QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Question: What does “work out your own salvation,” mean in Philippians 2:12-13? This seems to conflict with the Scriptures that seem to teach that salvation comes by faith alone.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as you 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. For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

Salvation has the broad meaning of redemption and deliverance. It is used in Scripture in three different tenses: The Christian has been saved and redeemed from the penalty and the controlling power of sin by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. The Christian is being saved daily from the habit and dominion of sin while in the body of flesh. The Christian will be saved or delivered from the infirmities of his fleshly body and given a new body when Christ returns.

It is the second meaning of salvation that applies to the question above. God has begun a good work in us and He will complete that work if we allow Him to. For Him to do His part, however, we must do ours, which is called “work” in verse 12. What is the “work” that we must do? As is the case so many times, answers lie in the context in which the word is found. If we look carefully at verse 12, we will find that our “work” is to be obedient to the will of God. Paul says, “as you have always obeyed.” This is the essential key to realizing what our part or work is. If we are faithful in obeying His will for us, then we can be assured that He will finish His work begun in us as Paul assures us in Philippians 1:6: “Being confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,” which will be when Jesus returns for his Bride.

As the clay is pliable in the potter’s hands, so we must be flexible if God is to make us into fit vessels for His use. God has given us His Holy Spirit by which we can discern His will, but the choice to obey and do it is ours to make. Our Heavenly Father wants to change us into the likeness of His Son. 2 Cor. 3:18 tells us, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” So let us be very careful to be in tune with the Holy Spirit and heed the words of Galatians 5:25: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit,” thus we will be able to work out (obey) what God has worked in us. E. Weeks