Thursday, April 22, 2010

Working Out

Philippians 2:12 KJV
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.

Gill says of the phrase, work out your own salvation'
"....which is to be understood not in such a sense as though men could obtain and procure for themselves spiritual and eternal salvation by their own works and doings; for such a sense is contrary to the Scriptures …. and is also repugnant to the perfections of God, as his wisdom, grace, and righteousness; for where are the wisdom and love of God, in forming a scheme of salvation, and sending his Son to effect it, and after all it is left to men to work it out for themselves? ..... Moreover, was salvation to be obtained by the works of men, these consequences would follow; the death of Christ would be in vain, boasting would be encouraged in men, they would have whereof to glory, and their obligations to obedience taken from the love of God, and redemption by Christ, would be weakened and destroyed..."

And he therefore observes that a proper sense of the passage would be,
"...employ yourselves in things which accompany salvation, and to be performed by all those that expect it, though not to be expected for the performance of them..."

I take the phrase to be interpreted by the context of Paul's presence or absence and take the passage to mean that, now that Paul is not there, they need to carry on in their life as saved creatures without the support of this preacher.

God has blessed His work with men who are both called and equipped for the work of bringing souls to salvation and encouraging and aiding them in their walk with Christ. What a help these believers are to the body of Christ. But they are not Christ and, should we be, from time to time, left without them we should realize we are still responsible to go on in the Christian conversation.

That a beloved pastor has been removed from us is no excuse to quit living as the saved
That a mature believer who has always been there for you is no longer there is no good reason to trim back your life for Christ

Too many Christians depend too heavily on another to prop up their faith and life. It is time we "work out our own salvation" and keep on for Christ.

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