4:7; Eph. 12 So then, dear friends, as you always obeyed me when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey me now while I am away from you. 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. Someone who is mortally ill needs a doctor or some medicine to save them, or else they will die. Paul tells us to work out our salvation "with fear and trembling" ( Philippians 2:12 ). New American Standard Bible (NASB) Jesus said plainly, No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him (John 6:44). Work out Your Salvation with Fear and Trembling Phil. You wouldnt have complacently shrugged your shoulders and said, I cant do anything about saving myself. You would have taken off on the run for the nearest city of refuge, knowing that if you didnt make it inside, you would be killed. Wheres the biblical balance? Once you are justified before God through Christ, it is followed by sanctification your new self in Christ, which is demonstrated by its fruit. To put off your old self and put on the new. If you sit back and say, Well, Im not sure whether Im one of the elect, and there isnt much I can do about it anyway, youll be lost! Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, New Revised Standard Version Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Contemporary English Version My dear friends, you always obeyed when I was with you. King James Bible For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Christians have often been confused over the relationship between Gods sovereignty and human responsibility in the matters of salvation and sanctification. New American Standard Bible (NASB). 20For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. God has saved you from wrong ways. Ezra 10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. Ive had people sit under my preaching when I have labored to make it clear that we are not saved by any works that we have done. A man who was trying to find a juicy bit of gossip once asked Whitefield if he thought he would see John Wesley in heaven. We are not saved by our good works, and not even by our faith. New King James Version (NKJV) There are four important things about salvation that we need to understand from this text: Salvation is a theological word we sometimes toss around without thinking much about its implications. Philippians 2:12 NIV: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling. But Jesus told him to do it and when the man obeyed, his hand was restored. Start your free trial today! 23Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. I, the first-person pronoun. From tremo; a 'trembling', i.e. The fallen human will is bound by sin. How do you live in such a way as to make it obvious that a change has taken place? From kata and hos; just as, that. Discuss: One of our main problems in evangelism is trying to get people saved who dont even know that theyre lost. When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine. Others have stressed human responsibility to the exclusion of divine sovereignty. In conclusion, I encourage you to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12 - BibleGateway.com Many believers will quote this verse to support the idea that we still have much personal development to do in. 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you 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; Read full chapter. . Theres a good illustration of this truth in the Old Testament. Jesus commanded that man to stretch forth his hand (Matt. A primary pronoun of the first person I. (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect. Just as you obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important for you to obey now that I am not there. Benefits Of His Presence - Ps Warren Graham - Facebook Not only in its inception, but throughout the whole process, God must be the energizing power of the Christian life (our English word energy comes from the Greek word translated work in 2:13). All rights reserved. contrariwise. You must keep on working to show you have been saved from the punishment of sin. Its not the application of the doctrine of sovereignty that the Reformed have made. Continuance or growth in salvation also requires our effort. The good news is that, even though we cannot achieve this working out by our strength, Phillipains 2:13, which is the second part of the passage, says, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Praise God! Start your free trial today! In the flow of thought, these verses introduce the conclusion of an appeal for unity that began in 1:27 and runs through 2:18. Try hard to work out how to do it. Clearly, she doesnt mean that they need to earn a seating chart. We are to be actively committed to obeying God in our daily living in our personal conduct and faithfulness. ($2,500+ value!). What Does it Mean That the Lord Is My Light and My Salvation? Now show this by the good things that you do. We must be serious, because he is serious. Keep on working to complete your salvation with fear and tremblin So then, my beloved, even 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; for it is God who worketh in you b Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyednot only in my presence . Neuter of monos as adverb; merely. Once they saw the holiness of God, it sobered them and dropped them to their knees. Philippians 2:12-18 explains how Christians ought to live, considering all that Christ was willing to do for them. As Peter solemnly testified and kept on exhorting his hearers on the Day of Pentecost, Be saved from this perverse generation! (Acts 2:40). Because the point is so crucial, let me be blunt: If you think that youre going to heaven because youre a pretty good person, you are not going to heaven! And so does the way in which we relate to one another. According to the manner in which, in the degree that, just as, as. Proverbs 1:7 says, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Notice that this is not a fear of being eternally judged by the Lord; instead, it is reverential fear, being in awe of God, and doing the things that honour a holy God. If you are uncertain about your standing before God, do not give rest to your soul until you know that God has saved you. When the Lord withdraws Himself (Hosea 5:6). Salvation is not through any human effort. Philippians 2:12 - BibleGateway.com Faith is simply the hand that receives the life ring of salvation that He throws to us. DRA Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation. In our sanctification, when we act in obedience and put our sin to death, it is God himself who is . In so doing, they will stand out as lights in this dark, selfish world (2:15). View our current career opportunities. Do it with fear and trembling. It refers to Gods rescuing us from Satans domain of darkness and transferring us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13, 14). Philippians 2:12 in all English translations. The man did it! Kill Sin with Fear and Trembling | Desiring God Work out your own salvation. And wouldnt that contradict much of what Paul says elsewhere? But why is this done with fear and trembling? Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! You must have a desperate concern for your eternal well-being that moves you, in the words of 2 Peter 1:10, to be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you. Jesus talked about men taking the kingdom of God by force (Matt. Accomplish; by implication, to finish, fashion. . Jesus said, apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). And they should do this in unity with one another. How can we know when to let go and let God or when we need to exert more effort on a matter? So, allow Christ to work in you powerfully and allow Him to work in and through you. It is a life in which we take part, are involved, and work out our salvation. There is a difference. Paul is saying, "it's not wrong to be fearful.". Therefore, Chaverim, just as you have always had mishmaat (obedience 2:8) concerning me, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own Yeshuah (Salvation) [1:19,28] BYIRAH ("with fear") and BIRADAH "with trembling" [TEHILLIM 2:11]. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. Its a radical word because it points to a situation where someone is in dire straits. 2 Tim 2:15 "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. The works that we do prove that our faith is genuine and is evidence of God saving us through His unconditional electing grace. But in the presence of these feelings . What, then, will it mean for the Philippians to work out this salvation? How do you "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil The Marines who rescued him saved his life. Continue to work out your salvation, with great fear and trembling. Paul in Philippians 2:12-13 urges the church to go through and work out this sanctification process with fear and trembling. Ending soon! The phrase fear and trembling comes from the Old Testament, and it usually indicates awe in the presence of God (Exodus 15:16, Isaiah 19:16). Philippians 1. They have been given this same mind of Christ and are called to then in your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (2:5). If, by Gods grace, we have been saved--if it is none other than God who is at work among us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure--then, we must then be diligent to work out the practical implications of that salvation in our relationships with one another in obedience to God. And, I might add, it is work! What Paul is referring to, therefore, is the present outworking of their eschatological salvation within the believing community in Philippi. Fear of God Surely the fear of God is not in this place, Gen. 20:11. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Philippians 3. If you were guilty of such an act, you wouldnt sit around, hoping that the avenger would not get you. A work that is complete done! But, even so, we have a responsibility in the process. He imparted to them the supernatural power required to fulfill His command. Philippians 2:1-11 contains a beautiful Christ hymn, which outlines the way in which our Lord emptied himself. What does it mean to work out salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)? It is even more important that you obey now while I am away from you. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. It's a radical word because it points to a situation where someone is in dire straits. It can also mean reverential fear according to Acts 2:43; 9:31, 2 Corinthians 5:11; and 7:1. Save on BibleGateway+ with code FAITH. $12.50 to Combat Holocaust Survivors' Hunger. 12 So then, my beloved, just as you 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; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to [ a]desire and to work for His good pleasure. If you die outside of Christ, you will have to pay with your life. But you dont stop until youre safe inside the gates of that city. Philippians 3. As I said, all the words in verses 12 & 13 are plurals. Thus therefore. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified., What we also need to recognise is that we cannot lose our salvation. Lesson 13: Working Out Our Salvation (Philippians 2:12-13) Philippians 2:12 Commentaries: So then, my beloved, just as you have By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; Therefore, my loved ones, just as you have always obeyednot only in my presence, but now even more in my absencework out your salvation with fear and trembling. Fear and Trembling (original Danish title: Frygt og Bven) is a philosophical work by Sren Kierkegaard, published in 1843 under the pseudonym Johannes de silentio (Latin for John of the Silence).The title is a reference to a line from Philippians 2:12, ".continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." itself a probable reference to Psalms 55:5, "Fear and trembling came . Also, all of the words used here are plurals in Greek. we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, Work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13), Difference between Pastors, Elders and Deacons, Accursed is the one who does not love God (1 Corinthians 16:22). Keep on working with fear and trembling to complete your salvation, Read Philippians (GNT) Read Philippians 2:12 (GNT) in Parallel. If a church is fighting and squabbling and grumbling and complaining, then it cannot be shining like stars in a crooked and depraved generation. Alone, but, only. My dear friends, you have always obeyed God. Philippians 2:12 tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. He urged His hearers, Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able (Luke 13:24). Philippians 2:12 - BibleGateway.com This should cause us to approach our task much as Paul did in 1 Corinthians 2:3, with weakness and fear and much trembling. I contend that the Bible teaches both/and, not either/or. We labor to live in such a way to accurately reflect the worth of Jesus with fear and trembling because so much is at stake. