PHILLIPIANS 2:12-18 WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION

Passage Could be summed up in Do my Part, Depend on God, and Live Differently than the World

One of the things that interests me about Paul's writings is that he is intensely practical
He always relates...
Doctrine and duty
Creed and character
Faith and life ...to him, these are inseparable!
So, having described the example of Christ, he gives his exhortation to move forward in spiritual progress
In this passage, Paul exhorts Christians to "Work Out Your Own Salvation
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF OBEDIENCE (12a)
THAT DONE ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS...

Paul did not want the Philippians' obedience to be of this sort

"eye-service" - cf. Co 3:22-23 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
THAT DONE IN THE ABSENCE OF OTHERS...
Done to please God, conscience, and no one else!
IT INVOLVES THE WORKING OF BOTH MAN AND GOD (12b-13)..God either works in us or on us Heb 12:5
MAN HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN HIS SALVATION...
He must "work out" his salvation.. This is a command in the Greek -1Ti 4:7, Eph 2:10
He must do it in "fear and trembling" – a proper sense of awe and responsibility

1 Peter 4:18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

Humility and unity is demonstrated by obedience Phil 2:8

1Co 4:7, James 1:17 – All Good woks come from God – Daniel 4:31-34

There is a place for the right kind of fear in the life of a Christian

1) The "fear of the Lord" is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7

2) The "fear of the Lord" will cause one to hate evil Pr 8:13

3) The "fear of the Lord" will prolong life - Pr 10:27

4) The "fear of the Lord" provides strong confidence and is a fountain of life - Pr 14:26-27

5) The "fear of the Lord" prompts one to depart from evil- Pr 16:6

6) The "fear of the Lord" leads to a satisfying life, and spares one from much evil - Pr 19:23

7) The "fear of the Lord" is the way to riches, honor, and life! - Pr 22:4

But many never experience such love from God because they have not had the "fear and trembling" in the first place!

B.v13 BUT GOD IS ALSO VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN OUR SALVATION!

Notice that Paul writes, "for it is God who works in you” Eph 3:20
"to will" - God gives us our desire
"to do" - and motivation to do His will

1) At conversion, He begins a new work in us, and intends to complete it Ph 1:6 …God is the energy and he energizer

2) Through His indwelling Spirit and Son, He gives us whatever strength we need – Gal 2:20

Ep 3:16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, Ph 4:13

3) According to His Good Pleasure – means kind or benevolent intentions for us Ro 8:28 – It is the same word translated good will in Phil 1:15So that, whatever we may become in the Lord, it is by His grace! –

1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

God can work (and is willing!), but only if we let Him!

III. DOING ALL WITHOUT MURMURING & DISPUTING (14) Do all is a command; it is first word in the Greek Text

MURMURING WAS THE DOWNFALL OF ISRAEL...

1.10 times they complained- Notice 1Co 10:10-11 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Ex 16:68, 1Sam 8:4-9

This can also be a problem among many Christians today whenever they face hardships
But we are told that God is ever ready to help us (1 Co 10:13), and that He is in us both to "will" and to "work" Ph 2:13), so why complain? 1Pe 4:9
Rather, rejoice for the opportunity such "tribulations" give us to develop spiritually! - Ro 5:3-5; Ja 1:2-4
DISPUTING FOLLOWS MURMURING... Emotions lead to Actions…1Co 3:1-4
Those who murmur are likely to be the same ones who begin disputing with others

Ex 16:8Your complaints are not against us but against the LORD."

SO THAT YOU MAY BE BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS –PURPOSE OF WHOLE SECTION
SO YOU CAN SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD (15-16)
TO SHINE AS LIGHTS, WE MUST BE CHILDREN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT...
Which is possible only if we "become blameless – look good to others, a life of integrity, because we deal with our sins as we should.

And harmless – pure or unmixed, simple and innocent Mt 10:16 wise as serpents, Col 4:5, Shouldn’t fear us…2Tim 2:23-26

Which requires doing all things "without murmuring and disputing"
Which can only happen if we allow God to "work in" us as we "work out" our own salvation; in other words...
Allow God go forgive us in obedience to the gospel
Allow God to strengthen us through His Word and prayer
Allow God to change us in conformity to His Will
TO SHINE AS LIGHTS, WE MUST BE "IN THE MIDST" OF CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION...

Can’t Shine with inconsistency and hypocrisy in your lives which is evident to all

Lights are valuable only if they are used to dispel darkness Mt 5:14-15
Though we are to "be separate" from the world (2Co 6:14-18), we must "not isolate" ourselves from it - cf. Jn 17:15, 18; 1Co 5:9-11
TO SHINE AS LIGHTS, WE MUST "HOLD FAST" THE WORD OF LIFE...
Some translations read "hold forth", Certainly we should do both...
hold fast the Word of life by paying attention to it by our study and obedience to it- 2Ti 2:15, Acts 3:5, Ezra 7:10
"hold forth" the Word of life (by offering it to those in the world) - Mk 16:15
In both ways, we are to be like "The Statue Of Liberty"
Showing the way
Offering hope to those in need …….Read 2Co 4:8-18
(16-18), so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. He shifts the basis of appeal from the example of Jesus (2:3-15) to himself and to the judgment; he must face at the day of Christ. Therefore, he now asks them to do something for his sake.
WE MAY BE CALLED UPON TO SACRIFICE OURSELVES...
It may be in service to our own faith, or in the service of the faith of others
It may be a sacrifice of time, energy, money, or even life itself
But it is for a good cause, and this is how Paul viewed his possible execution for the cause of Christ
SUCH SACRIFICES SHOULD BE AN OCCASION FOR GLADNESS AND REJOICING!
This is how Paul viewed it- Be Glad and Rejoice are commands
For he knew his sacrifices were in the cause of saving others
And he knew that their salvation would ultimately bring him greater joy at Christ's coming - cf. 1Th 2:19-20

As someone has suggested: "Work as though it all depended upon you, but pray as though it all depended upon God"

CONTRASTS BETWEEN A HELPER AND A SERVANT

A Helper	A Servant
A helper helps others when it is convenient.	A servant serves others even when it is inconvenient.
A helper helps people that he or she likes.	A servant serves even people that he or she dislikes.
A helper helps when he or she enjoys the work.	A servant serves even when he or she dislikes the work.
A helper helps when the circumstances are convenient.	A servant serves even when the circumstances are inconvenient.
A helper helps with a view to obtaining personal satisfaction.	A servant serves even when he or she receives no personal satisfaction.
A helper helps with an attitude of assisting another.	A servant serves with an attitude of enabling another

Lessons-

We need to act on the desires and want to’s that God puts in us
Need to be in awe and reverence of God
Need to Live a life of Integrity
Need to trust the Word and Share the Gospel
Need to have hope
Need to realize all is subservient to the Gospel
Need to realize that we Frustrate Gods plan for humility and Unity(Phil 2:5) when we complain and Grumble
We are either working out our salvation or complaining and grumbling….Are you doing YOUR part?

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