"Work out your salvation in fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12

“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36

In this essay I would like to explore the verse from Philippians quoted above. To that end, it will be necessary to look into three essential points:

I. What is salvation? That might seem like something too obvious to need explanation, as it refers to being delivered from the justice of God on a future day of judgment.

However, the salvation offered to us through Christ is not something that applies to the next life only. It has two very real and present applications in this life also. These are often neglected in superficial presentations of the good news of God manifest to us in the person, works, Spirit and teachings of Christ.

II. Why do we have to work out our salvation at all? Aren't we saved by the grace of God operating through faith, so that we can be acceptable to God without reference to our own works and merits? Don't we just have to accept God's free gift, and that is all? Why do we have to work out this free gift of ours and, moreover, do so in fear and trembling? Aren't we supposed to go boldly before the throne of grace? Does not God as a loving heavenly Father receive all who come to him, as the father in the parable embraced unconditionally his wayward son?

III. How do we work out our salvation according to the exhortation of  Philippians 2? Could it be that there is more to the Christian life than just accepting a gift? What if someone accepted a free gift but never opened the package?

Before looking into these things I would like to say that I am not speaking from a lofty standpoint of perfection in knowledge or practice. At the age of nearly 72, I am still learning about these things.

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I. Concerning the first point, I confess that for years I labored under the misunderstanding that Christ's salvation for my sins was something that would become effectual on the day of judgment. I would do my best in this life, in this way contributing to my own salvation by my merit, and then Christ would cover for my shortcomings, mistakes, sins and failures. However, when it says in Matthew "You shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins," this is not referring to the next life only. It also has two applications in this present life.

(A) The salvation of Christ refers also to the deliverance from the power of sin that works in us in this life. Thus, while as human beings we remain fallible and liable to err, and may stumble and even fall at times, yet the power of the risen Christ is supposed to be operative in our lives so that we are no longer enslaved by sin. As we read in John 1,

as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

That is the first present application. A second application is that the salvation of God includes (B) deliverance from the cares, trials and troubles of this life. This deliverance is not only through the future hope of a better life, in the light of which all of our present earthly trials will seems as nothing:

as it is written, Eye hath (has) not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath (has) prepared for them that love him.

No, the salvation of God is also a present reality, or should be, through the consolations of the Spirit of Christ. This includes instruction and assurance that God is at work in the circumstances of our daily lives, if we are in fact his children through Christ. Thus, if we are experiencing trials or difficulties as we often do, we can know that God is at work in them for our good.

This can be difficult for Christians to accept, so let's look at it a little more closely. We read in Romans chapter 8 that

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We also read in I Thessalonians 5,

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Do we believe these teachings? It says that, if we are in Christ, every situation is according to God's will for us, if we love him, and have been called by him into the sanctification and preparation for eternity that is available to us in Christ.

The thought that the circumstances of our lives are so regulated by God that everything that happens to us is in some way part of God's will for us is hard for us to grasp. What about our free will and our liberty? But as much as we like to believe that we have free will to run our own lives, our powers in this area are very limited in scope, and do not extend to many things around us that are outside of and beyond our control. So, if we can have confidence by the gift of faith that those things are not outside of God's providence; that all good things come to us from God, and that nothing bad can touch or affect us without his express consent, is that not immensely liberating? And what are the alternatives to this sort of detailed and specific faith in God? Doubt, tension, anxiety and fear, never knowing what might hit us from one moment to the next?

What, however, about the bad things that happen to us? We read in Hebrews that God chastens those he loves - and are not we all in need of chastening from time to time? Do we not find ourselves in need of adversities, difficulties, trials and hardships which compel us to look to God in ways that we never would have looked if everything were always just as we would have it to be?

"But someone dear to me died of cancer." What? Do you not realize that any one of us may be called to depart from this life at any time for any reason? We also are going to die if the Lord tarries. Do we not believe that life and death are in the hands of God, and that the Lord has the right and the power to decide how long we will tarry on this earth? That God knows our sorrows and our afflictions, and that he can and will ease them in his time, even if his timing is not according to our liking?

