One of the oddest statements Paul makes, as far as I see, is the command to “thoroughly work your own salvation.” The next part eases my confusion somewhat, “for God is the One working in you…” so that the responsibility to be saved is not entirely on me. I see myself as powerless to do anything but submit, and I’m not very good at that.
In Philippians 2:12-13, both phrases are found. Chambers works off of the translation difference of “work out” (as in “work out your own salvation…”) and “works in” (as in “it is God who worketh in you…”). But the words do not really support his point. The translation of “work out” is just one way to translate a word meaning “work thoroughly through and through with diligence and effort”. The other word is the generic word for “work”, and appears in a phrase with the preposition, “in”.
My point is that the first word does not require outer working, while the other inner. The preposition does indicate that the work of God happens within, but there is no such direction in the first. It could happen both inwardly and outwardly. Chambers’ point is that I am to push to the surface what God has accomplished inside. But both are happening at the same time. So, in a sense, we, my Master and I, are working together.
Any way I look at this, I cannot escape my responsibility for working thoroughly at my salvation. Paul says I am to do it with fear and trembling, which should not be a problem since I am overwhelmed by such a command. But it is the next phrase that comforts me. The verb is a present active participle of the word “work” which means that my Master’s effort is ongoing. He is the One working in me, specifically over the “will” and “work” parts of the “good pleasure”. I take that to mean that the work I do is actually a product of His work, and at the point of my will matching His, He takes care of that too. With that sort of help within, how hard can it be to work thoroughly at my salvation?
One interesting thing, which may derive more meaning from the context of Philippians 2, is the intentional use of the reflexive pronoun. I am to “work out my own salvation…” as if opposed to someone else’s salvation. There was a disagreement in the Philippian church and Paul was trying to convince the two sides to reconcile. Perhaps this is part of that effort. That is certainly a good piece of advice.
There is a woman I work with who has an ichthus (Greek for fish) tattooed on her ankle. She does not profess to be a believer, at least not an active one. So, what was going on when she got the tattoo? The temptation is to work out her salvation for her, or try to be the one working in her, or whatever. Any way I look at it, I meddle. But I am curious. There is no harm in asking, but beyond that I am in dangerous waters. I do not want to interfere with work my Master is doing in another. On the other hand I do not want to restrict myself from work He is leading me to do. I will ask, and I will not seek to work out the salvation of another, but my own. I will seek to be obediently available to my Master.
This is one example, but there are others. I am in the “Bible Belt” and run into people all the time who claim the name of my Master, but do not live a life that demonstrates that name. I work with another lady who seems to really struggle with the cross purposes of the world she lives in (friends) and the Master she claims. There is the guy next to me at work who really seems to be much wiser in following my Master than I am, but who, like me, struggles with stuff at various times. Does anyone really work at their own salvation perfectly or completely? I think that, in my case, I will be thoroughly working my own salvation for the rest of my life. And I don’t foresee a time when fear and trembling will not be a part of it.
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