Work Out Your Salvation with Fear and Trembling

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.”

This verse is sometimes misused to denote that we have to some how save ourselves by our own works. That however is not what the verse is referring to. The primary Greek word we need to focus on is the one translated “work out.” This word in the Greek means ‘to be committed to accomplishing.’ 

Some scholars suggest that it gives the idea of mining out your salvation, the same way you would dig for gold in a gold mine. In this case, the idea would be to use equipping and leading of the Holy Spirit to get all out of your salvation that you can. Face it, if you knew that you had gold in your back yard, you would be digging day and night as much possible. Well, why will we work for gold and temporary wealth killing ourselves in 60-80 hours per week jobs, but we won't work for the Gospel? If the Lord has truly saved us and given us the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, why are we not using those keys to set the other captives free? Why are we not out there killing ourselves pleading with the lost? 

The idea is that once we are saved, our job is not to just sit in church Sunday after Sunday, and doing nothing with the talents God has given us. Many people in churches today think that if they give to the church and come on Sundays, they have fulfilled all their obligations to the Lord. This is a fundamental problem within the Church today.

It is like James writes, ‘Faith without works is dead.’ (James 2) Faith, if it is not evidenced by works or fruit, how can the person determine if they are truly saved or not? God does not send us an email saying, ‘Hey…got the prayer, you’re in the Book now so relax.’ The only evidence we have of True Salvation are words and works of love that proceed forth from a new heart that has been sealed and indwelled by the Holy Spirit. 

I believe what Paul is telling us is not to get lazy and lethargic. Jesus warned us over and over through the parables and direct teachings, that we should always be alert, working and using our talents until He comes. He should find us faithfully doing His will. The only way to keep from getting lazy and complacent, is to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We are to work and labor as if our salvation depended on us, even though we know that, ‘we are saved by God’s Grace through faith, and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.’ (Ephesians 2:8,9)

Repeatedly Jesus spoke of the blessed ones being those that ‘DO’ the will of the Father. ‘Do’ is an action Word. Notice Jesus’ sober warning in Matthew 7:21, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Luke 6:46-49 “46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

Faith is not just a feeling; it is an Action. You can say you believe in a parachute, but until you put it on and jump, do really believe in it?

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