Work Out Your Own Salvation

Q: What does the Bible say about working out your own salvation?

Philippians 2:12 teaches that believers are to actively pursue their own salvation by relying on God’s grace. Philippians 2:12 invites believers to 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,' emphasizing the necessity of actively engaging in one's faith. In context, this does not imply that salvation is achieved through works, but rather that genuine faith will produce works, reflecting our relationship with Christ. The Apostle Paul encourages believers to consider their status in Christ with seriousness and humility, recognizing that while salvation is a gift from God, it requires a response of obedience and diligence to manifest that grace in our lives.

Q: How do we know the doctrine of grace is true?

The Bible affirms God's grace throughout Scripture, showing it as the basis for salvation and transformation in believers. The doctrine of grace is foundational to the Reformed faith, grounded in passages like Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that it is by grace alone that we are saved through faith, and this not of ourselves; it is the gift of God. Historical Christian teaching holds that grace is unearned favor granted by God to humanity, culminating in the work of Christ on the cross. This grace not only justifies us but also empowers us to live righteously, leading to the inevitable outworking of salvation in the believer's life, consistent with God's will and pleasure (Philippians 2:13). This continuity between grace and works is pivotal, affirming that true faith manifests in obedience.

Q: Why is humility important for Christians?

Humility is vital as it reflects the character of Christ and fosters unity within the church. Humility is essential for Christian living, as highlighted in Philippians 2, where believers are called to have the same mindset as Christ, who exemplified ultimate humility. This attitude of humility is crucial for maintaining unity among believers, as seen in verses urging the church to be like-minded and to consider others better than themselves (Philippians 2:3). When Christians embody humility, they model Christ's love and create an environment that encourages supportive fellowship and cooperation, allowing the body of Christ to function effectively as intended. Without humility, the church is prone to strife and division.

