Work It Out

Series: Philippians

January 31, 2021
Frank Foreman

Paul wrote to the Philippians in chapter two, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." A casual glance would seem to indicate that our salvation is merited by the level of our effort. Yet, so often in Scripture we have a tendency to not consider the context of the entire section of Scripture and miss the fundamental point. This Sunday, Frank take us into a deeper look at this passage and its ties to justification and sanctification of the believer's life.

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Episode Notes

Philippians 2:12-18


BIG IDEA: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.


Paul is not saying:

  • We are saved by doing good works.
  • We live in a state of continuous anxiety.


Justification: Deliverance from the penalty of sin.  

Romans 3:23-24, For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.


Sanctification: Deliverance from the power of sin.  

1st Thessalonians 5:23, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.


1.  WORK:  Continuous, sustained, strenuous effort.


Philippians 3:13-14, Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.


2.  SALVATION:  The Christian life you now live.


Romans 12:1-2, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


3.  FEAR & TREMBLING:  Reverence; respect & humility; weakness.


Psalm 2:11, Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.


NEXT STEP: Work hard every day to be more like Jesus.

  • Pray with intensity.
  • Serve with humility.
  • Worship with reverence.
  • Obey with trembling.

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