Morning. Alright, we're going
to be in Philippians chapter 2. Philippians 2 and we're going
to be looking at verses 1 through 13. And Paul here is continuing to
expand upon the fruits of the church which promote unity among
her children. And he's encouraging the brethren
here unto peace and unity among themselves. And in doing that,
he directs their attention to the Lord Jesus Christ, to his
humility. Because we're not sacrificing
anything. When you consider what Christ
gave up and the humility that he showed, you see how any servant
attitude or any sacrifice or Any deferment to our brethren
is nothing in comparison to what the Lord of glory did for his
people in laying down himself. And Paul reminds the brethren
here of that great truth that it's Christ who works in us,
both to will and to do of his good pleasure. And just seeing
how Paul turns the attention of the brethren to Christ, it
reminds us of the importance of doing that when we're looking
at instruction Because you'll notice, I'm sure you're fully
aware of it, that religion, man-made religion, spends a great deal
of time emphasizing the things that you are supposed to be doing,
and the things that you're not supposed to be doing. What you
should start doing, what you need to stop doing, and it's
all that concision. They're always cutting things
out of the flesh. And so the religion, religion
of man, spends a great deal emphasizing what you need to be doing, But
the reality is the flesh is already really good at doing things.
It loves to get doing. And it loves telling people and
showing people what it can do and what you need to be doing
like me. And so the last thing we want to do is emphasize your
flesh, because your flesh is already ready to kick into gear. We want to emphasize that this
is Christ's work. This is the fruit which the Spirit
bears in us. We're fully aware that we're
the Lord's, we're the Lord's people. He's working His will
for His glory, and it's according to His power, so we're thankful
for that. And we learn that this is the
Spirit's work, so we're looking to see and to know Him and what
He's doing among us. So in that knowledge, we understand
we're working out that fruit which the Lord has determined
He's going to bear in us and in His people. He's going to
bring forth these spiritual fruits which speak of His glory and
His power and unto His praise. Our title is Work Out Your Own
Salvation. Work Out Your Own Salvation.
Alright, so let's look at this first point which is the work
of God in you. The work of God in you. So let's
begin our study actually in verse 12. Verse 12, because that's
right where religion loves to get it wrong, right there. They
love turning people to their flesh and to look to their flesh
for some part of their salvation. Alright, Philippians 2.12. 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. Just a couple of remarks here.
Paul says, wherefore, and that indicates to us that what he's
saying here has to do with what's gone on before, with what he
said previous to this wherefore. And Paul is speaking to them
in a very tender spirit. He calls them my beloved. He's a pastor to them. He loves
these brethren. And so what he's saying to them
is for their good. He's not looking to provoke their
flesh. Because the flesh, as soon as
we engage the flesh in religion, the flesh bites and devours one
another. We will chew one another up.
We can really do a number on one another when we get this
flesh going. and activated. So, alright, now
here's the part where people stumble, is work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling. So Paul, who loves these brethren,
who are dear to him, these are his beloved brethren, is Paul
turning these brethren now to their flesh to work out some
part of their salvation. Do you really think Paul is turning
them to the flesh to work out some part of their salvation?
We're told plainly in the Scriptures that there is none other name
given among men under heaven whereby we must be saved. So
it's not your name, and it's not mine. It's the name of Jesus
Christ whereby we are saved, whereby we have salvation, whereby
we have eternal life. It's in the name of Jesus Christ
alone. and we contribute nothing to
the work of our salvation. We contribute nothing to our
eternal security and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. In
Galatians 3 verses 21 and 22, Paul says that if there had been
a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ, the
faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ to work the salvation
for his people, might be given to them that believe. And we
know that belief is a gift worked out by Christ, given to us in
the new man, whereby we now are made alive to the things of God.
