Philippians 2:12 AMP “So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity] with awe-inspired fear and trembling [using serious caution and critical self-evaluation to avoid anything that might offend God or discredit the name of Christ].”

What does this mean, to work out your own salvation? Aren’t we already saved? Why, yes we are. Our spirits, our inner being is saved. Our spirits are now alive unto God and the Spirit of God. We are “tied together,” so to speak. (See post here. Romans 5…What is This Glory?) Now we have access to everything that heaven and the Lord God have to offer. You have heard of the expression “joined at the hip.”? Well it’s kind of like that. We could say we are joined at the hip with God now. After I was filled with the Holy Spirit many years ago, I was accused of thinking I had a “hotline to God.” But in a way, that is actually what happened. I did get a “hotline to God” when I received the Holy Spirit. And you can too. 

The New King James translation and many other bible versions say “work out your own salvation.” I am unclear why some say “your salvation” and others say “your own salvation” except to note that “your own salvation” would appear to indicate an emphasis on your salvation, and perhaps excludes the salvation of others. We are not able to “save” others, but only to speak the truth of God’s word to them. Then they make the decision to accept or reject that. Each person must have their own relationship with God.

Why live without knowing the One Who knows everything?

Why flounder in the dark not knowing the direction you’re going, not knowing the outcome, not knowing much of anything actually, except what you think you know and think you want? Are you so sure of yourself and of your own decisions? When things don’t work out, do you continue to do the same things over and over again, expecting different results as I once did in my worldly, before-Christ life? Someone once said that is the definition of insanity. I am only sure of one thing, maybe two things. One is, I don’t know anything sometimes and I certainly don’t know everything, and two, I need God. I need Him to help me make decisions, tell me things that I don’t know about, tell me things to come, warn me, show me what to pray for. After all, He is my Creator. Why would He not know ewhat needs to be done, to be prayed for?

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.“

We are lights in a dark world, a new species

In Philippians 2:12-13 TPT, Paul says, “My beloved ones, just like you’ve always listened to everything I’ve taught you in the past, I’m asking you now to keep following my instructions as though I were right there with you. Now you must continue to make this new life fully manifested as you live in the holy awe of God—which brings you trembling into His presence.”

Philippians 2:15 TPT “For then you will be seen as innocent, faultless, and pure children of God even though you live in the midst of a brutal and perverse culture. For you will appear among them as shining lights in the universe.”

As the unrepentant population in our world enters into ever greater darkness in their sin, the believer should be growing ever more and more in the truth of the knowledge of God. This means that as the darkness of sin grows in unbelievers, the nature of God in a believer will increase and stand out in an ever greater measure. The contrast between the two will become more pronounced and well-defined, and easily visible. As believers practice and display the holiness, goodness, and kindness of God, the scripture says they stand out as lights in the world. Believers filled with the Holy Spirit are indeed a new species of human being. They live by faith in the words that God speaks, rather than the negativity of the world. They have hope and courage and faith in God’s goodness.

 Becoming like Him

Working out our salvation is getting to know our Father God by studying the life of Jesus, what He did and what He wants us to do. We learn about his Lordship and how to daily submit ourselves to what He wants rather than what we think we want. We learn to trust that. We see that He has been elevated to the highest place in the universe because He sacrificed Himself to defeat the dark forces on earth and release us from our captivity to them. He is truly worthy of our love and trust.

You might be tempted to say it doesn’t look like He defeated them. Well, He’s waiting on believers to discover and exercise the authority He gave them. Born-again believers now have the same power over darkness that He has. He gave believers authority over the dark spirits that rule men. Rebellious men are those who are inhabited by dark spirits. Many of them will not give that up. If you are inhabited by dark spirits, you can give that up. You can know the truth. Jesus invites you to come to the Truth, which is in Him. God‘s great love for mankind is such that He desires that we all come to the truth. He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6. He is not a mean, condemning God as the devil has portrayed Him for centuries.  He is a good parent. You might not have known good parents, but God is a good parent and He is passionate for you and waits patiently for you to come to HIm.  He hovers over you and works on your behalf to bring you to His truth.

Working out our salvation…As we search for Him with all of our hearts, the scripture says we will find Him. If we draw near to Him, he draws near to us. James 4:8. As we come to know His character more and more, we come to love Him. We learn to trust Him. We may have never trusted the love of our parents if they were cruel or unkind or distant, but Jesus is not like that. He is with us and He can be in us. I like to say it this way, “Jesus is riding around with me.” I know that sounds like a fairytale and like the pretend companions of our youth, but the fact is, it’s real. He’s real.

Working out your salvation…The more we come to know Him and trust Him, the more we trust what He tells us to do. We come to trust him with our entire life, our entire future, our finances, marriage, children. He’s that close to us. And He’s that involved. He wants to dwell in and among His people who belong to Him. He’s passionate for us, as the Song of Solomon Chapter 4 colorfully reveals.

Working out your salvation is a love relationship where you find your purpose

Working out your salvation…It’s a love relationship. It’s greater than what you had with your parents because they were imperfect humans. It’s greater than what you can ever have with your husband or wife. They are imperfect too. I like to say to my husband, don’t forget who loves you, Jesus and me.

As your love and trust grows, you will find His will for your life, the purpose for which you were born and placed here. It is specific and you can know it. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us we have purpose. God planned for all of us to be something. We are not nothing. He has prepared works for us that we should find Him and learn what they are. Ephesians 2:10. We won’t really know what they are and what His plan is for our life until we find Him, love Him and trust Him.

So working out your salvation… Don’t be obstinate. Any time something doesn’t go your way, surrender to that. You may not know what God is doing for a time. But don’t be like a child who throws a fit. That is immaturity. Recognize there’s a reason and there’s a plan. Paul said he had learned in whatever circumstance he found himself in, he had learned to be content. Philippians 4:11-13

After Joseph in the book of Genesis had those wonderful dreams foretelling his future, do you think he planned on being betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery to Egyptians? Do you think he planned on being falsely accused by Potipher’s wife and then thrown into prison for however many years it was? No, he did not, and I’m sure he had many questions while he was in those situations… And I’m sure he cried and it was painful to him… But no matter what negative circumstances he was placed in, he somehow rose to the top, because there was a great calling on his life and he didn’t stay in self pity. He trusted God. Somehow he worked out his own salvation and eventually came to see his prophetic dreams come to pass. Joseph saved a world from famine and saved his own family who had betrayed him. Beloved, we should all be looking for that glorious plan that God has for us because people’s lives may depend on it.

Will you work out your own salvation? Will you find the place God wants you? It will be painful. It will change you; it’s supposed to change you. We are still carnal, but we are also now spiritual beings, a new species, if the Spirit of God dwells in you. It is in the heart of God that we reflect His image and that is why we go through these things. By cooperating with the work of God in your life, you not only glorify Him, you also defeat the powers of darkness that would seek to hinder, delay and destroy in your life. Does that sound good to you? Because it sure does to me.

James 1:2-4 TPT  “My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.”