Working out our own salvation and God who is at work - Worthy Christian Forums

I wanted to post this topic after contemplating a thread that Fraught started here in Doctrinal Questions titled “How does faith work, Galatians 5:6”, and considering faith expressing itself through love. Also, I got to thinking about One Light’s response with one of the sentences he included… Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I wanted to submit the verses:

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. [Philippians 2:12-13]

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that it is God who is at work in us – not only giving us the DESIRE or WILL to perform but also the actual DOING or BRINGING ABOUT that which pleases him! I find the contrast of God working in us both to will and to do for his good pleasure and we working out our own salvation is quite interesting. I feel the idea of our working out our own salvation is definitely in line with the words that One Light posted… be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.

I would really appreciate your take on this concept of what God does and what we do in fulfilling his good pleasure. The two go hand in hand I’m sure. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-handshake.gif)

Hi dscampsart,
One of the things that has stuck with me about this verse is the idea that we are not super-christian right off the bat, nor are we ever. We need a lot of work to conform us to Christ. Most carry a lot of baggage that has to be eliminated from our lives. He that began a good work in us will complete it. This is one of the most reassuring verses in the bible. But the changes don't take place over night. For most of us it takes a lifetime. One thing that I think is lost in the 21st century man is the fear and trembling before the awesome God that we serve. It is God that is working in us to conform us to Christ, and more often than not He has to chastise us. I am sorry to say that many Christians have no concept of the chastising God of the Bible. But without chastisement where would the love be.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

LT

Yeah... to think that if we do not experience chastisement, it might be a good indicator that we are illegitimate and not really God's sons, is pretty spooky. A few years ago, eternal security became the paramount concept or issue foremost in my thoughts. I was hoping, once and for all, to settle whether or not I really was a child of God. I wanted to quit wavering, in my mind, with the question am I his? Is he my father? If I really belong to him, could that relationship be dissolved easily? I remember really struggling with wondering if God really loved me or not. When I first received Christ, I remember being overwhelmed with the sense of his love in every fiber of my being but as time went on, it seemed I didn't sense his nearness and love for me anymore, that is, in the area of my feelings.

My pastor told me, after he spent time praying for me, that he was made very aware of what my problem may have been. He said the Lord told him to tell me that I had lost my FEAR of HIM. I told him how that couldn't be because I was continually afraid of God. He clarified with me how he wasn't talking about a sense of terror or dread toward God when he said I lost my fear of Him. What he said I lost was the sense of AWE in "knowing" that the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE would choose to accept me as a son! When I first came to Christ, I had a more childlike faith that simply accepted God's love for me without preconceived notions but as time went on and circumstances in life buffeted me, I started wondering about how secure I am in God's family. One of my son's caused me considerable heartache while he was growing up. Although I was very grieved by the choices he made, I never once came to the point where I said enough was enough and he was no longer considered my child anymore. I absolutely abhorred some of the things he was doing but I never hated him or disowned him. He would always remain mine. Now... if I, being evil...

Surely... how much greater resolve God must have in remaining my Father and seeing to it that our relationship never ends!

I used to base my relationship with God on how well I behaved myself and obeyed his word. My faith no longer expressed itself through love for him or anyone else for that matter because my every-day experience with him seemed to be one of "a certain FEARFUL looking for of judgemet." I see now, that I was struggling in this area because of my lack of knowledge of God's word. No wonder we're told to desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby. Awile back, I considered how I needed to grow in faith concerning my relationship to God. How does faith come? By hearing and hearing by the word of God. The more word I've taken into my inner man, the more developed my faith has become accepting the fact that I am truly one of his and I am convinced he is able to keep that with which I've entrusted to him!

Fear definitely has torment and if I still fear, I am not perfected, or matured, in and through LOVE - God's love! How is faith "expressed" through love? By my behavior and willingness to obey him still... yes... but my motivation is now different. I want to obey him more and more because I love him - especially when, through faith, I've come to accept his love for me! I am so excited when I read about how it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me or the life I now live is based on the faith OF the Son of God. How thrilling it is to think that the God of the universe is at work in me both to will and to do for his good pleasure!

How do I work out my salvation? I believe it means I'm to be in cooperation with the Father of Spirits... my Father... through faith working through love and just simply... let it ALL happen... and... LIVE!

I have just a few minutes and have not given this a lot of thought, but right off the top of my head, I can bring a few verses to this thread ...

What we do:

Romans 12
Living Sacrifices to God
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.


Luke 9:23-24 (New King James Version)
Take Up the Cross and Follow Him
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.


Ephesians 4:17-22 (New King James Version)
The New Man
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,


What God Does:

Ephesians 4:13-24 (New King James Version)
( continuation of above ,"The New Man")
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Galatians 2:20 (New King James Version)
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me

1 Corinthians 2:16
For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ


There are a lot more if anyone wants to add to this ...

Ah yes... the "BALANCE ZONE" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-handshake.gif)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:1-3

Hi dc,

All things work together for our good. It is amazing how God works in each one of His children to conform them to Jesus Christ.

Blessings,
LT

These thoughts are written in my Bible as the lights went up in the house over time..

It's about moment by moment, (intentional choices which should equal total surrender but often do not *sigh*)

1 Jn.2.6

also

Jn.4.34

Daily walk of obedience.

Disciplining myself in the things of God.

Work out aligning my walk with my belief system.

Which equals bringing myself into subjecton to His Word.

Final analysis is always the same..


~TOTAL UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER TO CHRIST~


am I there yet.. nooo

(but I liked what onelight posted )

This is something God is revealing to me as well; God working in us to do his will. This is something I want God to help me understand more. I feel like I am struggling to keep up and I am wondering why I am I having such a hard time when God Almighty is living on the inside me.

Maybe God is bringing you to a place of understanding more. Your key words... "I am struggling to keep up" reminds me of areas of my life that I simply could not change. I knew these areas were wrong but like Paul in Romans 7, I could not find out "how" to perform that which I should. The desire to change became stronger and stronger until I finally started asking God to give me the WILL to change. It didn't happen over night but change did seem to come about much quicker after I decided to earnestly ask him for the WILL or WANT to change. I can't claim a single thing in the victory. My desires and will became miraculously different until the situations simply changed. I found I no longer had a desire for the wrong that I was doing and I experienced a definite WILL to obey! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/emot-handshake.gif)