QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Question: There seems to be some contradiction regarding Scriptures about salvation. Can you harmonize Romans 10:9, James 1:21 and Philippians 2:12?

Answer: Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” James 1:21: “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” Philippians 2:12: “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.”

The word, “salvation” implies the thought of deliverance, safety, preservation. First, we are saved from the penalty of sin and death when we realize as sinners our need for deliverance from that condition. This is where Romans 10:9 comes in. It is only through the merit of the sacrifice of Jesus that we can have salvation. Ephesians 2:8 clearly tells us, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” We have all come far short of worthiness. Romans 3:10 states, “There is no one righteous, not even one…” But thank God for His gracious love that He sent the Son of His Love to be our Savior and set us free! Jesus, Himself, tells us in John 8:34-36, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Salvation sets us free, not free to continue living our old lifestyle, but free from a life of sin.

Thus, we read in Romans 6:22, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” We now have the power of the Holy Spirit of God to make the proper choices so as to live out the exhortation of James 1:21: “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.”

Lastly, “work out your salvation” in Philippians 2:12. The key to this word “work out” is obedience as stated earlier in this verse; and this obedience is essential in allowing God to work in us His good purpose (vs. 13). One Christian writer has put it this way, “We must work out what God works in us!” How else can He conform us to the image of His Beloved Son (Romans 8:29) if we do not let Him by being obedient? E. Weeks