TITLE: THE PARADOX OF GRACE
SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13
No two verses in the Bible have been discussed and debated more than these together. Throughout Christian history, these two verses, this passage, has provided comfort and affliction to numerous Bible readers. Among the many biblical scholars, theologians and church leaders who have struggled with the passage and commented on it are -
• St. Augustine
• Martin Luther
• John Wesley
• Jonathan Edwards
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer
• Scottish theologian Donald M. Baillie
Some would suggest the whole Gospel is expressed in these two verses—in a nutshell. But for many Christians it has been and remains a tough nut to crack. That’s because of its Paradoxical Nature—two truths that seem to conflict with each other and yet are inseparable. Here’s the Paradox of this passage:
• Salvation is both Gift and Task
Probably no truth of the New Testament is as difficult to grasp as this.
• It seems Contradictory
• On the one hand, Salvation is all of God, a sheer gift that cannot be earned
• On the other hand, Salvation is something we work at, we have a role to play in it
We spend so much time in our Preaching and throwing out this particular scripture – work out your own salvation.
• We Shout
• We say Amen
• We stand on our feet
• Ultimately have no idea what the Scripture texts means or what it suggests
Throughout Christian history, and still today, this Paradox has given rise to two opposite and equally mistaken interpretations. The pendulum swings between two extremes. Some people think of Christianity as just a personal belief system. People are comfortable with this as long as our personal belief system doesn't affect how we relate to other people. This is especially true in politics. It is OK to be religious as long as you don't bring your religious values into your position. Of course, the problem is this is impossible.
• Our personal belief system always affects what we do
• This is especially true of Christianity
• The Christian faith is meant to be intensely practical
• It is meant to impact the way we live
It does not make sense to be Saved and nothing changes in our life, but we are Saved though. When one becomes a Christian, things change. We need to get on board with God. The salvation experience demands change - permanent change. Our will must give way to God’s will. With God’s help, we are required to adopt the kind of change that affects our lifestyle and attitude. Our behavior must be different and aligned with God’s direction for our lives. It is not enough just to broadcast that we are now Saved.
• It should show up in your Walk
• It should show up in your Talk
• It should show up in your Thought
How silly it is that some believe since they are saved by Grace, they can continue to sin without consequence since Jesus paid the price for their sins. The salvation experience requires a new allegiance, a change of heart. We are no longer “Slaves” to sin. God is now our Master – Leader – Guide - and we must obey Him.
• We have been set free from the stronghold of sin
• Old ways of behavior give way to new behaviors
• We will want to do what is right
• This is the kind of change that affects the whole person, both Outward and Inward
• The change is obvious
• Others see it
• God Honors it
Salvation is extended by a free act of God's Grace. We did not and cannot do anything to earn it. But, once we are saved, the new life that Christ plants in us should result in a new way of living. We have said it many times before. The unchanged Christian is a contradiction in terms.
• If a person is unchanged they are not a Christian
• If they are a Christian they are in the process of changing
• There will be times of rapid growth
• There will be times of apparent standstill
• But over the course of the years real change will be evident
So, the Apostle Paul tells the Philippians to "Work Out Their Salvation." Now be careful as you read these words. He is not telling us to work for our salvation. It is so important that you hear these words. We are surrounded by people who are working for their salvation.
• They are trying to earn enough points to get in
• They are like the student who is working hard to be accepted to a college, or to gain a scholarship
• They are like the salesman who is trying to meet a particular sales quota
I would venture to say that a majority of people feel they must produce before they can be "Saved." They spend their lives fretting over any mistake. Those who feel they "have a good shot at Heaven" desperately fear they are going to do something wrong which is going to get them booted out of Heaven at the last minute. But this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible tells us that we are forgiven and made new not because of the good we have done to counterbalance the bad, but because Christ paid for our sin on the cross.
