SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

Philippians 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 in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Paul speaks to this congregation and challenges them to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. Now it must be noticed that Paul does not say to “work for” your salvation but to “work out” your salvation. Scripture everywhere teaches that we are saved not by our works but by grace through faith in Christ. 

Ephesians 2:8 – 10 says “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We are not saved by our works, or by the Church you attend, or by our family background. In fact, Paul argues that even our faith is a gift from God, and therefore, there is no room for man’s boasting. Salvation is a work of God through the shading of the blood of Jesus Christ at the Cross of Calvary. However, salvation is not simply a work that happens when we are born again. It is a work that continues till we are made into the full image of Christ. It will end at death or at the rapture, whichever happens first.

Romans 8:29-30 says, For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Paul here describes the process of salvation. It begins before time when God foreknew some in a saving relationship. The word “foreknew” does not mean to know some facts about a person but to know in an intimate saving relationship. Christ said in the last days many would say, “Lord, Lord”

 Matthew 7:23 “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Similarly, God said to Jeremiah,

Jeremiah 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”

He knew Jeremiah in a saving relationship. He selected him not based on any merit of his own but based on grace—unmerited favor.

The next part of salvation is predestination.  In this text it is God choosing those he knew in a saving relationship to be conformed to the image of his Son—to look like Christ. At some point, God effectually calls them as they hear the gospel and respond in faith. He then justifies them—declaring them righteous, then he will glorify them which is the completion of salvation. One day all believers will fully resemble Christ.

This is what Paul is talking about when he says “work out your salvation.” He is saying to work out this process of being made into the image of Christ. We often call this “sanctification”—the daily process of growing into the very image of Christ.

What is this process? How can we daily pursue growth into the image of Christ?

Throughout history many have held different views on this process. Some have said that this process happens solely by a work of God without the participation of man. What we must do is “Let go and let God.” 

We must rely on grace and give up working and striving to be holy. Sometimes these preachers will preach simply, “Grace! Grace! Grace!” to the exclusion of any discipline of our own. However, Paul said, “train yourself to be godly” or “exercise yourself to godliness” in the book of 1 Timothy 4:7.

On the opposite side, others will preach “Work! Work! Work! Discipline yourself!” to the exclusion of reliance on God at all. These types of ministries often become legalistic, relying totally on works of the flesh. Listen to what Paul said to the Galatians:

Galatians 3:3  “How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?”

What is the proper way to progress in holiness—to work out our salvation? Here in Philippians 2:12-13 Paul teaches a paradox. We must work and God works. We must work alongside God in the process of our sanctification. Paul says, “God works in us to will and do of his good pleasure.” He gives us the very desires to grow in Christ and he works in us to do it. This is why, when we get to heaven, there will be no room for boasting. Why? Because God did it all. However, both realities are true. We must work and God is working. Listen to what Paul said about this reality in his own life:

1 Corinthians 15:9-10

“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”

Paul said he worked harder than everybody else but not him, the grace of God within him. He said that God’s grace was not without effect in him. The reality is that God’s grace works in each one of us to grow spiritually, but for some it is without effect. Some instead resist the work of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 7:51). We must work with God in the process of sanctification—responding to his conviction, allowing him to empower us to accomplish his will for our lives.

God has paid the price of your salvation at Calvary, my dear brother and sister let us grape this offer by accepting Jesus through faith and turn away from sin and decide to live to please God so that on the last day God will honor us with the golden crown.

May God bless you as you make the right decision to walk and have a fellowship with the Holy Spirit in Jesus name.

By William Augustine