and we're made alive to see Jesus Christ, that He is the Savior
and we believe Him. He gives us that faith and that
belief and that hope in Him. So we understand, brethren, we
know, the Scriptures show us and the Spirit testifies, we're
dead in trespasses and sins. We can't work or evoke any salvation
or good works from this flesh. And so by the Spirit, we continue
to have, as Paul said, we have no confidence in the flesh. We
don't trust in the flesh. That's one of the things that
gathers us together in fellowship and in unity is we don't have
confidence in this flesh to work out of salvation. This flesh,
Paul calls it the old man. It's the old man. Turn over to
Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4.22. Paul says in Ephesians 4.22 that
ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man. Stop looking to your flesh to
produce a righteousness, to produce something that God will take
notice of. And he says that old man which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit
of your mind and that you put on the new man which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness. That new man is
that work which Christ does. He gives us birth. We are born anew spiritually. We have a spiritual birth now
by the operation and work of the Holy Spirit sent of Christ
to do this work because of the salvation Christ has wrought
and obtained for his people. In 2 Corinthians 3, 2 Corinthians
3, 4, and 5, we see that Christ is the whole of our acceptance
with God. You can rest right there in Jesus
Christ. He is the whole of the believer's
acceptance. 2 Corinthians 3, 4, and 5, And
I would encourage you to memorize this verse, verse four, and such
trust have we through Christ to God, not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency
is of God. So you rest in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Trust him and his work of salvation. So then why does Paul say, work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling? Why does he use
that word salvation? That's a fair question. Now remember,
Paul used this word earlier in the letter. He used this word
a little earlier when he was talking in Philippians 1.19,
and he used it in regards to his imprisonment, when he was
looking at the options that he had before him. I either die
for the sake of Christ, I either die here in chains and in this
prison, if God wills, or I'll go free if Christ wills. Either
way, I know that this will lead to my salvation. He says, For
I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer
and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Alright? Is
Paul saying that I'm going to obtain eternal salvation by the
prayers of the saints? Is he attributing his salvation
to the saints? Not at all, but rather by the
witness that the Spirit is revealing in moving the Church of Christ
to pray for Paul and their continued concern and care for Paul, and
he says the supply of the Holy Spirit, which is given to me,
I know that this is going to turn to my salvation. That is,
I'm going to be kept faithful to Christ no matter what he determines
is going to happen. Whether I die here or I'm set
free, It doesn't matter. I know that the Lord is going
to keep me faithful, because he's bearing witness to that.
He's revealing that to me, that I am Christ. And he's resting
there in the Lord Jesus Christ. He's not looking to any external
work. And he knows, because of what
he said earlier in Philippians 1.6, that this very thing, that
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ. He's trusting that it's all of
Christ. Every part of our eternal security
and salvation is in Christ. It's all fixed in Him. So He's not looking to the flesh
when He uses those words. So with that understanding, look
at verses 12 and 13 again, especially what we just saw in 1-6. Philippians
2, 12 and 13. Wherefore, my brethren, 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. For, we have this confidence,
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure. So Paul is saying here that they
will be kept faithful. He's saying, I know that you're
going to be kept faithful. Work out this walk in the spirit
that Christ has given you, and you'll bear these fruits of righteousness. You'll bear these fruits of unity
and peace. And second, Paul's saying that
because he knows that this that these are the children, that
this isn't a work in their flesh. They're not doing this of the
flesh because he said, you know, wherefore henceforth we know
no man after the flesh. He's not looking to the flesh.
We don't turn to the flesh to gain an understanding of things
that are spiritual and things that declare and show us the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Paul himself said that it's
through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. So in other
words, We know that this work is of Christ, and we're just
walking in that which Christ has worked in us by His Spirit,
and we trust that He's going to work these things out because
we are His, because He obtained salvation for us. We're not looking
to our flesh. Alright, so bearing fruits of
unity, our second point, bearing fruits of unity. And I was thinking
about this, And this will help us even on what Paul was saying
there, that work out your salvation with fear and trembling. He knows
that the Spirit is working powerfully in them, and he's encouraged
by the fact that the Spirit works in us. And I was thinking about
this in how the Lord, what the Lord showed me, when I was there
in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, in that area, I had heard men
preach the gospel. I heard Pastor Fortner. I heard
other preachers preach the gospel, and it was good to hear it, but
they weren't my pastor. And they were preaching, and
I would listen to tapes and CDs or tune in and hear it. Well,
it was always CDs at that time. So that when the Lord sent a