• We don't work FOR Salvation; but we are to work OUT our Salvation
• In other words we are to work at godly living because we are saved
• This seems like SEMANTICS, but it is not, it is critical for us to understand
This is difficult for us Baptists, like many evangelical Christians, we tend to specialize in initial salvation—conversion. We know all about that: we are forgiven by God on account of our simple, unadorned faith or trust in Jesus Christ.
• Good works play no role in conversion
• But we aren’t always so sure about what comes after that
• We get confused about the roles of Grace and Good Works in living a life pleasing to God—maintaining a healthy relationship with God our Savior
• That is why it is so easy for us to be “Stuck” where we are in our Christian journey
• We are Saved and don’t know where to go from there
• We view being Saved like wearing the title - Mr. – Mrs. – Miss - Brother – Sister
• That is the extent of our Salvation as far as we understand
• We are Saved now and that’s it
• We are Saved so we are now done with it
As Baptist that is one of the first Hymns we are taught to memorize and sing because we don’t understand what being Saved entails so we sit back for decades and just sing that old Hymn –
I'm on my way to heaven, I shall not be moved
On my way to heaven, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
I shall not be moved
[Chorus]
I shall not, I shall not be moved
I shall not, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree that's planted by the water
I shall not be moved
To put it Plainly --
• How do we stay in God’s good favor after we are saved?
• Is maintaining a right relationship with God and growing in God’s Grace our doing or God’s?
• What must we do to enjoy the benefits of salvation throughout life?
• What does God do to maintain that relationship?
• That’s where PHILIPPIANS 2:12-13 comes into play
• It answers that crucial question in a Paradox but not a Contradiction
So what does Paul mean when he tells the Philippians to "WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION"? There are several things involved in working out our Salvation.
• We are to work at making sure that our hope is truly grounded in Christ and not on our own efforts
• We are to work at taking advantage of the ways that God has given us to help us grow
• We should read the Bible – Pray - Worship - Serve - Give - Fast
• We should work to make a break with sin
• We are not to just sit back passively, but are to work at repentance and renewal
• We are to work at adopting and applying the positive behaviors that the Bible admonishes
• In other words we are to work at Love - Compassion - Kindness - Generosity - Faithfulness - Endurance and others
• We are to guard against the influence of the world
• In other words we will adjust our Friendships - our Amusements - our use of Time in order to combat the real presence of sin in our lives
Yes, my brothers and sisters that is The Paradox Of Grace. When we consider this text in the original Greek and understand the word ‘WORK” – OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION. The original Greek text reads -- “FOR GOD IS AT WORK IN YOU….” In the original language, these are two different words, for Work, not just one.
• We just don’t have two different English words to translate the two Greek words
• So most English translations simply use “Work”
This is where the text seems like a Paradox. It is like the word ‘LOVE.” There are four Greek Words for Love in the Bible but only one word translating to English.
• PHILEO - is a companionable love. Where we get our Word or City of Philadelphia from it is “Brotherly Love”
• AGAPE - is called out of one’s heart by the preciousness of the object loved. This is God’s love with no strings attached. This love keeps on loving even when the loved one is unresponsive, unkind, unlovable, and unworthy. It is unconditional love
• STORGE - is a natural affection or natural obligation. It is a natural movement of the soul for husband, wife, child or pet. It is a quiet, abiding feeling within a man that rests on something close to him and that he feels good about
• EROS - is a love of passion, an overmastering passion that seizes and absorbs itself into the mind. It is a love that is an emotional involvement based on body chemistry. It is an Erotic Love.
The Bible has four different understandings of Love but in translation we have but one word for Love.
• Do we Love God the same way we love our Family and Friends?
• Do I Love God the same way I Love Fried Chicken?
• Do we Love God the same way we Love our Spouse?
• Do we Love God the same way we Love our Favorite Sports Team?