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether. The real Christian trusts Christ for everything, but also lives for Christ. Philippians 2:12 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition Shining as Lights in the World 12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence but much more now in my absence, work on your own salvation with fear and trembling, Read full chapter Philippians 2:12 in all English translations Philippians 1 "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. From the participle of apeimi; a being away. Access 50+ premium resources. From a primary phebomai; alarm or fright. KJV, The King James Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color Edition: KJV Holy Bible, KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Value Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV Study Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition: Second Edition, KJV, Word Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: 1,700 Key Words that Unlock the Meaning of the Bible. View our current career opportunities. (1:6) What will it look like for their community to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (1:27)? This process of sanctification is a daily process of growing into His likeness. How can we do all things without grumbling or disputing (Philippians 2:14)? Jesus described His mission as to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). Salvation depends on Gods choosing us and irresistibly drawing us by His grace according to His good pleasure. Psalm 2:11 sums it up perfectly: "Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling." We work out our salvation by going to the very source of our salvationthe Word of Godwherein we renew our hearts and minds ( Romans 12:1-2 ), coming into His presence with a spirit of reverence and awe. Start your free trial today! Absence, deficiency, waste. Advent; physically, aspect. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. We are to be actively committed to obeying God in our daily living in our personal conduct and faithfulness. All rights reserved. As Hansen notes: Fear and trembling united with trust and love in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father inspire us to work out our salvation.. This love for God and knowing how awesome God is, means that you will not give up intimacy with Him for other things in your life. 22But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Philippians 2:13 confirms this as Paul reminds them that it is God who is at work within them to bring this to completion according to His good pleasure. This is similar to what salvation means in 2:12. God is absolutely sovereign and yet we are responsible, both in salvation and in sanctification. The Bible is clear that we can never work for salvation, to earn or merit it, since it is the free gift of God (Eph. In fact, when we look at what Paul is getting at, we find it's just the opposite. Therefore, my beloved, as you 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; My Christian friends, you have obeyed me when I was with you. Paul was a mighty man of faith, yet he came to Corinth in fear and in much trembling. These questions are the concern of the text in Philippians 2:12. Save on BibleGateway+ with code FAITH. . Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible The Lockman Foundation, Related Topics: Character of God, Soteriology (Salvation), Spiritual Life, Steve served as the pastor of Flagstaff Christian Fellowship from May, 1992 through his retirement in December, 2018. It is even more important that you obey now while I am away from you. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling! - Josh Banks Page not found Instagram Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural. The first way to work out your salvation in fear and to tremble is to acknowledge and present your body as a living sacrifice, holy, and well-pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. Unless we do our part Christ cannot save us. Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. Keep on working to complete your salvation with fear and trembling. Whitefield, on the other hand, was a firm believer in Gods sovereignty in salvation. If you claim to be saved, but you persist in selfishness, in refusing to yield your rights, in demanding your own way, whether at home or in the church, your life isnt backing up your claim. God is watching, and God cares about the way we relate to other believers. But they still had to do it. Romans 13:11-14 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed, 1 Corinthians 9:20-23 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; . It means to live in such a way that your life accurately reflects the gospel. If God has saved you, youve got to follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ, who laid aside His rights and went to the cross on our behalf. From hos and te; so too, i.e. The American pilot who was recently shot down in Bosnia needed to be saved, because he could not get out of his predicament by himself. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. So we will not understand salvation if we think it just means that Jesus can give you a happier life. Philippians 2:12 in all English translations, KJV, Deluxe Reference Bible, Super Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Journal the Word Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition: Reflect, Journal, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses, KJV, Word Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: 1,700 Key Words that Unlock the Meaning of the Bible, KJV, Reference Bible, Personal Size Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version. Once we possess salvation, we must learn to hold in tension two seemingly contradictory truths that the Bible clearly affirms: that salvation, from start to finish, is Gods work; but, also, that at the same time, salvation requires diligent effort on our part. That sounds contradictory, doesnt it? The phrase "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" occurs at the end of Philippians 2:12. Pauls primary concern here is likely their unity with one another. 18For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. If the scale is tilted, it is in the direction of Gods sovereignty, since He initiates, sustains, and brings the whole plan to completion. Philippians 2:12-16 - Read the Bible. A free Bible on your phone It begins with having a high view of God, especial California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Romans (12:1-2) The body of a believer has become the temple of God, which is a body where God now dwells. But even though this is Gods work, we must remember that we are called to holy effort.