Exhorted to Work Out Our Salvation
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 2/14/2016 PM |
Text: | Philippians 2:12,13 |
Psalters: | 421, 141, 73, 299 |
Applicatory to the Lord's Supper |
- The exhortation.
- “Salvation” is a mighty and gracious work of God delivering the sinner from the greatest evil to the highest good.
- Our greatest evil is our sinfulness, which especially manifests itself in our self-centeredness (2:4).
- The highest good for us is to know God’s gracious, intimate, and eternal relationship with us in Jesus Christ.
- This salvation is “your own.”
- 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).
- Positively, we are to “work OUT” our salvation.
- God says “work.”
- “Salvation” is a mighty and gracious work of God delivering the sinner from the greatest evil to the highest good.
- The attitude God calls us to have when working out our salvation is “fear and trembling.”
- This is the fear of awe, reverence and adoration before such a great God who works such a great work.
- It takes fear and trembling is necessary to work out our own salvation because of how difficult it is.
- This attitude is as greatly required as the activity of working out.
- 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.
- God is presently performing that good work which He began in us.
- This God does “of (for, in behalf of, for the sake of, on account of) His good pleasure.”
- Our text refers to God implementing His counsel (from the viewpoint of His delight.
- Everything is to be ascribed to God, taking every reason for pride from us, so we have true lowliness of mind (3).
- That we might have the mind of Christ (humility) God declares that God is at work putting both in us.
- Realize that the humble obedience is the way to exaltation.