pastor, a man, to preach the gospel, a man from deep south
Arkansas willing to come up to New Jersey, of all places for
him to go, that the Lord would send up a man. He could have
sent him anywhere in the states or in the world, but he sent
him there to New Jersey and Pennsylvania. And that man preached, faithfully
preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to me. Every time we went
to some scripture, He was showing and bringing out the faithfulness
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel that God has worked
for our salvation, for His salvation. And it was so faithful, that
impressed me so much, seeing that God would do that for me,
that He would send a man up there for just a few families. We're
talking just a very few families at that time that actually believed
and continued in that faith, because over half left. after
Clay got there. And that the Lord would do that
for me, that so impressed me. And knowing how the Lord had
him faithfully preach Christ, that makes me want to do the
same for you, brethren. That makes me desire and want
to see that same fruit, that the Lord works that in me to
preach faithfully the Lord Jesus Christ and to preach his gospel,
because that's what helped me, that's what the Lord used to
deal with my flesh and to correct me and to just deliver me from the bondage
of sin and iniquity and all that confusion and that mist of darkness. He delivered me from that through
the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so even When I stumble
or feel like maybe I've disappointed you or haven't been faithful
enough in preaching Christ, I trust the Lord's going to teach me
and show me. And I believe that you're praying to that end as
well. And if I do preach the gospel
and your hearts are fed and blessed, You give praise and glory and
thanks to the Lord God because it's his work doing that for
you brethren. And so in that sense, that's
where Paul, that's the spirit that Paul has there. That's what
he's, that's where he's coming from and saying, I know that
the Lord's working this salvation in you brethren. And so we're
just availing ourselves, we're just going along with that, which
the Spirit's doing in His people, and what He always does. He's
always going to bring forth fruit to His glory and His praise,
and we want to see it. So with that understanding, go
back to verse 2. Philippians 2, 1. And Paul says, if there be therefore
any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, so that If you're
a sinner saved, and you are one like the other children of God
who have no confidence in the flesh, one who believes Christ
for all their salvation, or as Peter said, if you have so tasted
that the Lord is gracious, then you're going to understand that
this work is the Lord's doing. You're going to know and believe,
alright, he's not talking to my flesh. This isn't to provoke
me in the flesh. This is to put my mind. on the
blessings, that we have the spiritual blessings that God is pouring
out upon us through the Lord Jesus Christ. And you notice
that Paul's just carrying forth this word, you know, from chapter
1, because, you know, man put in the chapter breaks, but he
said in Philippians 1 29, For unto you it is given in the behalf
of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for
his sake." And so, the church who's confessing Christ, the
church who's denying self, and the church who's taking up the
cross and following the Lord Jesus Christ, She knows I'm asking
for it. I'm asking for trouble in this
world by following Christ. It's going to come back at me
because this world, they hate the Lord Jesus Christ. They don't
approve of it. They hate the smell and the savor
of Christ. And when we're preaching Him
and glorifying Him, there's nothing for the flesh to latch on to
and so they don't care for that and they don't care for you who
do care for that as well. They look at you and despise
you because you're not like them and you're not promoting the
flesh and there's no glory in the flesh. So Paul puts their
minds on fruits now that bring about unity, that bear unity,
rather than bringing forth strife and division and derision. And so the Spirit here, this
is just verses 2 and 3, they're just an outline of what the Spirit
works in us. This isn't a 12-step program. We're telling you, well, if you
do this now, and then you can add it to this, build on top
of that, and then you can add it to this thing. It's not a
12-step program for your flesh to be more holy and to be more
disciplined in religion. Religion will do that for you.
They'll give you steps. They'll tell you how to, you know, methods.
They'll give you methods and steps to follow. But Paul is
just speaking of really what's an outline of what the Spirit
works in us. And he says, fulfilling my joy
that you be like-minded Having the same love, being of one accord,
of one mind, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory,
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves. So that these are fruits that
the Spirit is bearing in us. There's going to be that peace,
that desire for there to be peace. We don't want to be looking and
watching what everybody's doing. We want there to be peace, and
we just want to hear the gospel. We want to be fed with the Lord
Jesus Christ. Turn over to 1 Corinthians 2.
1 Corinthians 2, and we'll pick up in verse 12. 1 Corinthians 2, 12 through 14
here. Paul says, now we have received
not the spirit of the world. See, we're not appealing to the
flesh. We're not appealing to the spirit
of the world, but the spirit, which is of God, that we might
know the things that are freely given to us of God. So it's a
spiritual work. that we would know Christ, that
we would walk in Him, in fellowship with Him. And he's speaking of
things that provoke us to love, to love the Lord Jesus Christ.