in Philippians 2, verse 12, that
one phrase, Philippians 2, 12. In Philippians 2, 12, it says,
Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in
my presence only, but now much more in my absence, Work out
your own salvation. Work out your own salvation. Now, we've heard this phrase
quoted, misquoted. We've heard it used. We've heard
it abused. We've heard it applied. We've
heard it misapplied. It's like several other scriptures
that are familiar but are unknown. This is a familiar phrase but
totally unknown. Let me show you just a couple
more. There are hundreds of them that we've flippantly used all
of our lives. Just spit it out and don't have
the foggiest notion what it's talking about. You ever heard
the one, whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap? Whatsoever
man soweth, that shall he also reap. What's that dealing with? It's not dealing with sowing
wild oats or living a lascivious life. It's talking about giving
and helping the poor. Let's turn and read it. Let's
just find out what it says in Galatians chapter 6. Let me show
you how far off religion really is. Galatians chapter 6. This
is quoted by every fly-by-night creature that's come down the
pike. Galatians 6, starting with verse
6. Let him that is taught in the
Word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things,
and be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever
man soweth, that's talking about planting. Whatever a farmer plants,
if he plants a lot of corn, he'll reap a lot of corn. If he plants
sparingly, he'll reap sparingly. Whatsoever man soweth, that shall
he also reap. He that soweth to his flesh,
to his own flesh, consumes everything he has on himself, shall of that
flesh reap corruption. It's all going to decay and die.
But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting. And let us not be weary in well-doing,
in due season we shall reap. If we don't quit, if we don't
faint, we shall reap. Those who help others and give
to others and supply the needs of others and don't spend everything
they've got on themselves, They reap blessings and joy and life
everlasting. Those who are greedy and stingy
and selfish and sow to this flesh, spend everything on this flesh
to cover this flesh, to glorify this flesh, to adorn this flesh,
to make this flesh comfortable, are going to one day of this
flesh reap corruption. So let's not be weary in well-doing. We shall reap. That's what that's
talking about. Now here's another one, you're
fallen from grace. Just look across the page, chapter
5 of Galatians. You're fallen from grace. We
hear that all the time. A fella doesn't come to church
as often as he ought to, but he's fallen from grace. A fella
gets drunk, he's fallen from grace. A fella plays the horses
or Kentucky Lottery, he's fallen from grace. Falling from grace
here in the Bible doesn't have anything to do with doing bad,
it has something to do with doing good for the wrong reason. Is that correct, elders? Falling
from grace has to do with a person doing good, not doing bad, doing
good for the wrong reason. Galatians 5, look at it. Christ
is become of no effect, Galatians 5, 4, unto you, whosoever of
you are justified by the law. You're falling from grace. If
you're seeking to be justified by your good deeds and by your
deeds of the law, you're falling from grace. That's what that's
talking about. Well, look at this one, work
out your own salvation, Philippians 2. Let's look at this one now. We've read and heard this. This
second chapter of Philippians, the second chapter of Philippians
is devoted to two things, two things. The first one is this,
the unity, the unity and humility of believers, true believers.
That's what the first part of Philippians 2, the unity and
humility of believers. The second part of Philippians
2, is devoted to the importance of faithful ministers of the
gospel. That's what the second part,
those two things now dealt with in Philippians 2, the unity and
humility, genuine lowliness of mind of believers, and then the
importance of true gospel preachers. Well, let's look, starting at
verse 1, and then we'll come down to how he uses the term,
work out your, the word salvation is deliverance. It may refer
to the deliverance of the soul, it may refer to the deliverance
of the body, it may refer to the deliverance of an attitude
of spirit, whatever. It may refer to a problem that
exists. Deliverance. The little word,
the little big word, if, I-F, if, in the first verse, if, comes
into focus. If. It's used in this first verse
one, Two, three, four times. If. If is used four times in
the first verse. Now, whether in law or grace,
whether in law or grace, conditions lead to results. Doesn't matter
whether it's law. God said if you eat thereof,
you'll die. If you eat, you die. That's conditions
and results. If you eat, you'll die. That's
law. If you break my commandments,
I'll punish you." That's law. Well, grace is the same thing. Christ said, if you believe not
that I am He, you'll die in your sins. He says, if any man be
in Christ, he's a new creature. Condition results. John said,
if they had been of us, they would have continued. Our Lord
said to the Samaritan woman, if you knew the gift of life,
and who's speaking You'd ask me and I'd give you living water.
Conditions, result. Now it has to be, that's what
the word if, that's how it comes into focus and that's what it
