Work Out Your Salvation
Php 2:12,13 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 good purpose.
Paul doesn't say, "Work for your salvation." There is no work you can do to earn salvation. In fact "the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:5 But while we don't work for salvation, it is inevitable that our works will reveal the kind of faith we have. The faith that saves is an application oriented faith, and not simply a mental ascent to an idea. The faith that saves is not simply a mental agreement with what God said. Rather it is something which is taken to heart and as such will inevitably reveal itself by one's actions. The faith that saves is the faith that works. It's not a faith in works, but rather a faith that works.
What does the fear and trembling have to do with but with one's feeling of assurance of salvation. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2Peter 1:5-11 These are examples of working out your salvation.
And Paul writes, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2Cor 13:5 And what is that test but the working out of the applications of one's faith - applications such as loving the brethren and doing what is right. For "this is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1John 3:10
This is the kind of rhetoric used in the New Testament to encourage Christians to apply their faith. And those of the faith in whom the Spirit of God dwells take such words to heart with fear and trembling. Through the Spirit and through such exhortations God does the work of sanctifying us from sin, which is good.
Php 2:12,13 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 good purpose.
Paul doesn't say, "Work for your salvation." There is no work you can do to earn salvation. In fact "the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." Rom 4:5 But while we don't work for salvation, it is inevitable that our works will reveal the kind of faith we have. The faith that saves is an application oriented faith, and not simply a mental ascent to an idea. The faith that saves is not simply a mental agreement with what God said. Rather it is something which is taken to heart and as such will inevitably reveal itself by one's actions. The faith that saves is the faith that works. It's not a faith in works, but rather a faith that works.
What does the fear and trembling have to do with but with one's feeling of assurance of salvation. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2Peter 1:5-11 These are examples of working out your salvation.
And Paul writes, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2Cor 13:5 And what is that test but the working out of the applications of one's faith - applications such as loving the brethren and doing what is right. For "this is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1John 3:10
This is the kind of rhetoric used in the New Testament to encourage Christians to apply their faith. And those of the faith in whom the Spirit of God dwells take such words to heart with fear and trembling. Through the Spirit and through such exhortations God does the work of sanctifying us from sin, which is good.
