Nov 8, 2020. Philippians 2:12-13

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THE PATH OF THE SAVED.  Philippians 2:12-13. 11/08/20. #8.

Philippians 2:12-13 [New King James Version]

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; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

• Not works salvation
  • “Working out your salvation” is not “working to be saved”
    • James 2:14-26  Abraham “being justified by works” is not a contradiction to Rm. 4 where Paul states that Abraham was justified by faith
    • Faith without the works demonstrating faith is both useless to others and questionable in fact
  • Believers who act like the unsaved give reason to question whether their faith is real
    • Saul, Samson, Solomon, Jacob, and even David committed acts that were counter to faith
    • II Corinthians 13:5 Paul eventually questioned the genuineness of the Cor. faith (I Corinthians 3)
  • Even though salvation is not be works, salvation does work
  • Several parables demonstrate confusion in being able to discern by actions if someone is saved or not
    • Parable of the wheat and tares
    • Parable of the 10 virgins
    • Parable of the 4 types of soils
    • Parable of the vine
• Salvation within should be seen worked out
  • There should be little doubt that we are saved by our speech, attitude, and actions
    • Joseph, Daniel, Noah, Abraham, Paul, John…
    • When speech and acts align it is genuine
  • Paul is stating that salvation should blossom forth into full-fledged discipleship (Colossians 1:28)
  • There is a maturing process for faithful believers
    • What the Lord pours into a believer should come out of a believer in the form of righteous works
    • The exercise of growing in the Word, worshiping God, seeking his will, testifying of Christ, and obedience demonstrates faith within
  • There is no way to tell whether a carnal believer is saved or not (Demus, Diotrephes, Judah, Simon Magnus…)
  • Working out of our salvation covers several aspects
    • II Peter 1:10 faithful living erases doubts (make certain that your election is sure)
    • Be faithful always, even when no one is watching
      • Paul commended the Php. for obedience whether he was present or not
      • Faithfulness is tested in your private life
      • Jesus chastised Pharisees for hypocrisy
      • II Corinthians 11 Paul dealt with many false saints
    • Fear and trembling = without a dreadful reverence for the Lord, there will be no faithfulness (Hebrews 10:31)
    • Seeking the will of the Lord to do his good pleasure
      • The enemy of faith is prideful willfulness
      • The phony believer is an abhorrence to the Lord (Matthew 15:8,9; Revelation 3:14-22)
• What you truly believe is what you really do
  • If Jesus is the most important aspect of your life, your speech, attitude, and deeds will show it
  • There are several stumbling blocks to effective faithfulness
    • James 1:8 doublemindedness (world + Christ = 0)
    • Matthew 23:12 pride (seeking own will)
    • I Corinthians 3 carnality (seeking pleasure)
    • Proverbs 26:14-16 laziness (lack of motivation and fortitude)
    • Matthew 25:41-46 apathy (lack of caring and desire)
  • Few believers consistently care forth their faith, are diligent in study of Word of God, and are passionate about serving Lord
  • Working out our salvation is our primary calling

Key verse James 2:14-26

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.