Working Out with the Lord

 

Bear with me for a moment, I need to finish my morning workout.  “…seven, eight, nine, ten.”  Whew!  I feel my biceps burning.

Maybe you have a workout routine.  You might walk the dog around the neighborhood each day, or go to the gym to lift weights, you might jog around the track at the park, or follow along with an aerobics video on the television.  Working out is good for us.  It keeps us healthy.

I have to admit that I haven’t done a very good job working out as consistently as I should.  I’m great at making plans, but don’t always follow through.  A number of years ago we joined the YMCA when they were running a special.  It is a great facility.  There is a weight room, a gym, racket ball courts, and a swimming pool.  At first, it was exciting to work out, and we would try to make it over at least 2 or 3 times a week.  We’d shoot some hoops and lift weights and finish with a swim.  But as time went on, I starting losing focus, and allowed myself to became distracted by other things.  Eventually I fell out of the routine altogether and become complacent.  Maybe now that I’ve found my weights, maybe I can get back to it again.

Our passage this morning tells us that the Christian life involves also working out, not lifting weights or running around a track.  We are to be engaged in the spiritual work of putting our faith into action, walking in obedience to God, striving to please our Savior in all that we do.

In Philippians 2:12 the apostle Paul writes, “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 salvation with fear and trembling.”

He was writing this letter to a group of believers in the city of Philippi, and there was no doubt in his mind that they were saved.   He had been there when they first received the gospel, placing their faith in Christ Jesus.  He had witnessed firsthand their passion and enthusiasm to follow the Lord.  Now he encourages them to continue on with that same level of devotion even though he was no longer there in person to help them live out their faith.  He is essentially telling them, “Don’t let up!  Keep going!  You are a new creation in Christ, so let it show in the way you live each and every day.”

In some ways, his words remind us of a trainer at the gym who encourages his friends when they might be tempted to grow complacent.  “Come on!  Keep going!  I know may be thinking about sleeping in today but we’ve got to stay focused and remember why this is so important.”

The apostle realized there is tendency in human beings to lose focus over time and grow complacent in our lives.  Those who were once on fire for God may begin to go through the motions or become distracted by other things.  But God’s Word challenges us to continue on with the same passion and enthusiasm we had when we first met the Lord.  The Christian life is not meant to be passive, but active.  When we come to know Christ as Savior, we are called to live out our faith our daily experience. The apostle expresses this idea in different ways throughout his letters.

  • In Ephesians 4:1 he writes, “I… urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
  • And in Ephesians 4:22-23 we are told to, “…put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Here in Philippians he tells us to work out our salvation.  One commentator explains,

“Paul’s point is that salvation, once received, must be put into practice through obedience.”[i]

  • by doing good,
  • by serving others,
  • by growing in walk with Christ
  • by showing his love to the world around us
  • by demonstrating Christ-like character
  • by seeking to please God in all we do

We’re going to spend time this morning looking at this means and what it doesn’t mean.

First of all, it is important to recognize that our works cannot earn salvation.

Again, notice in verse 12 that the apostle writes, “work out your salvation,” not “work for your salvation.” There is a huge difference between those two statements.

He was writing to a group of people who were already saved, who had already experienced the forgiveness and mercy of God, and he was telling them to live that out in their everyday lives. He was not saying that it’s up to us to somehow earn God’s approval through our own efforts. That would be impossible.  Throughout his ministry he made it abundantly clear that we are saved by grace through faith.

Paul’s message of grace would have come as a shock to many people. The religions of the world claimed that human beings must climb their way to heaven by doing good deeds or performing religious rituals, and if the good outweighs the bad at the end of the day you’re in. But that’s not the message of the gospel.  Scripture explains that we are incapable of saving ourselves, because our sin separates us from God, and the cost of redemption is far to great for us to pay.  So God, in his mercy, provided a way through the cross.  In his death, Christ paid the penalty for our sin, and through his resurrection he is able to offer new life to everyone who believes.  The gospel tells us: “it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8–9 NIV84)

This was the message he preached when he first visited the city of Philippi back in Acts 16. Paul and Silas had the opportunity to witness to the Philippian jailer, and he asked them “‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” (Acts 16:30–31 NASB95). It sounded so simple.  They didn’t give him a checklist of requirements to fulfill in an effort to make himself worthy of God’s affections.  They didn’t lay out a series of observances to perform before he could be counted among God’s people.  They told him to believe.  Let go of your self-sufficiency and pride, and cling to the cross of Jesus, accepting him as your Savior.

