Work out our own salvation

Cruel being defined as willfully causing pain or suffering with no concern about it (brutal, savage, inhuman, barbaric, bloodthirsty, murderous, sadistic)

Scripture says we live in it, using a few different words. (Php2:15)

Philippians 2:15 NASB95

so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

We are called to be lights in the world and you know Jesus told us we are light (Mt5:14)

Matthew 5:14 NASB95

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

‘’’

Matthew 5:13 NASB95

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

‘

As you know this series is all about growing and Showing or shining our light in the crook and perverse generation.

It is easy for us to want to change others, but oftentimes we don’t get rooted, and changed ourselves first and we don’t react properly in dealing with others and trying to help them with their own salvation.

First, when I say work it out, don’t get this confused we are not saved by works. (Eph2:8-9)

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

And we have been saved FOR good works (Eph2:10)

Ephesians 2:10 NASB95

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

And we need to be prepared for those good works as Tit3:1-8

Titus 3:1–2 NASB95

1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

Titus 3:3–4 NASB95

3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,

Tit3:1-2

Titus 3:5–6 NASB95

5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Tit

Titus 3:7–8 NASB95

7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

Tit3

Be ready, be prepared for every good work (v.1)

For out of kindness and love, God saved us (vv.4-5)

Did this through Jesus (v.6)

So we would be justified, made heirs according to the hope (v.7) - but I think I want to read (v.8)

Titus 3:8 NKJV

8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Now being prepared for good works and doing good works does not ensure our salvation since we are not saved by good works but for good works

(Transition) So those not saved by works, doing works to work out our own salvation, how do we do that?

I. Grow, Develop Christ-like Character

A few weeks ago we discussed growing in grace and knowledge in our “Sum of all things: Jesus” Series, if you were not here ask me for notes if you want them. But the passage we looked at was from 2Pt1:2-11, but I want to expand some.

Peter offers some admonishments too in his letter (2Pt3:17-18)

2 Peter 3:17–18 NASB95

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

An antidote to keep from falling away, or being carried away is found in 2Pt1 passage

In developing some Christ like character (graces) (2Pt1:5-8)

2 Peter 1:5–6 NASB95

5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,

2 Peter 1:7–8 NASB95

7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

diligence found in and diligence is needed (vv.5, 8, 10) continued growth needed

Don’t be short sighted are risk your entrance into the kingdom (vv.9-11)

Don’t be short sighted are risk your entrance into the kingdom (vv.9-11nd pu) a

We can further develop our Christ-like character by putting off the old, putting on the new. (see Col3:1-17)

TURN TO Col3:1-17 - read it all, slowly, deliberately

Did you notice in (vv.1-4) we set our minds on things above?

Stop doing the things that bring Gods wrath (vv.5-9)

Put on the new man, image of Christ, in other words His character (vv.10-11)

And then develop these Christ-like qualities (vv.12-14)

Then you have the ability to let God’s peace rule (v.15)

And letting Christ’s word dwell (v.16)

Resulting in Gods work for God’s glory (v.17)

So when we work out our own salvation by developing these Christ-like qualities (or graces) then you will be a true light to the world shining the light of Christ in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.

Love how Paul put it in 2Cor4:5-6

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 NASB95

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

We preach Jesus and ourselves as His servants for His sake. The Light will shine!

(Transition) As His servants we are to work out our own salvation in so, that brings me to our next point.

II. Develop Christ-like service

Know your part, do your part (in service) in the body of Christ

Again, Paul offers an admonishment in Rom12:1-8

Romans 12:1–2 NASB95

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:3–4 NASB95

3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,

Romans 12:5–6 NASB95

5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;

Romans 12:7–8 NASB95

7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

It is our reasonable act of service (v.1-2)

That proves what is good and acceptable will of God (v.2)

To do this we need to need to maintain

By maintaining proper spirit of humility (v.3)

Having humility, grace for we all have different parts to play (vv.4-5)

We need to exercise, grow in our part of service with whatever gift God has graced us with (vv.6-8)

speaking of exercising the gifts we need to be a good steward of it too. See what Peter said (1Pt4:10-11)

1 Peter 4:10–11 NASB95

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

minister it to others (v.10)

For it is the manifold grace of God!

You remember the parable of the talents each have them, each responsible for them. you can read the parable in (Mt25:14-30) - for one day we will have to answer for what we did with the talents God has entrusted us with.

Not forgetting I was in 1Pt10:11, finally - when we exercise, use our gifts of service do it is a way that glorifies God through Jesus Christ! (v.11)

(Conclusion) - the more we develop Christ-Like character, and Christ-like service the more we will shine the light of Christ through us to a cruel, cruel world that is perverse and crooked.

As we do this, be careful to maintain good works (Tit3:8)

When we work that out we truly will be shining the light of Jesus and a

Titus 3:8 NASB95

8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

When we grow and show these things it will be good and profitable for men.

The first thing is Your own salvation; then helping others to have salvation and to maintain salvation.