulus59]

Something on the topic I copied & pasted from gotquestions.org

Question: "What does it mean to work out salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)?"

Answer: In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul writes, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his purpose.”

This text is often misused to instill fear into people, warning them that it means that they can lose salvation. What does it mean to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? Paul can hardly be encouraging believers to live in a continuous condition of nervousness and anxiety. That would contradict his many other exhortations to peace of mind, courage, and confidence in the God who authors our salvation. The Greek word translated "fear" in this context can equally mean "reverence" or "respect." Paul uses the same phrase in (2 Corinthians 7:15) where he refers to Titus as being encouraged by the Corinthians’ reception of him “with fear and trembling,” that is, with great humility and respect for his position as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul himself came to the Corinthian church in “weakness and fear, and with much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3), mindful of the great and awesome nature of the work in which he was engaged.

The sense in which we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is twofold. First, the Greek verb rendered “work out” means "to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition." We do this by actively pursuing obedience in the process of sanctification, which Paul explains further in the next chapter of Philippians. He describes himself as “straining” and “pressing on” toward the goal of Christlikeness (Philippians 3:13-14). The “trembling” he experiences is the attitude Christians are to have in pursuing this goal—a healthy fear of offending God through disobedience and an awe and respect for His majesty and holiness. "Trembling" can also refer to a shaking due to weakness, but this is a weakness of higher purpose, one which brings us to a state of dependency on God. Obedience and submission to the God we revere and respect is our “reasonable service” (Romans 12:1-2) and brings great joy. Psalm 2:11 sums it up perfectly: “Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.” We work out our salvation by going to the very source of our salvation—the Word of God—wherein we renew our hearts and minds (Romans 12:1-2), coming into His presence with a spirit of reverence and awe.

 

[redleghunter]

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV

So how does one work out their own salvation?

I think your tagline has an answer.

 

[GingerBeer]

There is nothing scary in the passage nor is there anything scary in the gospel because the gospel is a message of hope and because it is good news. Nevertheless for the wicked even the gospel is cause for unhealthy fear because they have no intention of obeying Christ nor any desire to obey him. But for those who believe and seek to enter the kingdom of God the gospel is good news and a source of unmitigated joy. Working out one's own salvation in fear and trembling is good news to those who desire to work the good works of God and who fear and tremble only at the thought unintended harm done through mistakes. Their fears are not of terrible punishments to come but rather of hurting those who have not yet come to Christ. There is a hymn that says "trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey" and that lyric summarises the work of salvation in the soul of Christians very well.

 

[mikeforjesus]

Just my thoughts and opinion
Jeremiah verse you quoted (Jeremiah 31:33) should be kept in mind in my opinion.
Finding salvation is impossible and is a very hard struggle tending to failure without the Holy Spirit
You need to be filled with the Spirit
When you are really accepting the gospel or the full jesus in your heart the Holy Spirit will fill your heart to show you exactly what you must do and you have to obey. After a while the heart becomes dull and you lose your first love and you need filling of the Holy Spirit again

For the bad Christian Christ will come when they are not ready because they delay repentance but jesus said even the disciples have to watch and pray He said what I say to you I say to all watch

The Son of man comes at an hour you do not expect but the good faithful servant is watching for His master earnestly for jesus said He will come soon for the good therefore they only worried they are not good. Jesus said when these things begin to happen lift up your head for your redemption draws near. Therefore the aim should always be to be waiting without feeling burdened. The good Christian will looking forward to His return for love of God watch patiently in joy that God has promised to come soon for them and they won't be discouraged however long it takes

Therefore happy is the servant who is happily watchful waiting for His master

If He knows they can endure it He may come later for some to give them greater reward as someone who saved more souls

 

[Bible Highlighter]

1 Peter 4: 1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.

Not sure what version that is, but the trusty KJV that existed hundreds of years before the Modern Translations says,

1 “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:1-2).