The cost of salvation is too much for us to pay, but by his grace God redeems us.

It’s like the child who goes to the department store to buy a Father’s Day gift for his dad.  He is holding his little piggy bank in his hands hoping that he has enough to purchase something nice.  The boy wanders through the electronics section and sees the big flatscreen tv on display.  It is the latest model, with the best picture quality available, built in surround sound, and all special features.  “Wow!” the little boys says as he rushes over to the salesman.  “I’ll take that one!” he says pointing at the expensive tv.  The salesman looks at the little boy with skepticism and says, “are you sure you can afford it?”  The boy opens his piggy bank and dumps out the contents on the counter, sorting his life’s savings.  There is a handful  pennies, and a few dimes.  There is even an old button that fell off his dress shirt he tucked away in his bank for safe keeping.  “Is this enough?” he asks but the salesman shook his head.  Not even close.  It won’t even cover a fraction of the cost.  Sadly, there is no way the little boy will ever be able to purchase it on his own.

Our situation is even more desperate than this. The cost of redemption is far to great. Even our best efforts would fall terribly short.  The only way anyone will be saved is by the grace of God.

Romans 3:23–24 (NIV84) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Make sure relying on God’s grace, and his finished work on the cross as the foundation for your life, without this we’re going nowhere

Our works cannot achieve salvation, but our passage tells us that…

Our works give evidence of our salvation.

Again, in Philippians 2:12 says, “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 salvation with fear and trembling.”

Paul talks about how their obedience to God. During the time he spent with the Philippians, he had seen firsthand how the gospel changed their lives. They received God’s Word with enthusiasm and were eager to follow Christ.  Now that he was no longer with them in person, he was happy to see that they were still living for the Lord even in his absence.  He urges them to keep it up, and he had every expectation that they would because he knew that their faith was genuine.

Christ makes a difference in our lives. He makes us a new creation, and changes us from the inside out. The way we act, the way we talk, the way we treat one another begins to change.  It doesn’t mean that we never struggle, but we are growing to be more like Christ each day.

I’m sure Paul wasn’t the only one to notice the difference that Christ made in the believers at Philippi. They must have had unsaved friends and neighbors who also witnessed the change that God was bringing about in their lives. Maybe it was an attitude of joy that wasn’t there before.  Or it may have been that their words became more positive and uplifting.  Or maybe it was how they started expressed kindness and compassion to others instead of thinking only of themselves.  Or maybe it was new willingness to help others and do good in their community.  Or it might have been how they seemed to follow a higher standard of values than before.  But one way or another, the people around them began to noticed a change in the lives of these Philippians and they wondered why.  Just think about the witness this group of Christians must have had.

If God is dwelling in us, people should be able to see a difference in how we live. In our words, our actions, our attitudes, we look a little different than the world around us. Maybe some people will react negatively to that because they feel convicted. They might say, “You must think you’re better than me, don’t you?”  And we can answer, “Not at all, I need God’s grace just as much as anyone else, but Christ makes all the difference.”  Others will be drawn to the gospel through our witness.  They may ask, “What’s going on?  What is it that makes you different?”  And we will be able to point them to Jesus.  If he has made this kind of impact in our lives, he can change anyone. What a powerful testimony we give to those around us when people are able to see Christ in us.

In Matthew 5:16 (NASB95) Jesus tells us, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Imagine if you driving by my house in the evening and were wondering if we were home.  If the windows are all dark and no signs of activity you might think that we were away.  But if the place is lit up, glowing with light, that’s a pretty good indication that there is life within and things are happening inside.

And when we are living for the Lord, doing good to others, showing God’s love, then his light is shining through us. People see that and know there is life inside, the Lord is there, and we point them to him.

In this way our works are an outward expression of our faith, giving proof that we truly are a child of God. On the other hand, if there is no change, if we are no different than we were before, if we look just like the rest of the world, people will naturally question whether or not we are sincere. That doesn’t mean we should walk around making judgments about who we think is really saved and who isn’t: “I’m sure he’s a Christians, and she’s a believer, but I don’t know about that guy.”   But it does challenge us to look within ourselves and examine our own hearts.  Am I growing in my relationship with Jesus?  Is his love evident in my life?  Can my neighbors tell that there is something different about me?  I hope so.

