Working Out Our Salvation

Philippians 2:12-13

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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 which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

An old mountaineer had lived a full but not exactly saintly life and now was on his deathbed. He summoned his weeping wife. "Sara," he said, "go to the fireplace and take out the third stone from the top." She did as instructed. "Reach in there," said her husband, "and bring out what you find." Her fingers touched a large Mason jar, and with some effort she pulled it up. The jar was full of cash. "Sara," said the old man, "when I go, I'm going to take all that money with me. I want you to put that jar up in the attic by the window. I'll get it as I go by on my way to heaven." His wife followed his instructions. That night the old mountaineer died. After the funeral his wife remembered the Mason jar and went to the attic. There was the jar still full of money and by the window. "Oh," the widow sighed. "I knew I should have put it in the basement."

It seems that Philippians 2:12 would easily receive resistance from the brethren. Paul here encourages the readers of his epistle to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. For one reason, it disagrees with Acts 4:12. It also disagrees with John 14:6 and Hebrews 7:25. This interpretation of the verse calls for human capacity to save himself. This verse is now used by some to justify the doctrine of salvation through works.

But the Bible teaches that salvation is through faith alone and not by works. As Paul wrote in the book of Philippians to work out the salvation that we received, he also wrote in the book of Ephesians to receive salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). And the Bible does not contradict itself.

Let us first understand the meaning of “working out one’s salvation”. The King James Version, New International Version, Holman Christian Standard Bible, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, Modern English Version, and New American Bible all used the phrase “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”. The Common English Bible used the phrase, “carry out your own salvation with fear and trembling”. In the Contemporary English version, we can read, “So work with fear and trembling to discover what it really means to be saved”. With all these versions and translations, we can see that Philippians 2:12 does not at all preach salvation through works.

There are three questions that can be asked for these two verses. First, who are this preaching addressed to? Next, how does one work out salvation? Lastly, how does God fit into the picture?

Who are this preaching addressed to?

This preaching is directed to the Philippian believers (Philippians 2:1-2). This preaching is for the saints, the redeemed, the saved, the believers, the Christians who live in Philippi. The hearers of this preaching also include the leaders of the church, the bishops and deacons. So, when Paul wrote this epistle, he had in mind the believers in the church of Philippi who are already saved by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

How do we work out our salvation?

Salvation consists of two inconsistent issues. First, salvation is already accomplished (Romans 19:30). Salvation is accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross.The Greek term for “finished” here is teleo, which means to bring to an end, to complete, or to fulfill. Since salvation is complete through the death of Jesus Christ, it does not need to be repeated. Jesus Christ needs not die on the Cross over and over. We do not in fact, need to attempt to recreate such sacrifice upon our own hands year after year. Imagine the many ways our brethren recreate such sacrifice over and over as if Christ’s sacrifice was not convincing enough, or not powerful enough.

Our Daily Bread has this story: A man once came to D. L. Moody and said he was worried because he didn't feel saved. Moody asked, "Was Noah safe in the ark?" "Certainly, he was," the man replied. "Well, what made him safe, his feeling or the ark?" The inquirer got the point. "How foolish I've been!" he said. "It is not my feeling; it is Christ who saves!"

Secondly, salvation is maintained (Romans 8:1). Salvation is maintained through a constant communion and daily walk with the Spirit (Colossians 1:21-23). We should continue to be grounded in the same faith that saved. What does Paul mean when he said that believers should continue in faith grounded and settled? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, grounded means mentally and emotionally stable; admirably sensible, realistic, and unpretentious. Paul wanted the believers to be mentally and emotionally stable with their salvation that they are settled within their minds that they are not moved by temptations, trials, and worldly pleasures. Believers are to be mentally and emotionally stable with the hope in the Savior and the decision to honor and serve God.

How does one work out salvation?