In death illness and tribulations of all sorts, we know from the book of Job that these things could not come upon us as believers and children of God without God's knowledge and permission. So, this gives us great liberty, not to enjoy our lives with everything agreeable to our comfort and human wills, but rather liberty to find our true peace in God and in Christ, rather than in the things of this world. This contributes greatly also to the salvation from our love of self and from the love of this world that passes away.

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II. The second point is, why do we have to work out our salvation at all? It is true that, like the thief on the cross, someone who finds salvation in Christ on the last day or in the last hour of their death can be accepted by God through the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and righteousness. Yet, for the vast majority of Christians who remain in this life after salvation, and are given the privilege and honor of serving Christ in the world, and in this body of flesh, it is needful for us to give heed to this exhortation of Paul's. Some reasons are as follows.

(A) Christ says that many who have the name of Christians will stand before him on the day of judgment and will be rejected (Matthew 7:22). How do we know that we will not be included in that number? I am not denying the reality of assurance of salvation. We read in I John chapter 5,

And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Yet, this assurance is not automatically guaranteed to everyone that has the name and outward appearance of a Christian. That is why Peter also says, "Strive diligently to make your calling and election sure."

How many people in the churches are deceiving themselves with an outward seeming form of religion that is devoid of the life and the reality of Christ? There is ample testimony in Scripture to the reality of this problem. We read in James of Christians who are deceiving themselves with vain religious words:

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth (bridles) not his tongue, but deceiveth (deceives) his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Yet another example of this is found in the parable of the ten virgins. All of them were waiting for the return of Christ. They had their lamps, which we may call sound doctrine - for God's word is a lamp unto our feet - but five of them had no oil, and so their lamps were without light. And is there oil in our lamps, so they may burn with a clean and holy light acceptable to God? As Christ said - "Let your lights so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father which is in heaven." But the light of the foolish virgins had gone out, and there was no oil in their lamps. So, the door was shut against them and they were denied entrance. They were waiting for Christ, and expected to be admitted, but were not.

Finally, we need to consider the Laodicean church in the book of Revelation. Here we find believers that were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked but did not know it. How many foolish virgins and Laodicean Christians are there in the American churches today? "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

(B) Another reason we need to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is so that we may put down deeper roots. We read in the parable of the sower that there are places where the seed, the word of God, takes root. It sprouts, and grows, and shows every evidence of life, and at first is indistinguishable from plants rooted in deeper and better soil. Yet, when tribulation or persecution comes because of God's word, those who do not have roots are offended and do not endure - so let us with God's help labor now to put down deep roots of faith, and love, and obedience, and sound doctrine, so that by God's grace we may stand and endure in the evil hour - "For he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved."

(C) A third reason is so that we may not make shipwreck of the faith. Now, this shipwreck may not mean loss of salvation. We read for example that one of the members of the church at Corinth was caught up in serious fornication, so much so that he was delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his soul might be saved (5:5). His punishment was great, yet we read in 2 Corinthians chapter 2 that the man was in the end restored to fellowship. There he is described as being in need of the comfort and forgiveness of the congregation, lest he "should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."

Yet, even if he did not lose his salvation and was restored in the end, is that what any serious Christians wants - to fall so deeply into sin that our flesh is destroyed and that we are forgiven yet still swallowed up in sorrow? If anyone thinks that this is an example of the eternal security that allows us license to commit sin and yet still be saved, that is very far from the holiness of God and the love of Christ. And while that specific individual was forgiven, what about those who "who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come," yet cannot be renewed unto repentance, "seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame"?

Does this not say in plain words that none can deny that there are some who are partakers of the word of God, and of the Holy Ghost, who yet fall away to such an extent that they cannot be forgiven? What followers of Christ and lovers of God want to play games with such matters? Here are some more relevant verses from Hebrews:

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation . . .

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip . . .

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end . . .

And from Matthew, "but he that endureth (endures) to the end shall be saved."

