A listener writes, what is your response to someone who claims that a person can lose their salvation based on the verse that says you should work out your own salvation with fear and trembling?
Yeah, that's a good one.
We've had this one before.
A verse that confuses a lot of people.
My response to them would be, we are not saved or kept saved by any works of any kind.
Check Romans 4:5, chapter 11 verse 6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:1, 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 2:8, Titus 3:5, that's just to mention a few.
In fact, the Bible is clear in that anyone who thinks their works play any part whatsoever in them being saved, they're under a curse, Galatians 3:10.
So, that would be something important to mention to whoever this is that thinks you can lose your salvation based upon Philippians chapter 2 verse 12.
Philippians 2:12, that's the verse you're referring to and is a verse that some choose to parrot without researching the evidence for themselves.
You see, on the surface this verse does seem confusing and even frightening, but when it's taken in light of the other verses also from the pen of Paul, we see that it's not frightening at all.
Paul tells the Philippians, he says, 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.
Now question, what is the opposite of out?
Correct, in.
You can't work it out if it's not already in.
Paul speaking to people who are already saved, they're members of the body of Christ, and he's simply telling them to demonstrate what they have within by working it out.
And do note that he said work out, not for.
Saved people don't work for salvation, we work from salvation.
We don't work to be saved, we work because we are.
Colossians 1:27, that's a verse that comes to mind here, Colossians 1:27, give me a second, great verse from our apostle Paul.
Here he writes, To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is, now listen closely, Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Praise God.
If the Christ in me is my hope, then it is my reasonable service, Romans 12:1, to work out the Christ in me.
Correct?
Think of it this way, if I were to work out a math problem, I am not making 1 plus 1 equal 2, but only showing, demonstrating, that 1 plus 1 equals 2.
Same goes for the Christ in me.
I'm not keeping Him in me by working out my salvation, but only showing that He's in me.
God through Christ did all the work necessary for my salvation, 2 Corinthians 5:19, He completely forgave me and rose to give me His resurrected life.
By me resting my faith in what He did, He promised to seal me, to put a seal upon me with His Spirit, His Holy Spirit of promise unto the day of redemption, Ephesians 1:13 and 14.
And now for me to work out what He's done in me is simply my reasonable response to having been given such a wonderful gift.
In Ephesians chapter 2, let's go there, Ephesians chapter 2, it's verse 10, most are familiar with this, of course the most popular, most likely in this chapter, is Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9.
But let's look at verse 10, we're talking about works here, so here in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10, let's look there, Paul has a message for already saved people.
He wrote, "...for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
These good works, Paul speaks of, do not earn or keep my salvation, but demonstrate who lives within me.
The main focus the main work would be for these saved Philippians to go out and proclaim Paul's gospel to the unsaved, for as we know it's God's will that all are saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Timothy 2:4.
Now, what work would they need to do first before going out, before approaching the lost with the gospel?
Study, study to show themselves approved unto God.
A workman, a workman that rightly divides Paul's gospel, the gospel that saves today, from the previous gospel, the gospel of the kingdom.
The reason Paul says to do it with, quote, "Fear and trembling," is because they could suffer loss.
These Philippians are just like you and I today.
They could suffer loss then, we can suffer loss now.
Not loss of salvation, as those who, who rest the Scriptures want us to believe, but loss of reward.
Let's support this with Scripture, just believe the Bible.
1 Corinthians chapter 3, look there in verse 15, If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.
Loss of salvation, Paul?
No, keep reading.
But he himself shall be saved.
You see that?
So it simply cannot be loss of salvation.
No, believe the words on the page.
But he himself shall be saved.
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss.
But he himself shall be saved.
That's simple.
So why did Paul write for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling?
So that at the judgment seat of Christ we don't suffer loss of reward.
1 Corinthians 3:14.
It clearly has nothing to do with loss of salvation.
While Philippians 2:12 says, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, most give little to no attention to the verse that follows.
Verse 13.
That verse says that God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
When taken within its context, it's plain to see that Philippians 2:12 is speaking of God doing His work in you for His good pleasure.
Simply put, to work out your salvation is to work out what God has worked in.
2 Timothy 2:15, Study and rightly divide the Word of Truth makes all the difference.
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