Believers can cultivate salvation. Like a plant, salvation is cultivated through the provision of the ground of truth, the nutrients of the Word, the sunshine of the Spirit, and the minerals of daily fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation is worked out by bringing its power into its full effect. If believers are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, believers should show the power of such salvation in full effect. In forgiving an erring brother of his wrongdoing, for example, one brings salvation into its full effect. In learning to trust God amidst persecution, one brings salvation into its full effect. In turning the other cheek when being harassed, then salvation is brought into its full effect. When believers pray with compassion for a brother or a sister who had gone astray, salvation is exercised into its full effect.

Believers work out salvation by actively pursuing spiritual maturity. After many years of enjoying salvation, do believers still get offended? After many years of enjoying salvation, do believers still feel bad whenever a sister or a brother ignores them? Believers naturally grow into spiritual maturity. When believers do not pursue such maturity in their Christian life, then they are not working out their salvation.

How does God fit into the picture?

When Paul admonished the Philippian believers to work out their salvation, he strengthened his admonition with the power of God (Philippians 2:13). When believers work out their salvation, it is not through the power of man that is at work, but it is the power of God. God is the power behind every Christian to will and to do of God’s good pleasure.

So, when believers think that it is impossible to cultivate, to maintain, to carry out, and to discover what it means to be save, then they simply deny what God can do for them.

As our salvation in Jesus Christ is complete, our salvation is too precious to lose. God empowers us to grow in our salvation, so we can worship Him and serve our brothers and sisters.

D. L. Moody, from "Day by Day with D.L Moody," shared this important insight about the thief on the Cross: The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport and took him into Paradise.

Be in the world but not of the world

Ephesians 5:7-11

Be not ye therefore partakers with them.8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are yelight in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10  proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (AKJV).

In the book “Record of Christian Work”, Kapitango Kusita, an evangelist overseer of the Dondi Church, Portuguese Africa, was discoursing on following the "white" path, and the "white" path only. It was night, and the crowd of natives sat around the campfire. A native dog passed between the fire and the listeners. "Look at that dog! How many legs has it?" asked the preacher. "Four," came the surprised reply. "Yes, four indeed," retorted Kapitango, "but have you ever seen the four legs of a dog trying to follow more than one path at a time? No, no! The four legs all go together!

But how about us people with only two legs? Isn’t it always easy for us to follow two paths, and even more at one time? We follow two paths more than one time. We follow Christ and follow the world at the same time, we love God and we love money at the same time. Why can’t we be like the dog with four legs, yet all legs follow only one path at a time?

Ephesians 5 speaks about the life that is both in darkness and in slumber (Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 5:14). Paul, in Ephesians 5:1-14 specifically, considered the Ephesian believers as deep sleeper and spiritually dead with four groups of reasons.

In verse 3, he recognized fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness among Ephesian believers. In verse 4, he identified filthy, foolish talking, and jesting among Ephesian believers as the reasons. In verse 6, there is an easy falling for deception through vain words among the Ephesian believers.

And in verse 7 and 11, Paul talked about a comfortable partaking of the worldly activities and wickedness among the Ephesian believers. This is the fourth group of reasons why Paul considered the Ephesian believers as either spiritually asleep or spiritually dead. Like the Ephesian believers, we also enjoy a comfortable partaking of the worldly activities and wickedness of the world. Paul was very clear in his teaching, in his admonition, in his reminder through this letter. First, we do not take part in the unfruitful works of darkness. Second, we need to expose these unfruitful works of darkness. Simply put, we are reminded to constantly guard ourselves from worldly activities.

We are in the world but we are not of this world.

The Bible describes the “world” into five categories: the physical world, the human world, the moral world, the temporal world, and the coming world.

The physical world is the world that God created (Acts 4:24). When God created this world, He found it to be good (Genesis 1:31). This is the world that God subdued with His glory (Isaiah 6:3), the world of which He is Lord (Matthew 11:25), and the world that He will also judge in due time (2 Peter 3:10).

The human world is the world of humans. It is the kind of world that Caesar Augustus subjected to a census (Luke 2:1). It refers to the inhabited world whose kingdoms were offered to Jesus by Satan (Luke 4:5), the world that is deceived by Satan (Revelation 12:9), the world that will experience great trouble and tribulations in the end times (Luke 21:26), and the one that Jesus predicted to have His gospel preached (Matthew 24:14).

