Exhorted to Work Out Our Salvation

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Philippians 2:12,13
Psalters: 421, 141, 73, 299
Applicatory to the Lord's Supper
  1. The exhortation.
    1. “Salvation” is a mighty and gracious work of God delivering the sinner from the greatest evil to the highest good.
      1. Our greatest evil is our sinfulness, which especially manifests itself in our self-centeredness (2:4).
      2. The highest good for us is to know God’s gracious, intimate, and eternal relationship with us in Jesus Christ.
      3. This salvation is “your own.”
    2. It is this salvation which God works in us which makes us willing and active in the day of God’s power (Ps. 110:3).
      1. Positively, we are to “work OUT” our salvation.
      2. God says “work.”
  2. The attitude God calls us to have when working out our salvation is “fear and trembling.”
    1. This is the fear of awe, reverence and adoration before such a great God who works such a great work.
    2. It takes fear and trembling is necessary to work out our own salvation because of how difficult it is.
    3. This attitude is as greatly required as the activity of working out.
  3. The reason for our working out our own salvation is because God is at work in us, making us willing and able to do His will.
    1. God is presently performing that good work which He began in us.
    2. This God does “of (for, in behalf of, for the sake of, on account of) His good pleasure.”
      1. Our text refers to God implementing His counsel (from the viewpoint of His delight.
      2. Everything is to be ascribed to God, taking every reason for pride from us, so we have true lowliness of mind (3).
    3. That we might have the mind of Christ (humility) God declares that God is at work putting both in us.
    4. Realize that the humble obedience is the way to exaltation.