A couple of verses later, in our passage, Philippians 2:15 says, “…prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.”

Our works flow from the Lord.

Go back to Philippians 2:12-13.

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 salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Paul’s instruction may sound more than a little intimidating. How can we hope to live up to our calling as Christians, overcoming sin, demonstrating godly character, doing good in our world, and showing the love of Christ to those around us? This is a tall order for anyone, and if left to ourselves it would be an impossible task, but thankfully the apostle reminds us that we’re not alone.  God’s empowering presence is working through us to bring about his work.

He gives us desire, shaping our heart, directing our focus, forming his will in us so that to please him. We want to serve others. We want to make a difference in this world.  And he gives us the ability to carry it through. He becomes our strength, our courage, and the motivating force that we need to do what is right.

This takes some the pressure off the believer. I don’t’ have to somehow muster up the power to make things happen. I’m simply called to surrender my life to the Lord, allowing him to use me for his glory.  Whatever good I do, comes from him.

It is sort of like the microwave in your kitchen.  It is a wonderful tool that can perform all kinds of useful functions.  It can pop a bag of popcorn.  It can reheat leftovers.  It can cook a baked potato.  It can defrost something that has been in freezer.  You probably use it everyday.  But as useful at your microwave might be, it can’t do anything unless it is plugged in the outlet.  It needs energy to work.  It is a remarkable tool.  I am thankful to have one in my kitchen.  But it would be useless without power.

And we need spiritual power to do spiritual works, which can only come from the Lord. Unless are connected to Christ, relying on him for strength, we will not accomplish anything of eternal significance. But when we allow God to work through us, we will see him do things that we never thought possible.

One commentator says,

Were God and his grace not constantly working… in a powerful way, believers would not be able to obey this command.  Salvation is worked out in [our lives] with the empowering of God. To attempt to work it out on one’s own or under one’s own power is a mission doomed to failure.[ii]

Paul relied on the Lord to work through him during his ministry. You may read about his missionary journeys in the book of Acts, and all the churches he planted, and all the people he helped lead to Christ, and imagine that he must have been some kind of super apostle. But he would have told you that this wasn’t the case.  He couldn’t take credit for any of it.  Paul didn’t accomplish these things for God.  God accomplished these things through Paul.  He was only the instrument.  God was source of strength that made it happen.

In 1 Corinthians 15:10 (ESV) he tells us, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

The same is true in our lives. We are to labor for the Lord. The Christian life is active not passive.  But at the same time we realize that it is not I but the grace of God that is with me.

So the next time we are tempted to pat ourselves on the back for all of the great things that we accomplished, let us pause and remember that apart from Christ we can do nothing. Don’t say, “I’m going to do great things for God,” but instead ask him to do great things through you. And when you are struggling, if you are feeling weak or defeated, when life seems overwhelming don’t be discouraged.  Remember that on our own we can’t, but with him we can.

Conclusion –

As I think about my weights, I’m reminded that working out takes effort… it takes commitment… It’s not something you do one time and you’re finished.  It becomes a part of your daily life.

And the same is true of living out our faith.  It takes effort, it takes commitment, we are called to live the Christian life each day.  It’s not just praying a quick prayer and then going to back to our lives as if nothing has changed.  Once we have come to experience God’s grace, and have trusted in Christ to save us from sin, from that moment on we are to follow him for the rest of our lives.    Paul tells us to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

We are not working for our salvation.  Make sure that you are clinging to the cross of Christ and nothing else to save you.

But once you are saved work out your salvation by putting your faith into practice and walking in obedience to God.  You cannot do this in your own strength, but must rely on his power to accomplish his work in you.

We need to ask ourselves if people can difference in our lives?  Does out walk match our talk.  Do people see Christ in us?  Are we  letting his light shine, so that people see our good works and glorify God?  May our lives shine in this dark world overflowing with good works for God’s glory.

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[i] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Php 2:13). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

[ii] Witherington, B., III. (2011). Paul’s Letter to the Philippians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (pp. 159–161). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Company.

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