“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13 ).
We are exhorted to work out our salvation, not work for it. To work for salvation would mean it is dependent upon our work in the same way a paycheck is dependent upon our work. Since we know salvation is by grace and not works, we know that is not Paul’s intended message.
“Working out” our salvation is about the development of what we already possess. It’s about taking full advantage of the gift we have received, and not leaving it lying in the box, still in its wrappings. The salvation gift we received includes more than a ticket to heaven; it involves God’s active work in our life right here and now. Paul’s exhortation is to take the gift out of the box, examine it, study it and be a participant with God as He shows us how marvelous the gift truly is. In other words, be engaged with Him as He does His work in you.
And finally, we are instructed to do so “with fear and trembling,” not terror that God will do something to us if we don’t, but with sincere reverence and trust in the One who spared no expense to give us such a precious gift. For though it is free, it was anything but cheap.
Obedience is the fruit of working out our salvation, not the price we pay for it.
Something to take just a moment to consider today.
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