has to do with, conditions. If this exists, then that. Conditions and result. Alright,
let's see what the if says. If there be, therefore, any comfort
in Christ. Is there comfort in Christ? Well,
there certainly is. There certainly is. Real comfort
in Christ. Real consolation in Christ. Real rest in Christ. No question
about it. No question about that. There's
comfort in His person, in His righteousness, in His death,
and in His intercession. There's no question about that.
But here's the question. Is there comfort for me in Christ?
Am I resting in Christ? That's where it is. This is what
the Apostle, he's not questioning the consolation in Christ, he's
questioning your consolation in Christ and mine. That's what
he's saying. Have you entered into that rest? Israel didn't enter into it.
The rest was there, but they never entered. They didn't enter
not because of unbelief. They never entered. They professed
to have entered. They claimed to have entered.
They went by the name, but they never entered the rest. Never
did. Oh, here's the second if. If
any comfort of love. Is there any comfort and strength?
Is there anything to this love business? Well, yes, there is. There is
indeed. For God so loved the world, he gave his son. He so loved us, He chose us in
Christ. There's something to this love
business. The Son so loved us, He gave Himself. Greater love
hath no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friend.
The question about love covers a multitude of sins. God says
so. Perfect love casteth out fear.
Love suffereth long, beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things. Yes, there's strength
in love. Powerful strength, powerful strength in love. But the question
is, that's not the question, is there strength in love, is
there any strength in my love? That's the question. If there
be any consolation in Christ for me, if there be any strength
in my love, comfort. And thirdly, if, listen, if there's
any fellowship of the Spirit, Is there any such thing as a
oneness with Christ? Oh yes, by all means. Is there
any such thing as a union, a real union of heart and spirit? Indeed. Is there really a family
of God? Is there really a brotherhood?
I'm not talking about theory. I'm not talking about name. I'm
not talking about claim. I'm talking about a brotherhood.
Is there any fellowship in the state? Is there? Oh, yes, there is. Paul was in
that fellowship. He said, I weep with those that
weep and I rejoice with those that rejoice. Do you grieve and
I don't grieve? I could wish myself a curse from
Christ for my brethren. John entered into that. He said,
my prayer is that your fellowship might be with the Father and
with us. That's right. Fellowship. Fellowship. Fellowship. That's not the question. The question is, if I have a
part in that fellowship. That's what he's saying here.
If there's any rest in Christ. There is. Am I resting? If there's any strength in love.
There is. Do I have any of it? If there's
any true fellowship, unity, oneness, beating of heart with heart as
one, but am I part of that fellowship? It's there. It's there. It's
in Christ. And if, look at the next if,
if there's any bowels. What's the word bowels mean?
Innermost being. Innermost feeling. innermost
compassion. Is there any real vows? Is there
any true genuine feeling, true mercy, true compassion? Is there
any depth? Yes, there is. Oh, yes, sir. But the question is, is there
any in me? Is there any depth to my affection?
Is there any depth to my compassion for Christ, for His people, for
His glory, Or is it just surface claims? You see, there's no need
to go any farther in this chapter if we get hung up right here.
Not any use going on. There's no results unless the
conditions are met. If you love me, he said, you'll
keep my commandment. No need to go farther until these
questions are answered in the affirmative. If there be comfort
in Christ. strength in love, fellowship
in the Spirit, and a true depth, an innermost compassion to my
mercy. Then I can go on. Verse 2, then
you'll fulfill my joy. You'll fulfill my joy. What was
Paul's joy? What was his joy? What could
possibly be? But his joy was the same as John's
joy. Turn to the book of 2 John. Let
me show you John's joy. These apostles, their hearts
beat as one. Let's see what John's joy was. He says, if these things are
true, you'll fulfill my joy. What is his joy? Well, in 2 John,
verse 3 through 5, listen, grace be to you. mercy and peace from
God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the
Father, in truth and love, truth and love. These two words John
uses over and over and over again. I rejoice greatly, I rejoice
greatly that I have found of thy children walking in truth
as we have received the commandment from the Father. And now I beseech
thee, Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto you, but that
which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And
this is love, that we walk after His commandments. Oh, this is
John's joy, he said, that my children walk in two things,
truth and love, truth and love, truth and love, truth and love,
truth and love. Read back in Philippians 2. Now,
so Paul said, if these things be so, fulfill ye my joy, that
ye be like-minded, having the same love, having the same accord
of one accord, and the same mind of one mind. One love, one direction,
one purpose, and one mind. And then the next verse. Fulfill
