Work out your own salvation

What does it mean to “work”? Some may see work as something they have to do, something painful or at least not pleasurable.

Why is that? Ever since God created mankind, He did not want them to remain idle. He placed man in the garden to work and tend (or watch over it) and take care of it (Genesis 2:15). Since the beginning, God expected man to work and not remain without doing anything.

Our main verses today come from Philippians 2:12-13: 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; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

We are going to focus on a few words in these verses.

1.    Always obeyed The Bible makes it clear that without faith it is impossible to please God. There is even a verse that says that. Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

What does it mean to have “faith”? The concept of faith in the Bible talks about more than just intellectual or logical faculties, i.e. you’re telling me it is very cold outside - 30 degrees below zero- and I believe you. I have faith you are telling me the truth.

Verses 7 and 8 of Hebrews 11 help us to understand that this faith exists and is displayed through action. Thus, the Bible speaks of “obedient faith” - faith that hears, understands, and does the will of God.

What did the people, Noah and Abraham, did here as guided by their faith? Obedience, as per Philippians 2:12, is always, not only some of the time or when it’s convenient.

An interesting example we find in Luke 17:1-10: Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’”

The apostles asked Jesus about faith, but responded to them about works, about doing things, rather than having faith or feeling things.

2.    Work out Following the obedient faith, Christians are expected to “work out” their own salvation. This working out means to figure out, understand, practice, as God expects us.

Sometimes you may read or hear that all one needs to please God is faith and nothing else. Or perhaps you have heard it said that we are saved by grace and not works. While it is true that we cannot do anything to earn our salvation, it is also true that God expects us to act obediently in accordance to His will.

For example, the book of Acts has ten examples of people becoming Christians and obeying God. In those examples, there are certain acts, things or works, which people did in order to obtain salvation. The stories of these people do not stop at faith. There is confession, there is repentance, and there is baptism. There is steadfastness, the continuation of studying, of sharing the word of God with others, all these things are works produced by our obedient faith.

Acts 22:16 has the example when Paul became a Christian: "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

At this point, did Paul have faith in God? He had received his sight back, but he was still in his sins, otherwise Ananias would not tell him to be baptized and wash away his sins.

3.    Your own salvation

I’d like to point out a few verses that this “working out” is a personal responsibility. The verse says “your own” and the Bible is full of the need for individuals to work on their own faith. For example, consider these passages: 2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Romans 14:12: So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Acts 2:38: Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

We cannot shift this personal, individual responsibility to others. We cannot say that “my friends, or my brothers or sisters at church taught me this or that, they led me in the wrong path.” We are all individually responsible for our own action, and we will individually reap the punishment or the rewards for our actions (Galatians 6:7-8).

Sometimes, people may start or continue something that is unscriptural. Here are a couple of examples: Acts 15:1: And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” These false teachers were keeping the law of Moses, which was made obsolete after Jesus' resurrection.

And 1 Timothy 4:1-3: Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Now, we will conclude with this question:

What are some of the things you have observed in your congregation or you have heard that people do, which may not be fully in agreement with the word of God?