We hear of the Gospel because that, as the Lord grows us in
knowledge and in that judgment, that understanding, that sense
of what Christ has really accomplished for us, love is increased. We
grow in love to Christ and we grow in love in the fellowship
with the brethren, because we're not alone. Just as he's shown
us these things, he's shown you these things, and we rejoice
in that, because that's a fellowship of only a few. There's not a
lot of people that delight in that, because it's not a fleshly
work. If it was a fleshly work, a lot of people would love it,
but It's a work of the Spirit. And so he says, verse 13, which
things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, right? We're not talking about how to
advance yourself in man-made religion, but which the Holy
Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Because
if we bite and devour one another, if we start working the works
of the concision amongst us, We're going to bite and devour
one another and we're only going to reap that which we sow. If
you sow division and you sow divisive words and you sow instructing
and telling everybody what's right and wrong, you're going
to reap that division. You're going to reap some backlash
about that because none of us is perfect and we don't want
to hear it in the flesh, that's for sure. But dead religionists,
they won't last long when we're boasting of Christ and when we're
speaking well of Him and what He's done. They won't even last
long here because they'll get offended and they'll leave. They
won't agree to that because there's certain things they don't do.
and you who rest in Christ are bound to be offensive to them
because you're rejoicing in and glad in the Lord Jesus Christ
and they don't like that. But the natural man, verse 14,
we see that not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they
are spiritually discerned. Verse 16, for who hath known
the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have
the mind of Christ. So, Paul here, he's emboldened
by Christ, and he sees how that the Lord isn't stopped, and he's
sending his gospel forth, and it's seeking out and finding
his people, and the Lord is saving his people, and he's saying,
brethren, this is a glorious blessing. We're seeing that Christ's
kingdom is established and going forth triumphantly reaching all
his people and he's saying, therefore, let us come together and be of
one mind in this thing and let us rejoice in Christ and pray
to that end that the Lord's will be done here, that the Lord brings
in his people, that he saves his people and that he's comforting
us and settling us in that gospel of what he himself has done. I know that when you've come
up through a life of religion and you hear an exhortation,
we naturally shrink back in the flesh because we think, oh great,
here we go again. Here it is, another thing for
my flesh to do. It gets us all worked up and afraid, but rather, we're looking to Christ, we're
trusting, Lord, you've done this, you've done this work, and you've
put us together here, and we want to see your work prosper.
We want to see your work prosper in amongst us. And so that's
what we're praying for. And when we're praying to that
end and looking to that end, that's why it's not engaging
the flesh. It's not looking to you know, make ourselves better,
we're looking to see the Lord, His gospel go forward. And that's
where our focus is really. That's what He's saying, be of
one mind and like-minded and of one spirit and of one mind.
We're praying to that end, that the Lord's will be done here
amongst us. Look over in 1 Thessalonians,
1 Thessalonians 2, And Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians
2.11, as ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every
one of you as a father doth his children. that ye would walk
worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. So we know salvation is already
accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. And for this cause, verse
13, also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received
the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as
the word of men. You didn't hear it in the flesh.
but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh
also in you that believe." So we're walking and when we hear
an exhortation We cry out to the Spirit. We cry out, Abba,
Father, help me, Lord, to hear what I need to hear. Deal with
me and teach me as I need to be taught. And we always, our
desire is to be kept humble, looking to Christ, because we
know how this flesh whips up and gets proud and arrogant in
its ways. All right, let's look at our
third point, Christ's humiliation. Christ's humiliation. So to us
who have the Spirit of Christ, Paul, He brings us to a sober
remembrance of Christ, our Savior. And really, if any man is too
proud to seek peace among the brethren because they're not
listening to him and doing what he or she thinks is the right
thing to do, or we think ourselves better than our brethren, Paul
reminds us, hold up. Wait. Consider Christ. Look to what our Lord did in
verse 4. Philippians 2, 4. Look not every
man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
That is, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ
Jesus. We don't come here looking for
us and what we want to see done. We're not looking to implement
our ideas and what we think needs to happen next in this order.
or that order, but rather we remember what Christ has done.
If we think that in our deferring ourselves and our own ideas is
something, just remember what Christ did when he laid aside
his glory to come and bear the burden of his brethren's sin,
to put away their sin forever. And so he says there, verse 6,
who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be
equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,
so that we see Christ laying aside his glory, that he might
glorify the Father. And he laid aside his honor,
that he might honor the Father. He obeyed the Father in all things. This is the Son of God, equal
with God the Father, and he laid aside his glory and honor that
he might glorify and honor the Father in what he willed and
desired. And being found in fashion as
a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross." So that Christ there, he wrought more
glory and honor for the Godhead in salvation than all the filthy
works, good or bad, that we've done to tarnish the work of God.
We destroyed the creation that God created. We destroyed that
which God created and said was good. and upright, which he was
pleased with, and we destroyed that. We sinned against him.
