If your physical appearance was based upon your spiritual condition, what would your body look like? Exercise is a topic of conversation many of us would just as soon avoid. I would like to find someone who could exercise for and transfer the benefits to my body. But we know no one can exercise for us. To get the benefit of exercise we must do it ourselves. The Chirstian life is alot like exercise. No one can live the Christian life for you; you must choose to live it yourself.
In our text this evening we heard the Apostle Paul tell the Philippians to "...work out your salvation with fear and trembling". How un-Pauline sounding! After all, this is the same Apostle Paul who wrote, "He saved us not by works of righteousness..." (Titus 3:5); "For by grace you have been ...not as result of works..." (Eph. 2:8-9). "I do not nullify..."(Gal. 2:21) What then does Paul mean by "work out your salvation?" It is not Paul’s intention to suggest that we work for our slavation. The original language implies -->"to do that from which something results" or "bring to completion." PAUL EXHORTED THE PHILIPPIANS TO BRING THEIR SALVATION TO COMPLETION.
Paul is not talking about working for our salvation, he talking about keeping your present salvation in shape. OUR SALVATION EXPERIENCE MUST BE KEPT IN GOOD SHAPE. How? It involves a 3-fold process.
KEEPING OUR SALVATION IN SHAPE...
I.)...BEGINS WITH PROPER MOTIVATION.
He mentions 2 motivations:
a.) The Person & Work of Jesus Christ(vs. 12-13)
"So then" => So what? Look back. Paul has been
talking about Christ & describing:
1.) His Deity(vs. 6)
2.) His Humanity(vs. 7)
3.) His Obedience & Sacrifice(vs. 8)
b.) The Work of God in You.(vs. 13) "For" it is God
who is at work{energon} in you" -> God "energizes"
you.
What the passage DOES NOT say:
1.) God has done His bit, now you do yours.
2.) PASSIVELY do nothing... "we are Christ’s
workmanship"(Eph. 2:10)
II.)...REQUIRES CONTINUOUS EXERCISE.(vs. 12-16)
Salvation is not static---IT IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS!
Paul uses...
...PAST TENSE([vs. 12]"just as you have
always obeyed")
...PRESENT TENSE([vs. 13]"God is at work
in you")
...FUTURE TENSE([vs. 15]"That you may prove
yourselves...")
III.)...AUTHENTICATES YOUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
(vss. 14-16)
"Do all things w/o grumbling or disputing"(vs.14) Why?
"that you may prove yourselves to be...children of God."
Those who keep in shape:
a.)Rarely Complain
b.)Have Integrity ->Look at the adjectives
in verse 16.
c.)Are Witnesses to others ->Jesus said: "I am the
light of the world."(John 8:12) "You are the light
of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden."
(Matt. 5:14)
Goldsmith - "You can preach a better sermon
with your life than you can with your lips"
Reproduction Paragraph - Is your salvation in shape? If not, why not? Did you begin with the right motivation? Have you continually exercised your faith and allowed God to work through you in such a way that you and others can tell you are truly Christian? Our salvation experience must be kept in good shape.
Application Paragraph - In evangelical circles, I’,m afraid that we’ve concentrated so much on winning the lost and stressed that initial salvation experience so fervently that we’ve given people the idea that they can file their salvation experience away. And they live like they please without any commitment to growth in the Lord. Our faith should produce in us good works as a result of our salvation.
Invitation Paragraph - Is your salvation experience anything more that a prayer you said 5, 10, 25 years ago? If not, what are you going to do about it? God’s word tells us to "work out your slavation with fear and trembling".
