How Do I Work Out My Salvation?

April 1, 2020

The following is the transcript from the program How Do I Work Out My Salvation? Check back soon to find the youtube and podcast links at bottom of page.  

Listener: 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"? 

TTR: My response to them would be, we are not saved or kept saved by works of any kind. 

Romans 4:5, 11:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 5:1, 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 2:8, Titus 3:5 to mention a few.

In fact, the bible is clear in that anyone who thinks their works play any part whatsoever in their salvation - their "under a curse". (Galatians 3:10)

So that would be something important to mention to whoever this is that thinks you can loose your salvation based upon Philppians chapter 2 verse 12. That is the verse your are referring to, and is a verse some choose to parrot without researching the evidence for themselves. On the surface, this verse does seem confusing and even frightening, but when it's taken in light of other verses (also from the pen of Paul) we see that it is not frightening at all.

Paul tells the Philippians, "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."

Question: What is the opposite of out? Correct - "in". You cant work it OUT if its not already IN. 

Paul is speaking to people who are already saved. Members of the body of Christ, and is 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 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

If the Christ in me is my hope, then it is my "reasonable service" (Romans 12:1) to "work out" the Christ IN me. 

Think of it this way... If I were to "work out" a math problem, I am not MAKING 1+1=2, but only SHOWING that 1+1=2. Same goes for the "Christ in me". I am not KEEPING him in me by working out my salvation - but only SHOWING that he is 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. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) By me resting my faith in what he did, he promised to seal me with his Spirit unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 1:13-14) And now for me to "work OUT" what he has done in me, is simply my reasonable response to having been given such a wonderful gift!

In Ephesians 2:10 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 its God's will that all are "saved, and come unto the knowledge of truth". (1 Timothy 2:4) Now what "work" would they need to do first before doing this? Before approaching the lost with the gospel? Study, to shew 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. Not loss of salvation (as those who wrest the scriptures wont us to believe) but loss of "reward".

Lets support this with scripture. 1 Corinthians 3:15, "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;" So it simply CANNOT be loss of salvation.

Why did Paul write for us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling? So that at the judgement 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 Philppians 2:12 says "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." - most give little to no attention to the verse that follows. 

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 

When taken within it's context, it is plain to see that Philppians 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.

GraceRightlyAppliedChangesEverything