ye my joy, and let nothing be done through strife or vainglory."
These two things always go together. These two things always go together.
Where there is strife, vainglory is always the cause. Always go together, never separated. Look down here at verse 20 of
that same chapter, Philippians 2.20. Paul is sitting down here
in prison writing this letter. And he said in verse 19 to this
church at Philippi, I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy
shortly to you. I'm going to send Timothy. Timothy
was down there with him. But I will send him to you that
I also may be of good comfort when I know of your state, for
I have no man like-minded. He just up here in verse 2 has
told us If these things be true, then we'll fulfill his joy and
be like-minded." We'll be of one love, one accord, and one
mind. But he said, I don't have anybody down here like-minded
who will naturally care for your state. What's verse 21? For they
all seek their own. And not the things which of Jesus
Christ. That's their problem. They seek
their own. And where you have vain glory, back here in verse
3. Let nothing be done through strife
or vain glory where you have vain glory." What is vain glory?
Vanity. Personal glory, vanity. See those two words? Vain, vanity,
glory, self-pride. My way, my desires, my thoughts. Not the greater glory of Christ,
not the greater glory and good of the Church, not the greater
glory of Christ and the good of others. glory, my way, my
desire, my thoughts, vain glory always leads to strife. Those two always go together.
And strife may be open or silent, but it's still strife. It may
be silent. In fact, the silent strife is
even worse than the open strife. Open strife can be dealt with,
but silent strife Either way, it's a result of seeking my own
and not the things of Christ. That's vainglory, and it causes
strife. And he said, let nothing, whatever
you do, nothing, let nothing, not the worship, the teaching,
the preaching, the missionary work, the whatever, let nothing
be done through strife or vainglory, but in loneliness of mind, let
each esteem the other just as good as you are. I misread that,
didn't I? Let me esteem the other better
than I am, more spiritual, more wise, wiser, more knowledgeable. Esteem them better. In verse
4, he says, fulfill my joy, that you be like-minded, one love,
one accord, one mind, that you do nothing, absolutely nothing,
motivated by vainglory. It will lead to strife. And fourth,
in the fourth verse, fulfill my joy and let not every man
on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Now, I think most everybody here knows this, but the church is
not a building. We have been talking about going
to church. going to church. That's really
a bad statement. We ought to delete it from our
vocabulary. It can't be done, going to church. You can go to the house of God.
David said, I was glad when they said to me, let's go to the house
of God. You cannot go to church. You
can go to the house of God. You can go to a building. You
can go to a meeting. You can go to a Bible conference. But the church is not a building.
The church is not an organization. The church is not an association.
The church is a body. It's the body of Christ. It's
people. I'm telling the truth. Christ
loved the church and gave Himself for it. The church, which is His body.
He's the head of the church, which is His body. And he uses
it, here's the head, Christ. Here's the head, Christ our Lord.
Here's the body. And this body acts in obedience
to the head. All the orders come from the
head. That's headquarters. Everything comes from the head.
The head is the glory of the body. When you take a picture
of a person, you take a picture of his head. That's the glory. When
anybody's identified, they're identified by their face when
they draw a picture of them. See that? The head is the center,
has the preeminence, the glory, that's Christ. And the body is
His body. And the members of the body don't
act independent of one another. That would be horrible, wouldn't
it? In fact, actually, if the head
has no control over this arm, there's something wrong with
that man. He's a spastic or something like that you call it. He's sick.
If this leg shakes involuntarily, without orders, he's sick. Well,
the body of Christ, and this is what he's saying here, look
not every man on his own things. This finger is not independent
of this one over here, or this ear. It can't act independently. It can't do it. It functions
together. If the body's well, It functions
together. It's part and parcel of each
other. Isn't that correct? It functions together. It's in
tune. And that's the Church. You read
it throughout the Scripture. And this thing cannot be, if
there is any real rest in Christ, if there is any depth to our
affection, if there is any real fellowship of the Spirit, if
there is, then you fulfill my joy and be like-minded. One accord,
one love, one direction, one body, one Lord, one faith, one
common salvation, one song. And don't look on your own things.
I think sometimes we, all of us have this, we've been raised
on this my rights stuff. 1989 is my rights. I've got a right to do this and
a right to do that. I have a right to obey Christ.
I have a right to obey Christ and to glorify His name and to
bring glory to Him. That's all the right I've got.
I'm a bond slave of Jesus Christ. And the church of the Lord Jesus