The moral world is the world of people who are indifferent or hostile to God. In the widest sense, it is the world of corrupt and evil men (2 Peter 1:4). It is the kind of world that God destroyed through the great flood (Genesis 6:11). It is the world that hated Jesus Christ (John 7:7) and the same world that will hate His followers (John 15:18-19). This is the world that cannot receive the knowledge of God (John 14:17).

The temporal world is the world that is temporary (Psalm 102:25-27). It is the world that Satan rules (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is the kind of world that a man can gain in exchange for the loss of his soul (Matthew 16:26). It is the world that is passing away (1 John 2:17). It is the world that the believers must not love (2 Timothy 4:10) and the world that believers should not be conformed to its ways (Romans 12:2). It is in living in this world that the believers experience undue hardship in living for Christ (1 Corinthians 7:29-35).

            The coming world is the new world, a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1-5), the home of the righteous (2 Peter 3:13).

Paul here is concerned about the Ephesian believers taking part in the affairs of the world. Paul admonished them not to take part in the unfruitful works of darkness, rather, expose these unfruitful works.

Ephesians 5:11: Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness,

but instead expose them.

The context of world here is “darkness”, which comes from the Greek word “skotos”. From the Greek Lexicon, skotos literally means darkness, to describe either darkness of the night, or darkness of eyesight or blindness. Skotos metaphorically means ungodliness and immorality with the consequent misery in hell. In the context of the Biblical description of the world, this world is the temporal world.

This world is based on the Greek “cosmos” (John 16:8-11; 1 John 5:19; Luke 4:6). This world is the world that is ruled by Satan. Satan rules this cosmos with lies and deception. Satan offers and promises this world, its riches, its powers, and its pleasures, to the believers. No believer can ever say that he or she is immune to deception and temptations of Satan as Satan is so serious about exercising his lordship of the temporal world. Satan even tried to temp and deceive Jesus Christ. Since Satan is the lord of this temporal world that lies in wickedness, this temporal world is a world of wickedness and a world of darkness.

The unfruitful works of darkness have already been mentioned by Paul in Ephesians 5:3-10. These unfruitful works of darkness are fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness, filthy, foolish talking, and jesting and an easy falling for deception through vain words among the Ephesian believers. The unfruitful works of darkness are acts that are associated with every kind of impurity.

Believers should not be partakers of these unfruitful works of darkness or sin. Believers are to avoid the unclean way of life that belongs to sin and unrighteousness.

These works are unfruitful because they produce no benefit to both the body and the soul. These works are unfruitful because they do not bring forth positive advantage except guilt, fear, shame, corruption, and death. This description of unfruitfulness is in contrast with the description of the life that shows the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:9; Galatians 5:22).

There are two words that connect with each other in verse 7 and verse 11. In verse 7, there is the word “partake” and in verse 11, there is the word “participate”. Partake and participate may be similar in a sense. But in terms of practice, partake and participate are different.

To partake means to join in with some people and do what they do. To participate means to share what is common with some people. To partake means one just happens to take part in an activity, maybe for one time or two-times. One may have partaken in an activity or joined in an activity during weak moments. It is taking part in an activity by chance but one is still not convinced that this is what one really wants to do.

But to participate means to share the benefits of the action. Participating means that one shares in what is common with the people who do the act. It goes beyond partaking because one begins to absorb the attitudes and characters of those who do the same acts. Regardless, to partake of the works of darkness or to participate in the works of darkness should not be the life of the believers.

Believers who belong to Jesus Christ are not to be part of the world as the world is committed to its own system. This system of the world has at least four major objectives, according to Charles Swindoll in his book “Living Above the Level of Mediocrity”. Swindoll identified these objectives of the world as (1) fortune, (2) fame, (3) power, and (4) pleasure.

The world system is driven by money as it feeds on materialism. If you have the money, you can have all the material things that you want.

The second objective is Fame. This is another word for popularity. Fame is the longing to be known, to be somebody in someone else's eyes.

