“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” Phil. 2:12b
Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven
From the very earliest days in my walk with Jesus Christ, I remember reading these words in St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians and wondering exactly what they meant. Did these verses mean that my salvation was somehow not by grace and that I needed to “work” my way into heaven? That interpretation seemed contrary to so many other passages in the Bible–especially those that clearly teach salvation by grace through faith (e.g. Rom. 3:24-26; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:4-7)–and as a result I couldn’t accept it. But what was the answer to my question?
Over the years, as I matured in my own understanding of the Bible, I finally arrived at a rational answer that made sense. First of all, I recognized that God’s sovereign “work” of predestination supersedes and undergirds everything I might do in time by working “out my own salvation.” Secondly, I learned that all of my “works of obedience” were the result of God’s prior “work of regeneration” in my life (John 1:12-13; Tit. 3:4-7). Hence, God gets all the glory–Soli Deo Gloria! By the Holy Spirit I was transformed by regeneration and was made into a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). Thirdly, I concluded that when Paul uses the expression “work out your own salvation” (Gk: soterion katergazesthe) in Phil. 2:12 he is referring to the entire scope of the Christian’s life and not just to that one moment in time when a person first believes in Jesus Christ. To express this thought more personally, when God first began His “good work” in me, He promised to “bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). This should give all Christians hope–God is at work in your life slowly maturing you so that your salvation is complete at the Last Day when you are raised to glory (cf. 2 Cor. 5:1-5; Phil. 3:20-21)
And so, how would you understand Paul’s statement in Philippians 2:12-13? Here is his entire argument contained in two verses:
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13
English Standard Version
Dr. R. C. Sproul struggled over the meaning of this passage for many years. Here is Sproul’s interpretation, and thankfully his view dovetails quite nicely with what my own views on this passage have been. Frankly, that is confirming to me and lets me know that I have not been going down the wrong trail!
“Those verses (Phil. 2:12-13) were weighty to me because I began to see that spiritual growth is something that, in the ultimate sense, rests in the grace of God. He is working in us, through us, and with us. But at the same time there is an admonition for us to work out our salvation. I understood even then that spiritual growth, this progress in the Christian life, is a matter of labor, or toil. It may be a labor of love, to be sure, but the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, chooses that word carefully and precisely: work. Sanctification is not a casual endeavor. Paul tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Now understand, this is not the fear and trembling of someone who cowers in the darkness out of total intimidation or some kind of paralyzing phobia. Rather, he’s writing about a labor of care and of concern and of diligence that we take very seriously—to the point of fear and trembling. We don’t tremble before our human adversaries in fear. We tremble before God and we do so with hope, knowing that God is working within us. We work because God works in us to work.” (Sproul, Growing in Holiness: Understanding God’s Role and Yours, 10-11)
R. C. Sproul, Growing in Holiness: Understanding God’s Role and Yours, 10-11
Moreover, the Westminster Shorter Catechism expresses the doctrine of sanctification with the following words,
Q. 35: What is sanctification?
A.: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace (#1), whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God (#2), and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live unto righteousness (#3).
(#1) 2 Thes. 2:13
(#2) Eph. 4:23-24
(#3) Rom. 6:4, 6; Rom. 8:1
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 35
This question and answer from the Westminster Shorter Catechism makes it very clear that God is the one who is “working” in our sanctification. Yes, there is no denying the fact that efforts in holy living are required of individual Christians so that we work “with fear and trembling.” The Apostle Peter exhorts us to holiness by stating, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy'” (1 Pet. 1:14-16).
In other words, we obey the Lord in our sanctification by seeking to live in holiness. But, let us recall that Paul continues the verse by declaring, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). Verse 13 then powerfully drives home the point that God’s work undergirds all efforts we might make in the Christian life. That fact should give Christians a lot of comfort. We can know with certainty that progress in the Christian life (i.e. our sanctification) is not solely up to us. God is the one who “works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” His work of sanctification is the undergirding foundation of the Christian life. Soli Deo Gloria!
Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin
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