Christ is not made up of a bunch of people looking on their own
things. But there are people who look in on the things of
Christ and the things of one another, and they adjust. In
other words, they adjust to one another. This body operates together,
moves symmetrically. That's right. When I walk, I
don't have to say, now you move this foot, now you move this.
No, I just walk. And the hands swing, and they
all cooperate, you know. Everything's cooperating. Everything's
moving together. But this leg can't go that way
and this one that way. And the orders come from here.
And there's the head Christ, and there's the under-shepherd,
the pastor. Two or three times the Scripture says, Obey them
that have the rule over you. That's right. Now here's the example He gives
them. Look at this. He uses an example.
Verse 5, Let this mind be in you which was also in Jesus Christ. This is our example of humility
and cooperation. What if everybody was just like
me or just like you in the church? Just, you know, go my way, do
my thing, uncooperative, unsupportive, inattentive. Just, you know,
do my thing. No, we don't do our thing. We
look not on our own things. We do His things. That's right. See, that's regimentation. Yep,
regeneration too. It is. Let this mind be in you
which was in Christ. Listen, who being in the form,
but do you know who I am? I know who he is. He was being
in the form of God. Thought it not robbery to be
equal with God. I know who he is. Who am I? Comparatively. But he made himself
of no reputation. He laid down all his rights. took on him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion
as a man, he further humbled himself. Wasn't the flesh low
enough? No. Wasn't the manger low enough? No. Wasn't death low enough?
No. Even the death of the cross.
That's how low he stood, between two thieves. He became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. That's humility, that's submission,
and that's my example. Is that not right? That's my
example. That's my example. Now, that's what happened when
he lowered him. Now, this is all leading up to
work out your salvation. Same chapter. This is all moving
into it, and you watch it. And we'll hit verse 12 in a minute.
Wherefore, wherefore, see what it's there for. He just told
us, if you really know Him, if you really love Him, if you really
love His people, if there's any fellowship, if there's any truth
to this business, then you do what I told you, He said. You
fulfill my joy. And you be like-minded, cooperative,
submissive, committed, walk with Christ, and let Him be your example. He came from higher than you
can imagine to lower than you can imagine. to redeem our souls. Wherefore,
because of that, God has exalted him. Read it. Wherefore, God
has exalted him, giving him a name which is above every name. Being
willing to be a servant, he became a king. Being willing to serve, he was
exalted. Being willing to be nothing and
to give himself a ransom, The Father exhausted him. That's
what it says, Tom. That in the name of Jesus, every
knee is going to bow, and every tongue is going to confess that
he is Lord. Wherefore, my beloved, what are
you going to do? All right, as you have always
obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
you work out your deliverance. Deliverance from what? From this
self-business. From this self-business. From
this self-righteous business. From this greedy business. From
this vanity business. From this way of carnal flesh
business. You deliver. You work out this
thing now. You get straightened out. You
get it straightened out. Get straightened out on whose
boss. Get straightened out on whose kingdom it is. Get straightened
out on whose glory it is. And he said, not only when I'm
with you, but when I'm gone. When I'm gone, in my absence
especially. Let's determine who the king
is, who the Lord is, whose body to whose body we belong. That's
what worked out this thing. For, verse 13, it's God that
works in you. You don't work alone. God works
in you to make you willing. That's what's got to happen.
Both to will and to do what? What I want to do. What I think is right. The way I think it ought to go.
His pleasure. Isn't that clear? His pleasure. You see, our God's the potter,
my friends. He's the potter and we're the
clay. We're the clay. It's God that worketh in you. It's God that worketh in you.
But His people are willing. He makes them willing. He takes
that stony heart. You can't do anything with stone.
Stone is stone. You won't change it. It's going
to stay right like it is. He takes that stony heart out
and gives us a heart of what? Flesh. He can do something with that.
But your stony heart is this. I won't do it. That'd be alright.
That'd be alright. Because if His grace and love
doesn't break me, His justice will. You can suit yourself, you can
have it your way, but if His grace and His love does not take
the stony heart out and the rebellious nature and make you a blending,
committed, cooperating part of the body, He cuts you off. He said, that branch, I'll cut
it off and cast it into the fire. That's where He talks about,
I'm the vine, you're the branches. If a branch abides not in me,
it's cut off, pit for the burning. That's right. If His grace and
love doesn't crush me and break me and mold me, His justice will. If His grace and love is not
glorified in me, His justice will be. There were two boys
