“Working Out Your Salvation” # 2 Philippians 2:12-13

TRANSCRIPT

Date: June 1, 2025 Author: Wayne J. Edwards

In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul writes, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his purpose.” The sense in which we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is twofold. First, the Greek verb rendered “work out” means “to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition.” We achieve this by earnestly pursuing our full sanctification, which Paul explained in the third chapter of Philippians. He describes himself as “straining” and “pressing on” toward the goal of Christlikeness (Philippians 3:13-14). Second, the “fear and trembling” is not a warning that a Christian could lose their salvation , but rather to have a healthy respect for a holy God while we “live out” that which He “worked in” us through Jesus Christ. We work out our salvation by our consistent and persistent study of the Word of God, wherein our hearts and minds are renewed, (Romans 12:1-2) and then by our obedience to the commands of God that are revealed in our study. We will explain this further in our next two sermons: “Working Out Your Salvation.” Thank you for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. We are truly encouraged by the response we’ve received from viewers worldwide.

In Philippians 2:12-13, Paul writes, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his purpose.”

The sense in which we are to work out our salvation in fear and trembling is twofold.

We work out our salvation by our consistent and persistent study of the Word of God, wherein our hearts and minds are renewed, (Romans 12:1-2) and then by our obedience to the commands of God that are revealed in our study.

We will explain this further in our next two sermons: “Working Out Your Salvation.”

Thank you for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. We are truly encouraged by the response we’ve received from viewers worldwide.

Download the following translated Sermon guides:

The priority of our life is to discover the source of energy behind our desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

True spiritual growth requires all that we are and all that God is.

Other examples of this paradox:

Paul’s explanation of the paradox:

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