The third objective is Power. This is having influence, maintaining control over individuals, groups or companies, or even materials things. It is the desire to manipulate and maneuver others to do something for one's own benefit.

The fourth objective is Pleasure. At its basic level, pleasure has to do with fulfilling one's sensual desires. It's the same mindset that's behind the slogan: "If it feels good, then do it."  

These objectives of the worldly system become the work of darkness because these always drag the lives of believers to impurity and unrighteousness. That is why Paul has this advice to the Ephesians believers and to present-day believers (Ephesians 5:8-9).

            We are in the world that was originally created by God. But through the deception of the Enemy, it is to be destroyed. As believers, we look at the world as a temporary place to live. We are looking forward to the city of the living God, where the spirits of just men are made perfect (Hebrews 12:23), where the saints shall reign with Christ forever and ever (Revelation 22:5). We are looking forward to a city filled with the brilliance of precious stones and crystals jewels. We are looking forward to the city where there are no more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow (Revelation 21:12), and no more separation because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6). We are looking forward to the city where we can behold only the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and come face to face with Him.

If our hope is in this future city, then we can remain in the world but we are not for the world. We can remain in this temporal world ruled by Satan, but we can be comforted and fulfilled by the Spirit of God so that the tastes and desires of the world do not have its power over our lives.

A believer is likened to a SCUBA diver. (SCUBA stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus). A SCUBA is an apparatus that allows a diver to breathe underwater. It is an artificial life support system for a human who does not have the capacity for underwater life. When divers dive into the deep, they place themselves in an environment entirely not their own. But the reason why SCUBA divers can remain underwater is because they are not caught up by the strange environment. The scuba divers are alive underwater because they carry in themselves their own environment.

Our Christian life is also like the life of a SCUBA diver. We are not caught up by the environment of the world because we have our own spiritual environment that we carry with us.

Be Ye Not Deceived

Ephesians 5:6: Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience (AKJV).

Haddon Robinson, in Biblical Preaching, shared this story about a Chinese boy who wanted to learn about jade. So, the boy went to study with a talented old teacher. On the first day of the training, the gentle man put a piece of the precious stone into the boy’s hand and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, about men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour he took back the precious stone and sent the boy home. The procedure was repeated for several weeks. The boy became frustrated. When would he be told about the jade? He was too polite, however, to question the wisdom of his venerable teacher. Then one day, when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instinctively, “But, Teacher, I know this not jade!'"

Indeed, the longer we hold on to the Word of God, the easier it is for us to know what is true gospel and what is false.

Ephesians 5 talks about life that is both in darkness and in slumber (Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 5:14). Paul identified the reasons to call the Ephesian believers as deep sleeper and dead. There is fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness among Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:3). There is also filthy, foolish talking, jesting (Ephesians 5:4), and a comfortable partaking of the worldly activities and wickedness (Ephesians 5:7, 11) among the Ephesian believers.

Then, there is an easy falling for deception through vain words among the Ephesian believers (Ephesians 5:6).

Let us look at the problems with the Ephesian believers. The Ephesian believers allow themselves to be deceived with vain words. Allowing themselves to be deceived with these vain words is tantamount to disobedience. And because of disobedience, the wrath of God is upon those who allow such deception.

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience (AKJV).

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines the verb deceive as to mislead, to cause someone to believe what is false, or to cause someone to disbelieve what is true. It can also mean to cheat, to disappoint, to delude, to ensnare, to beguile, or to lead astray. In some cases, it means to amuse in order to divert attention.

In both the Old and New Testaments, the term deceive denotes some deliberate misleading from spiritual truths. The first Greek word for deceive is “nasha”, which means to lead astray (Jeremiah 29:8; Revelations 12:9). In both of these verses, false prophets and Satan himself are deceivers who lead people astray, who mislead people in their spiritual walk. The second Greek word that means deceive is “pathah”, which means to entice, or to persuade (Jeremiah 20:7).

Deception comes the pride of the heart (Jeremiah 49:16). Jeremiah simply rings the message of God concerning Edom. The pride of the heart of the Edomites had led them astray into thinking that they can be loftier than God. God brought them down from their lofty spirits.