• We understand the difference although we use the same Word in each instance
So it is in this text as well. If we don’t comprehend that, than we are confused as to what Paul was saying in the text. Without understanding that it becomes confusing and makes the passage sound like it’s contradicting itself—
• VS. 13 sounds like it’s contradicting VS. 12. But it’s not
• The Greek word translated “Work” in VS. 12 is one that means “CONTINUE A TASK; CARRY IT OUT TO COMPLETION”
• The Greek word translated “Work” in VS. 13 is one that means “PROVIDES THE ABILITY AND MEANS, THE ENERGY”
So let’s read the passage with the Greek in mind --
--“CARRY OUT, CONTINUE YOUR TASK OF SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING, FOR GOD IS PROVIDING ALL THE ABILITY, MEANS AND ENERGY….”
The passage’s meaning is clearer. When it comes to maintaining a healthy relationship with God - We Do Something and God Does Something. I want to suggest these two verses together express the Christian life - our Relationship with God, as unconditional good news.
• We are not puppets, being micromanaged by God
• We are responsible people in a personal relationship with a personal God
• But, on the other hand, we are weak and God gives us everything we need to maintain a strong, healthy relationship with Him
Therefore, Grace is free! We have a difficult time with this simplistic concept because we live in a society where we are suspicious of free something is usually added just like Energy Boosters we take every now and then.
• B-12 Supplements
• Centrum Tablets
• Gatorade
• 5-Hour Energy Shots
• Green Tea Extracts
• Red Bull Energy Drinks
If we don’t fully understand what Paul is saying in this text we will begin to look for - “Grace Boosters.”
• Nothing we can do can increase God’s Grace toward us, for us, on our behalf
• Everything we need to be and remain in God’s favor is provided by God himself
• And it doesn’t cost us anything
• Can’t Work for it
• Can’t Tithe for it
• Can’t Speak in Tongues for it
• God has already provided His Grace freely
The problem is in our human weakness we often want to think there is something we must do to buy or boost God’s Grace. Either from fear or pride, we create Grace Boosters—acts that we think will merit God’s favor and shore up our relationship with Him. As Baptists we are good at this and need to begin to rethink what and why we do things. Grace Boosters –
• Annual Revivals
• Annual Pastor Anniversaries
• Annual Church Anniversaries
• Annual District Conference
• Annual State Convention
• Annual National Convention
• Annual District Congress
• Annual State Congress
• Annual National Congress
• Grace Boosters
We challenge one another when we miss one of these events.
• I didn’t see you there Pastor
• I didn’t see you there Brother or Sister President
• Why didn’t you go to this or that event?
• But, Do you see me living right?
• But, Are you encouraging me when you see my head bowed?
• Do you see my relationship with the Lord growing year after year?
There are no grace booster, but there are “grace blockers.” This is the answer to what does Paul mean in VS. 12—to “WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION?”
• It doesn’t mean “build more pillars” that don’t even reach the ceiling
• It doesn’t mean “do more good works so that Grace will be increased”
--Like the water in the hose, the Grace of God is not lacking
--Grace does not need to be boosted
--It’s already “turned on” by God’s Love and Mercy and our Repentance and Faith
--But often it can’t flow in our life because we have put Grace Blockers in its way or allowed them to happen in our lives
--What are “Grace Blockers?”
• Wrong Attitudes
• Wrong Dispositions
• Bad Habits
• Neglect of spiritual disciplines
--When Paul says “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” he is saying “identify those Grace Blockers that are stopping the flow of God’s Grace in your life and remove them with the Holy Spirit’s help”
--He does not mean “work harder at pleasing God with good works so that God’s Grace in your life will increase”
--Just Keep working at your relationship with the Lord
--I can’t do that for you
--Mission Leaders can’t do that for you
--You must work it out for yourself
--Sometimes I wish I could just Wave the Bible over your Head to help you walk in God’s Grace
--Sometimes I wish I could Dab you with Oil to help you walk in God’s Grace
--Paul said you have to Work this out on your own
--That is – THE PARADOX OF GRACE
--Work it out for yourself and Walk in God’s Grace
