Work Out Your Salvation

Peter Stephenson


In Philippians Paul writes to the Church and says:

Philippians 2:12:
So then, my beloved, even as ye 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;


If you think about it for a bit this is a bit of a puzzling verse. The Cross is a complete work. In those 24 hours during which Jesus was held in captivity, whipped, led out to the cross and the hours on the Cross and His subsequent resurrection is forever and always a full and complete work. Your salvation depends on it so you can be 100% certain of it. And yet Paul writes to the people in Philippi, who are already saved, that they must work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

So what can we understand from this. That salvation isn't enough? That is wrong thinking because the work of salvation is complete - once you were dead in sin and now you are made alive in Christ

Eph 2:1:
And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins,


Eph 2:5:
even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved) ).


So if salvation is a complete work and if we who were once dead are made alive what then is there to work out in our salvation?

Rom 6:4:
We were buried therefore with him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.


First of all as we can see from this scripture there is a new life to learn how to walk in.

Heb 6:1:
Wherefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on unto perfection;


There is a perfection to work towards.

Heb 9:14:
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?


Our conscience must be cleansed of dead works.

Rom 12:2:
Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.


Eph 4:23:
Let the Spirit change your way of thinking


We need to let God change the way we think.

Rom 6:6 to 14:
We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so that our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know that sin doesn't have power over dead people. As surely as we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him. We know that death no longer has any power over Christ. He died and was raised to life, never again to die. When Christ died, he died for sin once and for all. But now he is alive, and he lives only for God. In the same way, you must think of yourselves as dead to the power of sin. But Christ Jesus has given life to you, and you live for God. Don't let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don't obey its desires or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. Don't let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God's kindness and not by the Law.


We must learn that sin has no hold over us and that we are free from it's power and effects.

Rom 8:5 to 9:
People who are ruled by their desires think only of themselves. Everyone who is ruled by the Holy Spirit thinks about spiritual things. If our minds are ruled by our desires, we will die. But if our minds are ruled by the Spirit, we will have life and peace. Our desires fight against God, because they do not and cannot obey God's laws. If we follow our desires, we cannot please God. You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God's Spirit, who lives in you.


Rom 8:12:
My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires.


We must learn to not be ruled by our desires but to be led by the Spirit of God.

Col 3:8 to 10:
But now you must stop doing such things. You must quit being angry, hateful, and evil. You must no longer say insulting or cruel things about others. And stop lying to each other. You have given up your old way of life with its habits. Each of you is now a new person. You are becoming more and more like your Creator, and you will understand him better.


We must give up our old way of life with its bad habits. And realise that we are now a new person with a new life.

2Co 5:15:
And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us.


Rom 6:16:
Don't you know that you are slaves of anyone you obey? You can be slaves of sin and die, or you can be obedient slaves of God and be acceptable to him.


We no longer belong to ourselves but to God therefore we must no longer live for ourselves but to live as though we are slaves of God and live in obedience.

Eph 4:15:
but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, even Christ;


John
8:32:
That you may know the truth and the truth shall set you free


When the truth is spoken to us (or when we learn how to speak the truth in love) then we grow up (mature) in all things in Christ. The truth sets us free.

We must learn to:
  • be gentle, kind, humble, meek, and patient. Col 3:12
  • put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Col 3:13
  • Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives Col 3:16
  • stop thinking like children. Think like mature people and be as innocent as tiny babies. 1Co 14:20
  • think about others and not about ourselves. 1Co 10:24
  • remember [that] in everything we have won more than a victory because of Christ who loves us. Rom 8:37
  • remember [that] nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! Rom 8:39
  • let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Rom 13:14
  • honour God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you Rom 15:7
  • do all things without murmurings and questionings: Php 2:14
If all this sounds like more than you think you are capable of doing remember:

Php 4:13:
I can do all things in Him that strengthens me.