            The Ephesian believers were easily deceived by vain words. The word vain means empty, foolish, or senseless (Matthew 6:7; Job 15:2; 1 Corinthians 15:14; Exodus 20:7). In Exodus 20:7, it specifically means empty in purpose.

Jesus Christ has a warning for deception (Matthew 24:4-5; Mark 13:5-6). In both Matthew 24 and Mark 13, Jesus Christ Himself commanded believers to stop being deceived. They are to stop being deceived by the message and the lifestyle of false teachers. Paul likewise warned the Ephesian believers to watch out for false teachers (Ephesians 5:6).

The deception for believers always involves teachings that are devoid of truth. Vain words here is liken to a vessel that has nothing in it. The translation for “word” here is popularly a word, which also mean saying, account, or speech. The deception through vain words here pertains to the sins mentioned in verses 3, 4, and 5, which are fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting, etc.

Two of the most popular worldly teachings of humans and human life has the characteristics of these deceptions. The first one is what is called the libertine teachings, which are teachings devoid of moral principles or a sense of responsibility especially in sexual matters. Here are some of the libertine teachings:

Our souls are saved by grace, so what we do with our bodies, which

will only perish, does not matter.”

“Yes, Jesus is Savior but he does not have to be Lord of your life.

Salvation can be yours simply by giving mental approval to certain

facts about Christianity. You do not need repentance or saving faith or any

change in behavior. You can continue to live as before and still be a Christian.”

A libertine is a person who disregards morality, especially sexual matter, as he has the liberty to do what he wants to do with sex.

Another teaching is called Gnosticism. Gnostics believed the material world was created as evil and corrupted. All matter is evil, and the non-material, spirit-realm is good.

Other teachings of Gnosticism include:

There is an unknowable God, who gave rise to many lesser

spirit beings called Aeons.

Jesus was considered a spirit, not actual flesh.

Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit in both Gnosticism and

Christianity, but in Gnosticism the Holy Spirit was the "feminine" or

female aspect of God. Thus, the Holy Spirit was the true "mother"

of Jesus.

One evil, lower spirit being is the creator who made the

universe.

Gnosticism does not deal with 'sin', only ignorance.

To achieve salvation, one needs to get in touch with secret

knowledge.

The deception for believers are always the teachings that are devoid of truth. Paul warned the Ephesian believers to watch out for deception, for to be deceived is to receive the wrath of God.

Isn’t God a loving God? Doesn’t the Scripture speak about a God who loves and a God of second chances?

But this is the wrath of God. The wrath of God can be temporal judgement (John 3:36; Romans 2:8-9; Colossians 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:16), or eschatological judgment (Matthew 25:31; Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9). God is angry for a reason. He is angry with the way humankind treats His word (Galatians 6:7).

We need to fully understand the Scriptural basis of the wrath of God. In Deuteronomy 5:9, we read, “thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”. Sometimes we use this as an illustration of the wrath of God, He being a stern, angry God. Yet we simply forgot the other half of the Scripture.

For Deuteronomy 5:9-10 can be completely appreciated as, “thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

As judgement runs through the fourth generation, but God’s mercy runs through a thousand generations.

God created the universe as a moral entity. Just as the courts of law are necessary in a society, so is judgment necessary in a moral universe.

Along with the creation of the moral universe, God also created covenants with His people. And these covenants are based on obedience as obedience is a characteristic of God’s children and disobedience is a characteristic of Satan’s followers.

Paul instructed the Ephesian believers on how to live their lives of faith. Paul here is also instructing us on how to live life in faith. Paul is warning us to be aware of vain words that justify sin our lives. Paul is reminding us that instead of imitating the world, we should imitate Jesus Christ. He is reminding us that instead of allowing ourselves to be controlled by the world, we should be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

 .                    When we allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives, our lifestyle, our speech, our conversations, our thoughts, and our desires, then we can submit to one another out of respect for Jesus Christ. This is a very powerful witness to the world.