Albert N. Martin
…if I had to say what watershed text has been more helpful than any other in establishing a theology of the Christian life, I would have to say, probably, Philippians 2:12 and 13.
In these verses the apostle Paul captures in a most beautiful and balanced way the constant interaction between God’s working and my working. When writing to the Philippians, he says in chapter 2, verse 12,
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed,
so now, not only as in my presence
but much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling….1
He then goes on to give them the rationale behind this directive. He introduces that rationale with the word for. In other words, he is about to give them the incentive behind their compliance with his command that they work out their own salvation with fear and trembling:
…for it is God who works in you,
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.2
To paraphrase the words of the apostle, he is saying in essence to the Philippians,
Engage your whole being,
in the most concentrated, sober, and serious way,
to this business of working out your salvation
in an ongoing life of obedience to the revealed will of God.
At the same time, while you are fully engaging all of your faculties
in seeking to do your God-revealed duty,
you are to do this fully confident that it is God Himself Who is at work in you,
both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
According to this text, God’s working and my working are confluent realities—there is a constant interaction between them. He does not work without us or against us, but with us and in us, so that His working comes to light in the manifestations of His blessing upon my working; and my working is blessed as He works in me to will and work for His good pleasure.
You say,
That all sounds like verbal gobbledygook.
Well, it may sound like it, but that’s Bible; that’s the reality. I am responsible consciously to work out my salvation, in the confidence that my efforts will be fruitful, because God is working in me, giving me the will and the power to do what is pleasing in His sight.
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1 Philippians 2:12, ESV [boldface emphasis added]
2 Philippians 2:13, ESV
©2015 by Albert N. Martin. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.