in Pharaoh's household, Moses and his half-brother. You know, the guy that later
became Pharaoh. Two boys. Two boys. Of both of them, God said, I
raised you up for my glory. That's right. He raised Moses up and humbled
him. He became the meekest man who
ever lived. Forty years he put him on the
backside of a desert to teach him humility. And he used him
mightily. Pharaoh, he said, I raised you
up to get glory in you. I raised you up to cast you in
the river." So I hear preachers say, well, God's got a wonderful
plan. You've got to make it work. No, it'll work. It's working.
It's working. And I'm either a vessel of mercy
or a vessel of wrath. Either way, His grace will be
glorified in my conversion or His justice will be glorified
in my condemnation. Let me show you another verse
over here and I'll quit. In Matthew 18. You know, there's going to be
conflicts. We can't go through this life
without conflicts. There's going to be thorns in
the flesh. There's going to be conflicts.
There's going to be stumbling blocks. The Pharaohs, there's
going to be all these things that cause heartache. Some of
you have had heartaches and troubles and trials. They're always there.
There's always, down there on the job, somebody gives you problems
and troubles. This person, that person, you've
been... There's always somebody offending. We've got to have
that. Even our children sometimes break
our hearts. But woe to the one that does
it. God lets them do it, but woe to the one that does it.
Read this now, Matthew 18, starting with verse 6. Let's start with verse 5. Verse
4, let's go back to verse 4. Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom
of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such
little child in my name receiveth me. Now what little child is
that? That's not one of these Six-year-old, five-year-old,
we all love little children. But that's receiving one of these
that has been converted and become as a child. Right, Cecil? That's
what he's talking about. He's talking about these little
ones all the way through this chapter, these little ones. He's
pointed to a child and said, unless you're converted and become
as a little child, you can't enter the kingdom of heaven.
And then he calls those who are converted and become as little
child, a little child, little ones. See that? All right, read
on. Whosoever therefore shall, verse
4, humble himself as this little child, the same shall be greatest
in the kingdom of heaven, verse 5, and whoso shall receive one
such little child in my name receiveth me. You give a cup
of cold water to a child of God in the name of Christ, you won't
lose your reward. You receive God's child, God's preacher,
God's little one. You give them a place to stay
or a bite to eat or help them on their way, and God will bless
you. to his children, his children. But whoso shall offend one of
these converted ones which believes in me, see that makes it, which
believe in me, that's the believer. It be better for him that a millstone
were hanged around his neck and he was drowned in the depths
of the sea. Woe unto the world because of
offenses. Now they'll come, you're going
to have offenses, you're going to have trouble. They're going
to agitate you and hurt you and despise you. That's alright.
War into the world because of offenses. Listen. For it must
needs be that offenses come. We've got to have these trials.
We wouldn't be worth a nickel if we didn't have some trials.
Got to have them. Everything can't go your way
or you'd be spoiled rotten. God's going to send trials. God's
going to send stumbling blocks. God's going to send you a messenger
of Satan. You might have two legs Whatever. God will send Him. Because offenses
have got to come. You've got to, with much tribulation,
we've got to enter the Kingdom of God. They that live godly
in Christ Jesus have got to suffer persecution. Where does persecution
come from? People. But woe to that man by whom it
comes. You see that? Woe to that man. God's using you. But He's using
you for His justice, not for His mercy. God's using everybody. And nobody out of the will of
God. Not His directive will. Oh, no. Thy will be done. God, He said He'd do it according
to His will in the armies of heaven among the inhabitants
of this earth. So the offenses will come. They'll come. But whoa, it's just like those
that crucified Christ. They did what God determined
before to be done. But God's going to call them
to judgment for what they did. That's right. And that's the
reason we need to work on this thing. That's the reason we need
to work on it. It doesn't come naturally. There's
no humility or grace that comes naturally. It's spiritual. It's
God that worketh in you to will and to do His good pleasure.
So work out your deliverance.

Work Out Your Own Salvation

What does the Bible say about working out your own salvation?

How do we know the doctrine of grace is true?

Why is humility important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

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Work Out Your Own Salvation

What does the Bible say about working out your own salvation?

How do we know the doctrine of grace is true?

Why is humility important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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Joshua

Where this book stands in the tradition

Plato

Augustine

The Western Christian Tradition

This Book