Work Out Your Salvation (Philippians 2:12-18)

Bible Passage: Philippians 2:12-18

This passage starts with a ‘therefore’, as Paul drives home the example of Jesus into practical action for the Philippian believers. It is a call to live out the faith that they profess. The tone is gentle, and Paul acknowledges that this is something that they have been doing, both when he was with them and after he left. Nevertheless, he wants to urge them on to keep going in the faith, and show them what this looks like.

Work with God (v12-13): These two verses get to the heart of the conversation about God’s work and our work in the Christian life. Paul’s imperative to the Philippian Christians is for them to work out their own salvation. They are not to be passive believers, but to be actively seeking to bring their lives in line with what they believe and letting the gospel shape every part of who they are. This is challenging for any who have grown comfortable or complacent in their faith. At the same time, we should not think that it is all down to us. Just as our salvation came through a work of God, so too our ongoing sanctification is God’s work, and Paul is clear that God is at work in the believers to shape their desires and actions in line with his will. As we seek to live as Christians, this is a call to both act and trust, knowing that as we reverently seek to live for God, he is powerfully at work within us.

Work Together (v14-15): As Paul begins to break down what working out your salvation looks like, he begins by talking about how the Christians in Philippi are to relate to one another. It would be easy to think of this instruction in individualistic terms and focus on personal holiness, but while this is a good thing, it seems that what Paul has in mind is how we work out our salvation as a community together. In particular, we are to do everything without grumbling or arguing. No doubt this was related to the specific issue that Paul was addressing in Philippi (see Phil. 4:2), but it is still noteworthy that it is through the way we relate to each other that Christians are seen to be children of God without fault.

Shine Like Stars (v15-16): In verse 15, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32 to show the impact that being a people who don’t grumble or argue will have. The quote highlights how they will stand out in a ‘warped and crooked generation’. Living in a way that is respectful, kind and understanding towards others will make people sit up and notice, when they are used to seeing people put their own interests first. By holding true to God’s ways, Christians will shine like stars. These verses challenge us to think about what those around us see when they look at our lives, and what kind of witness it gives to the faith we profess.

Potential Applications:

• The passage is a direct one that calls us to take our faith seriously and let the gospel we believe be worked out in our lives.
• There is a challenge to mission as we think about how we ‘shine like stars’ to those around us.
• You could offer prayer for people to see God’s work in their lives as they seek to follow him.