Philippians 2.12-13
“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.”
The book of Proverbs tells us that developing wisdom and building skill requires disciplined effort on our part. There has been an unfortunate tendency among bible teachers to de-emphasize (or even deny) that disciplined effort is a necessary element of the Christian walk and spiritual formation.
The Philippians passage quoted at the top helps clarify this important topic. The word translated “work out” is the Greek katergazomai, and it means to “achieve or accomplish.” Paul is not saying that we must work to achieve salvation. We know this because in many other verses scripture makes it clear that salvation is by grace through faith and not the result of works or effort. Salvation is a gift of grace; it cannot be earned. The work to which Paul refers is the activity and effort that should flow from salvation.
Here is a breakdown of key aspects of Philippians 2.12-13.
- Salvation initiates the Christian life, and then we must work in order to grow. We must take action. The work we do is by faith and in response to God’s grace. It is not work that earns the favor of God; it is work that is done in response to the favor of God. This is the process of musar that Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes.
- Paul tells us to work out our salvation “with fear and trembling.” There are several reasons for this. First, fear and trembling signals our respect and reverence for the greatness of God, and for the greatness of the life to which he calls us. Second, this work is the most important work we will ever do because it affects everything else we do. If we do not do this work, then our spiritual growth is stunted, and our impact for Christ and his kingdom is diminished.
- The Lord “works in us” …that is, he prompts and energizes us, but he does not force his will on us. Here the Lord reminds us that the work we do is not by ourselves. Indeed, we can only do the work because the Lord enables us and works in us. Paul spoke to this in Ephesians when he prayed that we would be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man.” And Paul reminded the Corinthians: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
- The purpose of the work we do — and the purpose of the work that God does in us — is “to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We must always remember that salvation and the spiritual growth that follows is ultimately for God’s purposes, not ours. The Lord saves us and calls us to himself, and then sends us into the world to accomplish the work of the kingdom. We are effective for the kingdom when we are growing and building strength and skill.
The scripture that best demonstrates the unique combination of our work and God’s work in us is the final attribute of the fruit of the Spirit delineated in Galatians 5. That attribute is “self-discipline” or “self-control.” It is a personal attribute that we must develop and apply, and is also an element of the Christian life that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. There is no self-control without the “self” exercising discipline and control; nevertheless, there are limits to what the unaided self can control. When powered by the Holy Spirit, self-control goes to a level of discipline that is simply not possible without the enabling power of God’s Spirit.
We are saved by the gift of God’s grace, and we receive it by faith. Then, in response to God’s grace, we go to work developing our new nature in Christ and denying our old nature. This work is challenging, and it requires diligence and discipline. The old nature is deceitful and tenacious; it is not easily denied. As Paul writes in Galatians, our old nature is at war with our new nature. Spiritual growth isn’t just work … it’s a battle! Therefore, throughout the entire process, God is at work within us teaching, prompting, convicting, and empowering.
Trust God and do the work.