It is saying we should suffer as Christ has suffered. For he that suffers has ceased from. Verse 2 says that "he" (which is us believers) should not live the rest of our time here on Earth to the lusts of flesh (sin) but to the will of God (righteousness or holy living).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

This is insanity. People are trying to rewrite what Philippians 2:12 says because they don't like what it says.

..work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12).

Context.

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;" (Philippians 2:15).

Are you blameless amongst a crooked and perverse nation whereby you are shining as a light to the world?

Believers are to shine as a lights to the world in conduct. That is how they are to know that we are Christ's disciples.

For Jesus says,

"You give glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit and therefore show that you are my disciples." (John 15:8 GW).

Job 28:28 says,

“...Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
‭‭
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

One trembles because they are in fear for themselves.

 

[Brian Mcnamee]

Pray constantly.

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV

So how does one work out their own salvation?

this is a good passage as we are saved for a reason and purpose. The idea of working it out in fear and trembling is something that is an odd statement. It might be paraphrased work it out with reverence for God and effort. You see when ever a person like Isaiah is brought before God is a vision they fall down recognizing the Holiness of God and there sin. We are saved and indeed will be in God's presence. We are saved to then serve the LORD in this life and not live if for our own ambitions. This is working out our salvation that we might live a good and pleasing life for the LORD and be useful towards advancing the faith. This means we will have an effective life because we did not settle on just being saved but pushed on towards maturity and service. This is Gods good pleasure.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

"And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." (Jude 1:23).

 

[Bible Highlighter]

So no. Fear means fear. Why tremble if one is not afraid?

 

[Blade]

Well one could get the wrong idea so to speak if we didnt know what He meant by "fear"..which means "reverence" or "respect". You continually work at it.. you keep going. You pray.. you read you study..if you sin or fall.. you get up repent dust off and keep going, you work out your own salvation.

No one can do this for me. Though working out your own salvation is not works = saved. And its not ..we just can believe on Jesus WOOT were saved.. and then do nothing. He said draw near to me I will draw near to you.

You read you study. One should never just take MANS word for it. Each one of us read the bible and then each one of us then tell YOU what GOD was REALLY saying. Strange how many time EACH one of us dont agree huh lol. JESUS is real.. you seek the TRUTH.. you will ALWAYS find Him..that ROAD does not lead to any other truth but HIM. For there is no other way. So.. rejoice.. be at peace.. there is nothing to fear... you ASK and then wait.. You ask.. He will always answer.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Well one could get the wrong idea so to speak if we didnt know what He meant by "fear"..which means "reverence" or "respect". You continually work at it.. you keep going. You pray.. you read you study..if you sin or fall.. you get up repent dust off and keep going, you work out your own salvation.

No one can do this for me. Though working out your own salvation is not works = saved. And its not ..we just can believe on Jesus WOOT were saved.. and then do nothing. He said draw near to me I will draw near to you.

You read you study. One should never just take MANS word for it. Each one of us read the bible and then each one of us then tell YOU what GOD was REALLY saying. Strange how many time EACH one of us dont agree huh lol. JESUS is real.. you seek the TRUTH.. you will ALWAYS find Him..that ROAD does not lead to any other truth but HIM. For there is no other way. So.. rejoice.. be at peace.. there is nothing to fear... you ASK and then wait.. You ask.. He will always answer.

"And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28).

I believe this is pretty clear that this verse is talking about fear. For Jesus is saying to not fear those who can kill the body and He is not saying, do not reverence those who kill the body. So yes. We are to fear the Lord. Not sure how many times the Bible makes this fact clear (that people deny it).

People "tremble" because they are in fear and not because they are reverencing something. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. People fear those who can kill them. This is related to fearing Christ (God) who can destroy both body and soul in hell or Gehenna (i.e. the Lake of Fire).

 

[Anguspure]

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-13 RSV

So how does one work out their own salvation?

It seems to me that this is an admonition for each of us to understand and encounter Christ Jesus for ourselves rather than placing reliance on the understanding and relationship of another for our salvation.
Paul is not hereby making the implication that our salvation is attained by works.