Work Out Your Salvation

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Your salvation, and specifically, the better things that accompany it (Heb 6:9), must be worked out. That is, it must be brought from the inside out; a sort of manifestation of a hidden reality. Salvation involves an inward change orchestrated by a new birth (1 Pet 1:23), the implanting of a new heart (Ezek 36:26) and the indwelling presence of the Godhead (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 3:16). Paul calls upon the brethren, here, to work that change out. He is saying, "Let that inward salvation come out in demonstration." Peter says it this way: "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure" (2 Pet 1:10). And that is accomplished, he says, by adding to your faith and making sure godly characteristics are in you and are abounding (2 Pet 1:5-9).

He goes on, "for it is God who is at work IN YOU." God is not just at work for you, or on you or around you, but IN you. What He is doing inwardly must make its way out for in this way the light that is in you shines bringing glory to God (Mt 5:16). When God's inward enlightenment of man seen by others, He is glorified. It is a manifestation of His work in making them righteous. For "he that doeth righteousness is righteous" (1 Jn 3:7). God's work in salvation is an inward operation that, when demonstrated in the lives of men, shows the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places (Eph 3:10). All of heaven sees and declares that the only wise God is a mighty Savior.

So what is His work in you? His work IN you involves both willing and doing. He is producing IN us a "willing" to do righteousness but that willing must work it's way out into "doing." Here we become workers together with God in the sense that we are laboring together with God to produce fruit that is befitting a good tree. We are working OUT what God is working IN. This is accomplished by denying ourselves (Mt 16:24), forsaking the lusts of our flesh (Rom 13:14; Gal 5:24; 1 Pet 2:11; 4:2), bringing our bodies into subjection (1 Cor 9:27) and being led by the Spirit of God (Rom 8:14). This must be done with ardent zeal. It must be done in fear and trembling of failure.

If you are saved it is because God is working for you and in you. Now, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling - God will be glorified in this.