Philippians 2
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Philippians 2:12-13, Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—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.
There is so much substance in Philippians 2. We could spend a week on this one chapter alone. If you didn't get the opportunity to read through the whole text, please do so! Paul begins the chapter with this amazing narrative about the attitudes that should characterize Christians. To whom should we compare ourselves? To Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate example of humility, sacrifice, and love. This is some of my favorite Scripture and I can read it over and over again. If you get a chance today, simply take some time to meditate on verses 1-11.
Our focus verses today are really interesting though. Paul is speaking to the Philippians about working out their salvation with fear and trembling. First, obedience to God was a central concept for Paul. Whether he was present with them or not, the expectation is that they should stay obedient to the faith. With salvation comes an expectation of obedience. What does that mean?
We know, and Paul has certainly established this in other writings, that salvation is a free gift. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. If we have said yes to Jesus, then we receive salvation. However, once saved, we don't simply go on living exactly the same way (if we do, then maybe there was no real heart change to begin with). Thus, our attitudes, behavior, and speech should demonstrate our new life in Jesus in some way. When Paul says we work out our salvation through fear and trembling, he is getting at this point. Yes, salvation is a free gift but then we begin to figure out how to live as saved people. We grow in obedience to Jesus, we live out those attitudes that Paul speaks of earlier in the chapter (humility, love, sacrifice), and we begin the process of becoming more like Jesus.
What has your sanctification process been like? How are you working out your salvation with fear and trembling?
Let's pray...Lord Jesus, Thank you for your amazing example of humility, sacrifice, obedience, and love. Help us reflect you more in our everyday, walking around lives. We need you so much! In Your Name, Amen.