We rebelled and wanted to do our own works and do that which
we wanted to do, but Christ came and obtained that salvation,
that which we destroyed, that which we lost and sold ourselves
into slavery of sin and locked ourselves away in the prison
of death and under the condemnation of the law, Christ, by shedding
his blood, redeemed us and purchased us back out of that slavery and
purchased us out from that death, which was our wages due for the
sins that we committed against God in rebellion and doing foolishly,
thinking ourselves to be wise and being the very enemies of
God and hating Him and wanting to do what we wanted to do, but
Christ in mercy and grace came and did that work which the Father
asked Him to do and the Son was willing to do it and He came
and did it and by His death He obtained peace for us, reconciled
us to God the Father so that Christ is the God-man mediator
and He is worthy of all glory and power and praise and honor
now because we didn't do this. We're not even worthy of it.
And yet Christ did that for us and he glorified the Father. And so that's why we don't boast
because all our works, all they did was just make it worse, whether
it was good or bad. And we thought we were something
when we were nothing. And yet in spite of that, Christ
came in humility and laid down his life for us sinners who are
unworthy of that love and that kindness and mercy. All right,
verse nine. Therefore, wherefore God also
hath highly exalted Christ, and given him a name which is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow
of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the
earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. So now we can see,
well, where is Boson then? If Christ did this, and I've
done nothing except make it worse, What do I have to boast in? Why
do I have to glory in and exalt myself over my brethren and do
those things which upset you and hurt you and make you angry
or make you... just disgusted by my things.
What am I in comparison to what Christ has done? Peter said that
we've even, the faith that we have in Christ, we can't even
boast of that because we've obtained it. Everything about us that
contributes to salvation was given to us freely. from God through Jesus Christ,
through whom all the spiritual blessings that we have are poured
out upon us. Therefore, Paul says in verses
12 and 13, because of Christ's work, 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, for
it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his
good pleasure. So Remembering that good work
which Christ has worked in us. Labor joyfully and thankfully
amongst one another just rejoicing what God has done and pray to
that end and keep praying to that end because there's nothing
more blessed than to come here each week and each time we meet
without that angst and that anger or that feeling of having something
against a brother. We don't want to harbor anything
against one another because it just promotes disunity, and we
want there to be peace. And people will know it. They'll
know when there's peace, and they'll know when there's not
peace when they come and visit. They'll know that, and they'll
sense that. So, we labor knowing that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to his purpose. So, and one just
last thing. You know, if there is ever a
time, because I'm not saying that there's any disunity here.
I'm not saying that I feel that or sense that. I just know that
it's such a sweet and blessed thing that that's what we want.
We want that to that end. And so if there ever is a time,
you know, and maybe you think you have an idea, you know, you
can express it and speak with one another, especially, you
know, as the Lord grows us and especially if we get a building
and when we get a building and things like that. There might
be ideas and differences that we have, but don't ever be afraid
to defer to your brethren. Don't ever be afraid to do that.
When you look at Christ, who in weakness accomplished the
entire salvation of his people. He laid down his life and he
saved us all. He delivered us all from damnation
through weakness. And Paul, who was imprisoned
in chains for preaching the gospel, saw and witnessed the gospel
still go forward. and reach every one of the sheep
that Christ had died for, reach those in Nero's household, which
never would have hurt it if he wasn't in chains. He saw the
power of God through weakness. If we have to defer to one another
or give up our own idea, don't ever be afraid. Don't ever think,
well, now it's ruined. Forget this. This is horrible. Don't ever think that, because
even that which is horrible and weak and seems worthless in our
eyes, the Lord has a way of abusing that to the glory and praise
of His work. He's going to reach His people.
You don't have to fear that. So don't fight so hard that you're
not willing, except over the Gospel. If it's the Gospel, certainly
that's worth fighting. But these other outward things,
don't let that trouble us and cause harm among us. So you can
trust that the Lord will reach His people as He wills. Let's
pray. Our gracious Lord, we thank you,
Father, for your work and that this work of unity and peace
of loving one another is your work, a work of your spirit,
and it's according to your fruit. And so, Lord, we look to you.
We look to Christ and his humiliation and the work that he's done.
Hold Christ ever before our eyes, Lord, unless we should think
too highly of ourselves and insert our flesh and start biting and
devouring one another. But Lord, keep us looking to
him and we trust that your spirit will bring forth the fruit to
the praise and glory of your name. We thank you, Lord, for
laying down your life for us. We pray for our brethren who
are sick and not feeling well. We ask that you would heal them.
and comfort them. We pray for those that are at
funerals of family members, Lord, that you would comfort them.
And Lord, that you would bring us back together to fellowship
and rejoice in what Christ our Savior has done. We pray this
in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, so about 10 minutes.