The Epistle To The Philippians Work Out Your Salvation

Put To The Test One of the earliest examples of the apostles’ understanding of absolute obedience to God. Acts 5:29 – When put to the test, apostles answered properly: “We must obey God rather than men.” Training of Arabian horses: Absolute obedience is a must. The life of the master might be at stake. How important is our own obedience to God?

Consider Our Salvation We are saved by Christ. We know that His blood bought our freedom from the cost of sin. In gratitude we follow His example of self- sacrifice – of emptying ourselves to serve others in His name. What do we do with ourselves until Jesus comes again? Paul challenges the church to be busy insuring their salvation. Let’s consider how that’s done from Philippians 2:12-13

Today’s Text: Phil. 2:12-13 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.

Work Out Your Salvation – vs. 12 Ever been on your best behavior because the preacher is around? Paul’s concern for the church at Philippi: “…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.”

Which Was Also In Christ Who was born to die for the sins of others Ephesians 5:2 – “…and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Anointed from eternity to do so Psalm 2:6 -- “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

What Is My Role In My Salvation? How do I work out my own salvation? Amazing how often denominationalists disavow any means of our being able to affect our salvation. SO what does Paul mean here? First, we must understand that Christ did His part to bring us to salvation. Only Jesus can save us.

Jesus Saves Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us— for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’—” Only Christ could remove the curse of sin.

What Jesus Did 1 Peter 1:17-19 – “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 – “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

What Can We Do? OBEDIENCE! Ephesians 6:13 – “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Romans 6:12-13 – “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”

Accepted Death On A Cross Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us— for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Deut. 21:22-23 -- “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you as an inheritance.”

I Can Work Out My Own Salvation 2 Corinthians 7:15 – “His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling.” Paul speaks of their receiving Titus, “with fear and trembling.” Not of abject terror, but of respect and honor. We should receive God in this way.

How Should We React Toward God? Philippians 2:12 – “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.” Hebrews 10:26-27 – “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.”

Don’t Let Anyone Steal Away Your Fear Acts 2:40 – “And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” They had to do their part in their salvation. They had to obey.

Having Proper Caution Colossians 2:8, 18-19 – “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ…. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.” We strive to remain attached to God!

Because God Is At Work In You God never stops working in us. 1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Romans 9:16 -- So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

We Must Will And Work God works in us to will and to work according to His good pleasure. It takes both: willing and working. One without the other is not enough. Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men….”

For His Good Pleasure 2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” Colossians 3:17 – “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”