WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Today, we are going to be talking about what it means to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. And we're going to be reading from the book of Philippians chapter number 2 verse 12, one of Paul's epistles. So if you have your Bible with you, you can turn over to Philippians chapter number 2 verse 12 so that we can have a read together. so Philippians chapter number 2 verse 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.... Now, what does Paul mean by this? What does he mean by the statement, walk out your own salvation with fear and trembling? Now, one thing we should be clear about on this is that Paul isn't teaching that our salvation can be earned by works. That's not what he's teaching. Notice he does not say walk for your salvation. He doesn't say that, but sadly, that's what a lot of people understand that verse to be and that's the way they interpret it. 

On the contrary, throughout his writings Paul made it clear that salvation is not by works. It's not something you earn by trying to be good enough or by avoiding sin. Nor by trying to amend your ways. 

It's not even by your morality. Salvation, as we've been made to understand from Ephesians, is not a reward for the good things that you do. Praise the Lord Jesus! And it's not a reward for living right.  These are the things that people think. They think salvation is a reward for the good things they do, a reward for living right. All of these notions are contrary to what Paul teaches in the epistle of Ephesians which we are going to read, so turn your Bible also with me to Ephesians chapter number 2, verse 8 and 9. Hear what Paul says here,.. For by grace are ye saved through faith. And that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works. Lest any man should boast... Praise God! So you see in this verse or verses Paul makes it clear that salvation is a gift. A gift that you receive by faith. Not something you work for as a lot of people have thought. So Paul tells us salvation is a gift received through faith. Faith alone. Which means, receiving Jesus Christ and depending on Him as your salvation and Lord. So, what does Paul mean by the phrase, walk out your own salvation with fear and trembling?

We read it in Philippians chapter number 2, verse 12. Now, understand this. Paul is not talking about something you do to make your salvation complete. That's not what he's talking about. Some people think Paul is talking about something they need to do in order to make their salvation complete. Praise God!

Paul is not saying you should add anything to make your salvation complete or stuff like that. The reason is this, If you are born again, then your salvation, is already complete. Your salvation is already complete and there's nothing more you need to do to make your salvation more complete than it already is. Praise God. This is what the Bible teaches. And we're going to confirm this by reading the book of  Ecclesiastes chapter number 3, verse 14. It says, ..I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God doeth it that men should fear before him.. 

"For by grace are ye saved through faith." Paul tells us in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 5 also. For by grace ye have been saved. And grace is what God has done for us. What God has accomplished for us through Jesus Christ. Paul said that what God has done for us through his grace is irrevocable, irreversible. And he says also that nothing can be taken from it nothing can be added to it. So you see, if you are born again then your salvation is already complete and there is nothing else you need to add to it to make it more complete than it is already nor can you take anything out of it to make it incomplete. Nothing can make your salvation incomplete and this is one big truth that a lot of people need to understand but the religious world makes it look like salvation is something fecal, something you know you could just lose any moment in time and then you have to go get it back and all of that. But you see, that's not what the New Testament teaches. 

Now let's get back to what Paul is talking about in Philippians chapter number 2, verse 12, where he says, Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Now, the key to understanding what Paul is talking about here lies in the expression "work out". He says work out. He did not say work for. some when they read that verse, they read it the reverse way, the upside down way, they say work for but that's not what Paul says. Paul says work out. What does that expression mean? Now this expression is from the Greek word. 

Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 is from the Greek word "Soteria". Now there are two basic Greek words for salvation, one is "sozo" and the other is "Soteria" here Paul uses the Greek word Soteria which means "freedom from all forms of bondage". Freedom from all forms of bondage! hallelujah! In other words Paul is talking about exercising our freedom from all forms of bondage. when he says work out your salvation it means to exercise your freedom.

"Work out". "Exercise". You work out, exercise your freedom from all forms of bondage. Now, that's what it means to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. the other question we need to ask again is this; how do we exercise this freedom of ours? How do you exercise your own freedom? Your own freedom or your own salvation from all forms of bondage? How do you exercise it? First of all, it is by continually living in the knowledge and consciousness of your freedom in Christ and not giving in to Satan's lies that hold people in bondage.

Secondly, it also means to continue to apply the truth, knowledge, realities, and power of our salvation to life's issues. Having knowledge of your salvation in all of its scope and living by the power of this knowledge. Praise the Lord Jesus!

That's what it means to exercise your freedom, continuing to live in that knowledge, applying the power of the knowledge of your salvation, applying, the power of the knowledge of your freedom in Christ, the freedom that you have received in Christ the moment you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and the knowledge that Jesus Christ has made you free in his substitutionary sacrifice.

The salvation that Paul is talking about, this freedom that he's talking about is yours in Christ and you already have it in him. it's not something that you are yet to get, it's not something you're gonna get when you get to heaven, Paul is saying it's already yours. You already have salvation if you're born again

So Paul is saying, leave in the power of the knowledge of your salvation. That is what it means to exercise your salvation, that's what it means to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  

And then finally, he said, with fear and trembling. What does he mean also by this expression? Fear and trembling. Now this expression, we must first understand, is an idiomatic expression. Paul is not saying you should be afraid. Hallelujah! The Bible said, we've not received the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind..... "Perfect love cast out fear. There is no fear in love"..

    So that word fear that you have In majority of our English translations is a poor translation of the original text. They ought not to have translated that word as fear in that particular verse. The word there means dignity, reverence, honor.

SO LIVE IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE PERFECT SALVATION CHRIST HAS WROUGHT FOR YOU.

(A Prize Chukwuka teaching)