Work Out Salvation

Philippians 2:12 is a very controversial verse that has been argued over for centuries as faith only groups have tried to dismiss it and moralist churches try to use it to say we have to become moralist to achieve salvation.

I have even attended Churches of Christ that have turned it into a faith only verse, I believe their theology started in Abilene Christian and spread to surrounding groups. They were clearly incorrect. I was travelling through Oklahoma a few years back and stopped for church in a town outside Tulsa and they had a lesson on this verse. The Tulsa workshop in that area allowed many false concepts to be taught.

1. They said Churches of Christ had said to work to make ourselves righteous enough to go to heaven.

2. They said working out salvation wasn't the actual meaning, but that is exactly the meaning.

We do have to be righteous enough, Jesus said our righteousness had to exceed the Pharisees in the sermon on the mount. We do have to have a level of sincerity to go to heaven. We do have to follow the sermon on the mount, like forgiving others, for Christ to forgive us. If a COC taught in this context then more power to them. I don't know why it is offensive to some. In the context of being good enough, I doubt any COC said we had to achieve perfection, or we don't need Christ's sacrifice. Good enough isn't a standard of moral perfection without grace. It is a level of sincerity and obedience to God's will. Matt.7:21-23

Calvinists are the ones usually offended by anyone teaching we can do righteousness on our own, their idea of total depravity, but to hear it in a Church and in a bible class broke my heart. We can achieve some righteousness. God expects it. Yet, that is not the context of the letter.

The context of the letter was the Philippians were being admonished to continue giving to Paul and others, thus continue striving together for the faith. It seems they missed an opportunity to help when in other instances they helped out. Paul is reminding them to keep helping as this is necessary for salvation. It shows he was admonishing them to continue involvement and not quit.

Neither the faith only groups nor the moralists actually get it right. If you follow the Greek antecedents it does make obedience necessary for salvation.

If you look closely the context is obeying Paul whether he was absent or present.

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. 

The antecedent to work is obedience, and if you look at verses above you see it follows Christ;s obedience to the Father.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

It is the example of humility leading to obedience that Paul is emphasizing in Christ, his reward was his exaltation.

Paul as a representative of Christ and a sent apostle had words they must obey and follow to receive salvation.

It isn't obedience to the Law of Moses or a moralist code, but obedience to the words Paul had given them. Notice Paul references the word.

Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 

The only way Paul could rejoice in the judgment is if they actually held onto his word and teaching. Otherwise his work would have been in vain. It is the word of life delivered by Paul and the other Apostles, they were to continue obedience toward. The Gospel included works and involvement to help save others.

The word translated "Holding forth" does not necessarily mean to present it to others, but to follow it yourselves. Helping others was part of the word delivered by Paul.

epechō

ep-ekh'-o

From G1909 and G2192; to hold upon, that is, (by implication) to retain; (by extension) to detain; (with implication of G3563) to pay attention to: - give (take) heed unto, hold forth, mark, stay.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

Holding onto and obeying Paul's message was necessary for salvation. This included "striving together for the faith of the gospel" from chapter one.

It wasn't working to make yourself morally perfect, but working together for the sake of others being saved. Just as Christ gave himself for the sake of others.

Anyone dismissing obedience relating to salvation has it wrong. It does not dismiss obedience at all. Working out our salvation is certainly necessary in Paul's view as it demonstrates our love toward God and his creation.

G1907

ἐπέχω

epechō

Total KJV Occurrences: 7

heed, 2

Act_3:5, 1Ti_4:16

forth, 1

Php_2:16 (2)

gave, 1

Act_3:5

holding, 1

Php_2:16

marked, 1

Luk_14:7

stayed, 1

Act_19:22

Some of the methods to dismiss working out salvation are all Calvinistic. Catholics can be moralists, Calvinists faith only. 

1. Paul said he had not yet obtained his goal and many imply this referred to moral completeness or perfection, claiming others claimed you have to work to be morally acceptable by our own righteousness, but it was the goal of being resurrected in Christ. As long as he was alive he continued to help others and work toward that goal. He continued to die daily. He continued to strive toward the goal.

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Paul in telling them to work out their own salvation clearly demonstrates it isn't to make themselves righteous without Christ's atonement, but he still uses the words "work out", so we can't dismiss them.

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

They ere because we are not working to make ourselves perfect, working is to reach for the goal of finishing off our lives, by working with Christ and each other. If necessary conforming to Christ's death in being killed ourselves. Rev. 2:10

The goal is to be made conformable to his death, not to be made morally perfect on earth. Paul had not been martyred yet, and this would complete his goal. As long as he was alive he pressed forward as we should.

Pressing forward is what is meant by working out our salvation. Never quit.

Never quit working, striving, praying loving,giving, hoping, trusting, believing, never quit.