Work Out

6/12/2017 

Philippians 2.12-13 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. – St. Paul 

We are not so much to do as to be. We are the children of God in Christ, and that is not a matter of doing, but of being. That said, we are to learn what it means to be God’s children living in His family and participating in His Kingdom.  

Paul said, “…work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” That’s pretty simple: do what it takes to know God better, remembering not so much what we are saved from, but what we are saved to. Because, “…it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Salvation has infinitely more to do with God’s good pleasure than it ever does with abstinence of sin. Sin is dramatically defeated and lessened by doing God's will and good pleasure.

I know we labor heavily in the battle against sin, but the reality is doing what God calls us to do; and we can only do that as we believe what God has called us to be: His children. Our focus as believers is to concentrate on God’s good pleasure, not the incessant wrestling with self and sin.  

That’s not to say that self and sin aren’t issues, it’s just that they aren’t the main issues: God’s good pleasure is the main issue, and our salvation becomes focusing on His good pleasure. I think the more we do that, the more sin fades into the paleness of death. Far too many focus on abstinence of sin; far too few focus on God’s work in us to will and to do for His good pleasure. Working out our salvation has to do with keeping the main thing, the main thing.  

In case we forget/forgot: God is the main thing. His will and good pleasure are the main thing. 

Working out our salvation is keeping God the Main thing. And that may seem harder done than said, but it is what we are called to. Therefore, we are to work out our salvation by thinking about Him. We are to work out our salvation by working alongside Him as He works within us. We are to work out our salvation by seeking to know what He desires next in our lives and then doing exactly that! Nothing more, nothing less. We cannot do what we aren’t; and we are God’s children. 

Jesus said, “…he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” So, working out our salvation amounts to abiding in Him. And accepting His abiding in us. Most of the hard work of salvation is found simply in accepting the reality of the presence of Christ in us by His Holy Spirit. After that, it is just walking with Him and doing what He says to do. 

It takes faith. It takes acceptance. It takes intentionality. It requires work. That which costs me nothing is usually worth nothing.  

Father in Heaven, help me this day, as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling to remember who I am in You, and who You are in me. Amen