Introduction

Most Christians are familiar with the passage this lesson considers. Gospel preachers have long emphasized the need to "work out" salvation, in showing from the Bible that man is not wholly passive in his own redemption. Yet familiarity with a text does not necessarily guarantee its understanding, nor necessarily its chief point in context. If that were the case, everyone who had read through the Scriptures would be fully developed in understanding.

Before considering the passage in its context and parts, we might observe two misuses of its words which are often made. Some say "work out your own salvation" to mean "do whatever you please," as though God is telling His people to "work out" or invent or develop their own salvation as it pleases them individually. This is not what Paul is saying. Others say "work out your own salvation" to mean "work hard enough and God will give you salvation as pay." This is directly contradictory to the clear teaching of Scripture that salvation is of grace, not merit. Paul is not saying this, either.

In studying this phrase, and those which follow, we do well to begin by considering the context of our two-verse text. In 1:27-2:4, the apostle urges his readers to spiritual unity of sentiment in a common cause under Christ. To illustrate the attitude of humility this necessitates, he speaks in 2:5-11 of Jesus Himself. This passage is poetic in the Greek (not that it rhymes, but that it has a metrical flow), and perhaps was used as an early Christian hymn. Whether Paul originates it here or simply uses it is unimportant - it comes from the Spirit of God in either event. He is insisting that the Philippians have the "mind" which is fitting "in Christ Jesus," and that "mind" is best seen in the Lord Himself.

At the close of such a powerful exposition of Christ's humiliation and glorification, the human response would be to ask, "How, then, are we to act in the light of this glorious truth? Since Christ is Lord, what are we to do to hasten the day when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess?" It is significant that the remarks of verses 12-13 (and those following) come at this particular point in the epistle. And it is by regarding this position of the verses that their meaning is more clearly seen.

Body

I. WORK OUT.

   A. This translates the Greek word katergazomai.

   B. The significance of this term seen in other passages.

        1. Romans 4:15 - "The law works wrath."

        2. Romans 5:3 - "Tribulation works patience (perseverance)."

        3. Romans 7:13 - "Sin works death."

        4. Romans 7:20 - "Sin works in me."

        5. II Corinthians 4:17 - "Light affliction works a weight of glory."

        6. II Corinthians 5:5 - "God works us for glory."

        7. II Corinthians 7:10, 11 - "Godly sorrow works repentance, earnestness."

        8. II Corinthians 9:11 - "Liberality works thanksgiving to God."

        9. (And from James) 1:20 "Man's wrath does not work God's righteousness."

   C. To "work out" in these passages is to do the specified action which produces what by nature is inherent in something.

        1. For example, wrath is inherent in law; law, given full course, always results in wrath. Patience is inherent in tribulation; tribulation, given right course, always results in patience. Thanksgiving is inherent in Christians' liberality; liberality, given full course, results in thanksgiving to God. On the other hand, there is no divine righteousness inherent in man's wrath; such wrath may work itself out completely and no divine righteousness can come forth - it simply is not there to begin with.

        2. This might be visualized as a seed in an orange. When the orange is "worked" or exercised, the seed will come out. Yet unless the seed is in the orange, all the working of the orange cannot bring forth a seed.

        3. Paul is saying that "salvation" is inherently in the one who is joined to Christ. But it must be worked out. Unless it is inherently in one, mere "working" will not produce salvation. And even in the case of the one in Christ, salvation comes to light only as it is "worked out."

II. YOUR OWN.

   A. This is not done by someone else.

        1. Jesus is glorified Lord, but He will not work out one's salvation for him. There is an individual responsibility because Jesus is Lord.

        2. Paul was a wonderful apostle and preacher, but the Philippians are especially commended for obedience in Paul's absence. He could not "work out" their salvation; each man was to "work out" his own salvation in this sense.

   B. The "working out" is as personal as the inherent salvation - an individual matter.

III. SALVATION.

Here, the final end or result of faith, in the sense of Hebrews 5:7-9 or I Peter 1:5. The context shows Jesus receiving the final end of His course through patient humility and obedience. So with the Christian. Paul is not speaking of initial "salvation" but the final result.

