Philippians 2:12-13 WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION
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As we have been going
through Philippians
we have gone through some amazing truths:
We have seen how it is God who began a work in us
and will complete it
that it is God that started it by saving us
and its Him that finishes the work when we are in eternity with Him
and
that we can have joy through adversity
because our joy isn't based on circumstances but in Christ
and
that to live is Christ and to die is gain
its all about Jesus
and as Paul wants to know the Philippians
continue in the faith
much of chapter 2 shows us how we can
continue and grow
having unity through humility
then the last time we were together
we saw the humble mind of Jesus
that set an example to us
on the mind for us to have
to humbly serve.
which bring us to our text today
for us to continue in the faith and grow
where Jesus mind is an example to us
in obedience
with the message I titled
"Work out your own salvation”
pray
read
12 Therefore, 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; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Look at that first word “therefore”
The last time we were together
we saw what this therefore
is there for
it is
as a result of
the humble obedience of Jesus
as He served and served and served.
This should take us back...
this a “therefore”
to what Jesus did
to save us
this is a therefore in result
of our Savior stepping from His glory
taking on humanity
serving, obeying God, and dieing for us
so no doubt that this therefore
has something very important
for us.
who Paul says is “my beloved”
so therefore my beloved
it reminds us of His love
it also reminds us that we are part of the church family
and that what is about to be said
is for Christians
as he acknowledges their obedience
saying in verse 12
Philippians 2:12 (NKJV)
12 as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, ....
these are Christians who have been walking with the Lord.
who have been obeying in doing the work
Paul had been with them from their start
and from then till when Paul had written this letter
most would say about 10-12 years has gone by.
so they had been walking with the Lord for a while
with and without Paul’s presence
and so Paul acknowledges their obedience
they have been doing well.
but that doesn't mean
they dont have some growing to do
that doesnt mean their isnt something
for us to be reminded in
even
when things have been going well
we have been doing what God wants
we have been learning and growing
we have been submitting to leadership
We have been serving
We have been obeying
the flesh still wants to to creep in
where we can start depending on the flesh
to do the work God has for us
Was this for sure happening
to the Philippians, I dont know
but I do know
that we all battle the flesh.
and so this upcoming exhortation
reminds us that
we have growing to do.
We need God’s leading and guiding
and need to be relying on God
for His work in our lives.
by His abilities
not on our own.
lets read the last part of verse 12
and remember this is
coming from the therefore
as a result of the examples of the mind of Jesus
as He saved us.
Philippians 2:12 (NKJV)
12 ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
now this is NOT “work to earn your own salvation.”
Paul never would teach that
Remember it is Paul who also wrote
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
so
This is NOT a work for your salvation
this is work out
your salvation
now Salvation involves a few processes
called
justification, sanctification, and glorification
justification - means to be declared righteous
which comes from the forgiveness of our sins.
That work is paid for by Jesus
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
It is a positional holiness.
we become His sons and daughters
we become a part of the family of God
sanctification -
which this is what is being referred to in our text
it means to be set apart so
it is means to make us holy
as He is making us more like Christ
Its a practical holiness
so this has to do with our growth as His children
Since we have been born again
we are a new creation.
where God works in our lives.
this is where change happens
because as He had saved us
we may grow a desire to know God more
and our thankfulness for salvation may
lead us to wanting to please Him
but when we are saved /justified
we become united with the Father
a relationship begins
with our loving Father
that draws us closer to Him
So the work of sanctification takes place
as He is working in our lives
filling us with the Spirit
equipping us
healing and restoring
renewing our minds,
transforming our desires
giving us a purpose
and abilities
revealing sin
and areas in life we need to grow in
this area of salvation
is often called a sanctification process
because of it being an ongoing work of God in our lives.
glorification - this speaks of the future completion of
God’s work in us
Its the hope we all have
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
so our salvation process is all a work from God
from justification, sanctification, to glorification
it is His work
in 1 thes 5.23-24 it says
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
He will do it
He will sanctify us completely
and so we can be confident in it all
being God’s work because
at is says in
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
so then if it is all God’s work
then what does it mean to
work out our own salvation?
how do I work out what is God’s work
in making me more like Christ?
If its God’s work in all aspects of salvation
what do we work out?
the greek word for “work”
means to effect by labor, or to produce, to do.
this shows us that we
do have a part to play.
our part is what we see in the
beginning of verse 12:
and was an example of Christ in the previous section
obedience to the Father.
our part is to say yes Lord
That we say God have your work in me
sanctify me
make me more like Christ
and as He works
He may show us sin,
and areas of our heart and life we need to deal with
or grow in
this is when our part comes to play
what will we do when God works in us?
when He shows us sin
or issues, and areas we need to grow in?
will we obey?
or
Do we try to hide them
Pretend He didnt show us that
try to justify it
saying well so and so does that to...
