Work Out Your Own Salvation

(Reflection on Philipians 2:12)

 

 

“Bible Reflection on Christian Lifestyle”

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Philipians 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.

 

 

God says that we need to "keep working out your salvation with fear and trembling".

 

 

 

What does it mean to work your own salvation?

Does this mean that God's work of salvation is not finished and we need to perfect it?

 

Truly once we confess to believe in Jesus, and accept HIM as Lord and Savior; then we immediately receive the gift of salvation from God.

 

We immediately accept the gift of salvation and become our full right.

 

It's not the same as today, often to get something valuable we have to get a certain level, or reach a certain "diamond" then we get something valuable.

 

That is not how it is with God's gift of salvation. The gift of salvation is complete and instantly perfect for us.

 

 

To understand this, we need to see the word "work out" in Greek "katergazomai", which can mean "to fashion". 

 

“To fashion” means “to adjust so it fit for a thing”

 

 

This means that when we get the status, we also need to adjust our way of life, our behavior, such as that status.

 

Once we receive the gift of salvation, we gain status as citizens of God's Kingdom. Then next we need to do is "to adjust" the way of life, behavior, speech as befits a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

 

This is part of our sanctifying process in God's saving grace.

 

 

 

It looks exactly like this story:

There is a beggar who unexpectedly gets a cash prize of 1 billion dollars. Everyone was so amazed shaking their heads at this event.

 

People were amazed, shaking their heads even more at what happened to the beggar next.

 

Because after receiving the money, he remains on the side of the road, continues to eat leftovers from the litter box, and wears clothes that has so many hollows. And he remains a beggar.

 

We naturally think this is no longer suitable to him.  He needs to "adjust" himself.  Even more so because he already has a valuable gift, which he can really use to adjust his life.

 

For example: buying a simple house, buying clothes that are much more decent, eating food that is much healthier and tastier, especially quitting being a beggar and starting a business.

 

The beggar needs to "adjust" the gift he has received.  Likewise with us.

 

We have received the gift of salvation from God. We have obtained the rights and status as citizens of the Kingdom of God. Now we need to do, adjust our lives with these gifts.

 

The way we speak, what we convey to the people around us, the way we act and behave, we should adjust to this amazing gift of salvations.

 

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