Working Out Your Salvation
With Fear and Trembling
We live in a Kingdom. When we are “saved” we are born again into that Kingdom of light out of the kingdom of darkness.
Philippians 2:12 states, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
As infants in the Kingdom of God we are told by Paul to “work out our salvation.” It is not a momentary thing, but a journey. A journey that we are toward maturity, toward freedom, toward obedience and accompanied by Holy Spirit working in and through us. If we are commended by the scripture to work out our salvation – we probably need to understand the meaning of the word.
Salvation defined includes deliverance - to be preserved from temporary and physical danger (Paul received this when his ship wrecked at sea and he was saved). It also means spiritual and eternal deliverance by God to those who accept His conditions of repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus, in whom salvation is obtained and for the purpose of God and His Kingdom. It also denotes a present experience of God’s power to deliver from the bondage of sin – leading to the maintaining of peace and harmony (Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit). This state of being in Holy Spirit comes by a process termed sanctification.
Working out that salvation is a path of grace filled relationship and obedience as we align ourselves to the laws, principles and word of the Kingdom of God, and seek God’s deliverance of the bondages that we live in upon the moment of our choosing.
This is an important point – Choice. You see our God is all-mighty, all-knowing, and all-powerful, but He does not MAKE us choose Him. He gives us every opportunity to do so within our lives, but He will NOT force Himself or the Freedom that Jesus purchased on the Cross onto any human being. We much choose to receive and apply that truth ourselves…thus working out our Salvation.
While the process of “working out our salvation” requires us to press in, make choices, and crucify our flesh, we are not in this alone. First of all, the word repentance that John the Baptist preached before he declared the Kingdom of Heaven, is a word we all have heard. This word does not mean to tell God you are sorry. That is seeking forgiveness. Repentance is the result of receiving conviction of Holy Spirit – coming into agreement with that conviction and choosing to repent (turn away from and move to another level). The beauty of the word repentance is that it is defined as “with accompaniment,” we are never alone - Holy Spirit walks with us.
Philippians 1:5-6 says “…in view of your participation in the gospel from this first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NAS) We participate in the Gospel when we embrace the work it does, and line ourselves up with the truth. We are accompanied on this journey by none other than Jesus Christ. It is not about perfection, that is unachievable this side of heaven. Yet as we walk with the Lord Jesus who IS perfect - He can work to perfect you…If you choose to let Him.