Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Work out your salvation

"…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-13)

Sometimes it pays to take a little time to break down each section of a verse to obtain its full meaning. This scripture is a good one to do it on. The Amplified Bible, which does its best to bring out the true meaning of the text, translates this verse as:
"Work out – cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete – your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling [self distrust, that is, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation; timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ]. [Not in your own strength] for it is God who is all the while effectually at work in you – energizing and creating in you the power and desire – both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight."

NICE! There is so much meaning in the words of this text. I would like to take a little time to examine each part of this verse over the next few days and gather your thoughts as well.

Today's word: Work

First the text says to "work out your own salvation…" What comes to mind when you think of the word work? What comes to my mind initially is effort, time, labor, energy, and spending resources. It doesn’t matter what the subject is, the word work implies putting time and energy into a task. You may "work on your tennis game", or "work at your marriage."

The thought implies spending time and effort to improve or perfect something. Well, in its context here, the object of our work is our salvation. It is speaking of putting time and energy into your relationship with Jesus Christ. Making the relationship a priority. For a married couple, "working at their marriage" involves spending time together, communicating effectively, being open, vulnerable and transparent. A healthy marriage should be measured by the couple's ability to share the "whole" of their lives with one another. So it is with our relationship with Jesus.

Today I encourage you to define "working out your salvation" as "rest." That's not an oxymoron. It actually takes work to rest. We must labor against the urge to contribute to Christ's completeness and to overcome the need to earn peace in our soul. We must rest in the atoning work of Jesus knowing full well that we cannot add to it through human effort.

Today I encourage you to rest in the peace and joy you have in your personal walk with the Savior. Rest in Christ's ability to lead you to His desired result in/for your life. Work at resting in Christ.

Thanks for stopping by!

------
Adrian

4 comments:

  1. I find it interesting at the different words we use AFTER the word "work".
    We work "on, for, at, through... here God inspired the word "out", yet I have always been led to believe we are to work "in" our salvation. To exhibit our relationship to Christ by developing and applying our salvation inwardly. But that's not what the text says!

    The chapter begins with a whole bunch of "ifs", implying that a search of oneself is in order.
    The "ifs" move into a bunch of "thens", implying that if the "ifs" were real than these
    "thens" should be present and real.
    Leading to the end reality of verse 2:5, Christ "attitude".
    Paul proceeds into encouraging these
    "saved" children into continued obedience in working past(out)their salvation into what is described in verse 5.

    Most christians become settled with salvation, here Paul is leading believers into something beyond being saved and a child of God. He's explaining that for us to reach this higher plain we must leave our salvation behind.
    The fear of absolute surrender to Jesus without reservation or receiving is paralysing to most, so they become settled with being saved and stop God from working into their hearts the will and the actions in accordance to His purpose.

    Surrender is absolute "rest".
    Biblical "rest" is the absence of activity.

    So long as we're busy, God can't work in us.

    We have to hold still before He can make us whole.









    Jesus then becomes more than our Savior.

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  2. I found it is hard to type with my feet up on the desk!

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  3. Paul Paul Paul....what am I gonna do with you!?

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  4. Bob and Monkey, is this the extent of your wisdom today??

    Pastor Adrian, good word!

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