Working Out Your Own Salvation

[elijah23]

It is true that we all need a Savior, Jesus Christ, since we have all sinned, but we also need to work our own salvation so that we don’t have to be saved over and over again:

[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;
[13] for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Phil 2:12-12 RSV

Working out our own salvation is a matter of repenting of our sin, as Jesus instructed us to do:

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt 4:17 RSV

There are those who will scoff at this. Don’t be one of those:

[1] Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
[2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 RSV

 

[Jethro Bodine]

If your faith does not bring you to repentance, you have a 'faith' that can not justify you.

 

[Danus]

I think Philippians 2:12, deserves the full verse as well as the next 13

<sup class="versenum">12 </sup>Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, <sup class="versenum">13 </sup>for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

To me this is not a pretext to being saved, as much as it is about the Cristian life as saved. Notice; my dear friends, as you have always obeyed. As wor "work out your salvation", a good study bible would add in it's concordance that this is a reference to any attempts to earn ones salvation by works, but rather an expression of ones salvation in spiritual growth and development.

 

[Carolyn]

I agree with the verse but not with your addendum that we may have to be saved over and over again. No one can snatch us out of His hands. God does keep us, but that doesn't prevent anyone from totally renouncing Christ and walking away. I believe it is possibe for a person to so harden his heart in unrepentance, as did Pharaoh, that he becomes a reprobate. Pharaoh hardened his own heart 4 times till God also hardened his heart. At that point he becomes indifferant.

Hebrews 6: 4-6 For it is impossible for those who were one enlightened--and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit--v.6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance --. But I can trust God to keep me from falling (headlong, as to destruction in Greek) and to present me faultless. Jude 24. He does this by chastening me to keep me humble, repentant and yielded to Him Heb. 12:5-6. For God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. James 4:6

I realize that this is very controversial. My position is quite close to that of consevative Lutherans. God clearly wishes to reassure those who are in fear and trembling but warn the proud and ungodly of their peril.

I use NKJV and the Complete Word Study Dictionary by Zodhiates