God does the work
He sanctifies
but will we obey?
will we do what He says?
in this way we work out what God has worked in us
we work out our own salvation
through doing what He says
to do in our lives
rejecting God’s work in us
lets the flesh have its way.
and to miss out on what God has for us
that why it says in verse 12
to work it out with fear and trembling
We need God to work in us
otherwise
its me and my flesh
its my desires, and wants
I dont want that for me
and you dont want from me
We need God to work in our lives
And so it is with fear and trembling we
take God’s workings in us
we dont need to fear Hell as believers
but we should fear
not allowing the Lord to work in our lives
because its very important
as He works in us
making us more like Him
setting us apart
His work is not to be taken lightly
Like with the the potter and the clay
we are in His hands
we are His work
that work is important
but what if what God is trying to work in me
is too hard
what if I cant obey?
lets now look at verse 13
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
There it is
its His work
God… the creator of the universe
creator of all things great and small
having a unique working in you.
this means there is work to be done
we are not perfect
we have flaws
we have sins
we have have struggles
we have a sinful nature
we have limitations
in fact thinking about it
I am a project!
I am a project too big for myself
too big for someone else
but for God
who knows everything about us
who created us
that knows all things
to that may we say
“God have your way with me”
He works in us
to sanctify us
to do His work
so
whether it is in the will
or in the doing
it is His work
and it is for Him
for His good pleasure
what a great part it is for us to get to
be a part of what God enjoys
That we get to do what He desires to do
in us and through us
which shows us that
God has a plan and purpose for our lives
that we get to do something for Him.
which starts with a
a will to even do it
a will to please God
the word for “will” here
also can be translated to want, to wish, to desire
again this is a work of God
in us
to will
so God works in us to will / to want to do
what He desires.
showing us that if we have a desire to please God
to do His will
that did not come from our own flesh
God put that desire there for you
a question to think on is what
has God worked in you?
or
what is God working in you?
No matter what it is
it is from Him and
it is a work that will please Him.
and it a work unique to you
back in verse 12 remember it said
“your own”
its personal
its unique to you
God works personally with you
uniquely to you!
So what He works in you
may look a little differently
then with someone else
He may work in you a way to grow
and mature uniquely to you
He may work in you a
burden for a certain group of people
the lost, the sick , the hurting
But it is God who gives you the will
and the desire
now dont worry
maybe you dont feel the will
or desire right now
thats okay
it is His work
not yours
He will work in you the will
the desire
I have had moments, days, months like that
when I want to please God but I dont know what to do.
now I am not the Holy Spirit but when that has happened to me
the work I find that He had placed in my heart was
to pray to seek what He may have for me to do
....
so that work to will may even just
be to pray and seek what He wants
so first is to will
then to do
this takes us from God’s plans to His power
because God doesn't give us the desire to do something
we are unable to do
He doesn't put something in our heart and say
bye go figure it out
or sorry you want to do this... but you cant”
now maybe God puts something in us
that we think we can do naturally
but there is no way we can please God in our flesh
He gives us the ability to do the work.
As Jesus said in John 15:5
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
He puts the desire in us and
gives us the ability.
and equips us
we need Him in all ways to do His work.
Now exactly what that work is
that will please Him
may be specific to you
some area in your life to grow in
or having to do with your calling and purpose
like being a teacher
a prayer counselor
a servant
or helper to some ministry
He may work in to will
to help the hurting
or reach the lost.
but we also have a general calling we all share
to love one another
to preach the gospel
to make disciples
Sometimes that work is
something you’re comfortable working on
other times it is not
whether the work is a
work on yourself in growth
or something God has given you the desire to do
it may not be something natural to you
I hated public speaking
and took the failing grade
every time
I wouldnt show up to class those days
then after I got saved
God worked in me
a desire to teach His Word
I knew it was from Him
and I would have to rely on Him
to do the work.
If its His work for His pleasure
it needs to come from His ability
Trying to do His work in the flesh will backfire
and so we need to be careful because
the flesh likes to build confidence
especially if the work is something
we can naturally do
the danger is that we can
start to rely on the flesh
to do His work
and God has no problem reminding
you that you need
to rely on His ability
God will work in us what His will is
what He desires from us
whether that is personal growth
or for the growth of others
but He will also give us the power to do it
He works in us to will AND to do
whether its anointing, a filling of the Spirit, wisdom
every good and perfect comes from above
He can give us whatever we need to do it
He works in us to do
for His good pleasure
and what an amazing opportunity that is for us
who deserve hell
to be saved
and given a purpose
a part in the kingdom of God
we get to do things that make God happy
when we used to do the opposite
It is an honor for us
that our lives become an outworking
of His in working
Who are we that God
would individually
work in each one of us
and give us the abilities needed
so that we can do things for Him
but the question is
going back to verse 12
but will we obey?
will we work out what He works in
by His ability?
the Philippians had been obeying God
but will they keep obeying God?
as God works in them to will and to do
will they do it?
how about us
have we been obeying?
will we do what God has been working in us?
and giving us the ability to do?
remember our previous passage in verse 5 that said
“let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus”
and then proceeds to show us how He humbled Himself
and became obedient even to the point of death”
If God is working in you,
that He is giving you the ability for
will we obey?
is that mind in us to obey and also do the will of the Father?
as worship team comes forward
12 Therefore, 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; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
What a great truth for the Philippians and for us
that Paul has shared with us
that as we seek to grow and continue in our faith
we can know that God
is working in us
That we are His work
and He is working in us to do His work
giving us the will and the do
the ability
so then may we be in awe that our amazing heavenly father
wants to work in us and through us
and may we ask what is it that He is wanting to do
What is that God is working in us?
that He is wanting to work out of us?
Whatever that is may we obey joyfully, willingly
Knowing that our lives are in the greatest hands.