“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but 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 work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13 NASB1995)
Obviously this was written to those of genuine biblical
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who were walking (in conduct, in practice) in
obedience to our Lord and to his commands, and no longer in slavery (bondage)
to sin. But what does it mean to “Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling”? I think that can be a somewhat confusing subject for some (or many)
people. For we are definitely not saved and on our way to heaven based on our
own fleshly works which some people do to try to earn their way into heaven.
But even if we read the entire sentence, which includes “For
it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,” it
can be a bit confusing to understand how that fits with us working out our own
salvation with fear and trembling. So, how do we reconcile all of that
together? It is biblical, so we can’t just ignore it because we don’t
understand it, or because some people will feel as though it does not fit with
their theology. So this is where we look at other supporting Scriptures to see
the whole big picture.
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor
is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all
sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2
Corinthians 9:8). “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we
should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
“For
the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us
to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the
appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave
himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a
people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
“The saying is
trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have
believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things
are excellent and profitable for people” (Titus 3:8). “So also faith by itself,
if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). And so, from the day
we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as
to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing
to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of
God” (Colossians 1:9-10).
And..
“He will render to each one
according to his works: to those who by patience in
well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There
will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew
first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does
good, the Jew first and also the Greek” (Romans 2:6-10).
And then let’s look at a summary of what Jesus Christ taught
on this:
Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self,
take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we
hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But
if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to
our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God.
For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the
one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).
And let’s look at a summary of what the apostle Paul taught
on this:
For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our
own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ
to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as
slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no
longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires.
For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is
what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with
God (see Romans 6:1-23).
My takeaway from this all is that it is God who initiated
our faith and our salvation, who sent Jesus to put our sins to death with him
on that cross so that by faith in Jesus we will die to sin and obey our Lord
and his commands. And it is God who empowers us to do the works which God has
called us to do. So God provides, and he empowers, and in his power we do what
he has saved us and called us to do, by his grace. This is not of our own
doing, but we must choose to obey our Lord in his power, his wisdom, and his strength.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts
26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans
8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1
Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians
5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14;
Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24;
1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation
3:1-22]
When in The Stillness
An Original Work / September
26, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
When in the
stillness of this moment,
Speak to me, Lord, I
humbly pray.
Be my desire, set me
on fire,
Teach me to love
always.
Help me to walk in
fellowship with You,
Listening to You;
sit at Your feet.
Whisper Your words
to me,
Oh, how gently,
guiding me in Your truth.
While we are waiting
for Your blessing,
Lord, in our hearts
be King today.
Help us to live for
you ev’ry moment,
List’ning to what
You say.
May we not stray
from your word within us,
Help us obey You,
Lord, in all things,
Walking each moment,
Lord, in Your presence,
Our offerings to You
bring.
Help us to love You,
Lord, our master;
Be an example of
Your love,
Helping the hurting,
lift up the fallen,
Showing them Your
great love.
Teach them to love
You, follow You always,
Bearing their cross
and turning from sin;
Walking in daily
fellowship with You,
Making You Lord and
King.
Work Out Your Own Salvation
An Original Work / January 17, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
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