(D) There is yet another reason, and this is directly stated by Paul  in Philippians 2 - that is, we are supposed to work out our salvation in fear and trembling "For it is God which worketh (works) in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Now, is this not a little strange? If the God whom unbelievers of any sort deny should actually exist, and not only exist, but also be active in the lives of those who approach him through Christ, who alone is the door to God, should this not be a matter of rejoicing, gladness, confidence and hope? Yet what did Isaiah say, when he saw his vision of God? He said,

Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

What did Job say when God appeared to him?

Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth . . . Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

When John saw the glorified Christ in the first chapter of Revelation he fell at Christ's feet like a dead man, and the appearance of Christ left Paul blinded for three days.

Do we understand whom it is we are dealing with? If Christ is really at work in our lives we must at some point have a godly fear because of the reality of the infinite power behind the cosmos, and the presence of his Spirit that is infinite and eternal perfection. This is that fear which is the beginning of wisdom, from which we can go on to higher and deeper knowledge of the ways of the Lord.

(E) Other reasons could be given, but I would like to mention at least two more. One is, that the lusts of our flesh need to be subdued, as we read in James:

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth (dwells) in us lusteth (lusts) to envy?

We even as Christians have deep and misguided attractions for the world. It says in I John:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Paul also speaks of this in Romans 7 where he says,

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Now, some will argue that Paul was speaking of an earlier state of spiritual immaturity – but is this not the common experience of all Christians at various points in their lives? Is it not true of us even at this day, no matter how much we try? It certainly has been my experience – not that we have to struggle with temptations to rob banks, murder our noisy neighbors, get drunk, or commit other flagrant evils. We can have lives of outward righteousness and growth in grace, yet still have spiritual conflicts of a deeper and more sophisticated sort. And when Paul spoke of a thorn in the flesh given to him by God to keep him humble, he was not speaking of his earlier life and ministry, but of his present one.

Thus, as we read in James and various other places, there is an element of conflict in the Christian life between the old and the new. We read in Romans 8:

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

(F). Finally, we read in I John:

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth (does) not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath (has) this hope in him purifieth (purifies) himself, even as he is pure.

If we gave a real expectation of meeting Christ, we are purifying ourselves in anticipation of that meeting (as always, with God’s help, since Christ said, “Apart from me you can do nothing”). This is not to earn our salvation, it is a result of the salvation already given, and the motivation is not human legalism or vainglorious perfectionism. The motivation is love, and a desire to be like Christ.

However, if everyone who has the hope of meeting Christ is preparing for that event, then it follows that those who are not preparing themselves as John here describes are really not living in anticipation of meeting Christ. Their salvation from Christ is a theological concept, a legal transaction, a business transaction, a payment of debt without a real conviction of sin, and without a real experience of Christ, and hence without a real hope of salvation.

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III. But how can we work out our salvation? How can we find that victorious faith that truly overcomes the world? Fortunately, we do not have to figure this out by ourselves, as the Bible gives us much instruction.

In Hebrews 12 we find:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

And notice that “sin which doth so easily beset us.” To lay aside such sins and weights is not easy, as I know by personal experience.

Some other passages are:

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  James 4

Also Hebrews chapter 4:

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

And also 2 Peter chapter 1:

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

How many Christians are there who care nothing for these things? How many in the churches have forgotten that Christ forgave them and are now blind?

What did Christ say to the church at Sardis? That they have a name of being alive, but are dead, and also have things which remain but are yet ready to die.

And how many pastors are there who are not declaring the full council of God, not dealing with their congregations honestly, as Paul dealt with the church at Corinth, but heal the hurts of the people lightly, saying “Peace, peace” when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14)?

How many churches are salt that has lost its savor, and hence are good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under by the feet of men?

And how many of America’s current woes and failings are the direct result of the absence of the light of Christ?

If Christ is the author and finisher of our salvation, working in us so that we will will and do his good pleasure, then we will know the reality of these things at least to some extent, however (as in my own case) very imperfectly.