IV. WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING.

   A. The Greek here has phobos and tromos - expressive sounds even to the English ear!

   B. Some other passages illustrate this pair of words.

        1. Genesis 9:2 uses these two words of the attitude and relationship of animals toward man (Greek Old Testament).

        2. Exodus 15:16 uses these two words of the attitude of the Canaanites toward Israel (Greek Old Testament).

        3. II Corinthians 7:15 has these words of the Corinthians' attitude and relationship toward Titus.

        4. Ephesians 6:5 uses the same words of a servant's attitude toward his master.

   C. This is "fear and trembling" in the sense of a reverential respect, even to the extent of physical shaking, in view of a particular relationship established by God. It is a circumstance to be taken most seriously.

        1. Because God ordained the relation of man as superior to the animal kingdom, animals have "fear and trembling" toward man. Because God had ordained that the Israelites possess the land of Canaan, its inhabitants had "fear and trembling" toward the Israelites as they came to realize the situation that existed in God's purpose. Because a Christian slave was to serve his master "as to Christ," his relationship toward the master was with "fear and trembling." Because the Corinthians realized that Titus came as Paul's personal representative they received him with "fear and trembling."

        2. In our text, Christians are to "work out" their own salvation "with fear and trembling" precisely because Christ is at God's right hand and they are His people. It is an attitude of serious reverence in view of the relationship which exists.

V. FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU.

   A. The Greek word translated "works in" is literally "energizes." God is the one empowering the Christian to "work out" his own salvation. This is additional cause for fear and trembling.

   B. Contrast this statement to Romans 7:5.

        1. There "Sin" is the energizing force, "working in" the man and resulting in his death (the same Greek word found here).

        2. Here "God" is the energizing force, "working in" the man and resulting in his "working out" salvation.

   C. See the contrast in English.

        1. The Christian is told to "work out" his salvation.

        2. But he is informed that God "works in" him to do this.

        3. The Christian, therefore, is to "work out" what God "works in."

        4. This places him, not in an independent position of autonomous responsibility, but dependently responsible as God's instrument and Christ's servant.

VI. BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO.

   A. Literally, this is "both desiring and performing."

   B. Contrast the statement here to Romans 7:18.

        1. The man in bondage to sin may have an honest desire to do God's will, yet lack the strength to carry out that intention. (The Revised Standard Version there has: "I can will what is right, but I cannot do it.")

        2. The Christian who allows God to "work in" him finds that God energizes him both "to will" and "to do." The man is no stronger than before in his own flesh; he has stopped trusting his own strength and has allowed God to "work in" and "energize" him.

VII. HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

   A. Other passages illustrate the word used here.

        1. Luke 2:14 - Angels sang peace to those in God's "good pleasure.

        2. Luke 10:21 - It was God's "good pleasure" to hide or reveal His purpose to men.

        3. Matthew 3:17; 17:5 - God was "well pleased" (the verb form of our word) with Christ.

        4. I Corinthians 10:5 - God was not "well pleased" with many in Israel, and they perished.

        5. Ephesians 1:5 - It was God's "good pleasure" to make the saved His sons through Jesus Christ.

        6. Ephesians 1:9 - It was God's "good pleasure" to reveal His will in this dispensation.

        7. II Thessalonians 1:11-12- Paul prays that God will fulfill His "good pleasure" in the Thessalonian saints.

   B. "Good pleasure" is a way of saying "kind desires," both in the affectionate motivating force and in the beneficent end in view. Frequently the term has to do with salvation.

        1. The Christian is involved in God's salvation purposes, as regards his own salvation and that of others.

        2. God will energize the Christian to desire and perform what He intends in this regard.

Conclusion

Because Christ (who is God's Man, par excellence) is now exalted Lord in heaven, the one who is in Him has a salvation which is inherent to his union with Christ. The Christian is to "work out" that salvation, bringing to light what is there by God's own decree, and he is to do it individually. Because of this relationship and circumstance, and because God Himself energizes the Christian, he is to act with great reverence and seriousness, with "fear and trembling." In this way he can be used of God for His own purposes of salvation, an agent of God's "good pleasure," as God "works in" the Christian "to will" or desire what is God's purpose and "to do" or carry out that purpose in the strength which God supplies.

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