God, Work, and Salvation: Part 2

Scripture — Philippians 2:12-13 (NRSV)

. . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Devotion

In yesterday’s Life for Leaders devotion, I began exploring the relationship of God, work, and salvation in Philippians 2:12-13. In this passage, Paul urges the readers of his letter to “work out” their salvation. He does not tell them to work for their salvation since salvation is a gift of God’s grace in Christ. But when we receive that gift, we are to allow it to change how we live. Salvation by grace leads to a new life of good works that please God.

That’s not all Paul has to say about God and work, however. In verse 13 he adds, “for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” What an amazing bit of good news! Yes, we are to work out our salvation. But we don’t do this by ourselves. Rather, God is at work in us enabling us to do the work that follows from our salvation.

Sometimes we forget this. We live as if God has sent us out alone to do the work that God desires. It’s up to us to find the strength, endurance, wisdom, and will to live a good Christian life. That’s our duty as God’s holy people. The problem is that when we try to live in this way we will inevitably fail. Left to our own devices, we don’t have what we need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The good news is that we don’t have to! God not only saves us, but also continues to work in us, enabling us to live faithfully and fruitfully in a way that honors God.

In this passage from Philippians, Paul does not explain how God works in us. In other sections of his letters he shows that God is present in us through the Holy Spirit (for example, Rom 8:9). The Spirit of God “gives life” to our bodies (Rom 8:11), fills us (Eph 5:18), leads us (Rom 8:14), prays in us (Rom 8:26), empowers us (1 Cor 12-14), unites us with other Christians (1 Cor 12), and helps us to become more and more like Jesus (Gal 5:22-23).

The final phrase of Philippians 2:13 says that God is enabling us “both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” “Good pleasure” is one possible translation of the Greek word eudokia. But some contemporary translations prefer another option. The CEB reads, “God is the one who enables you both to want and to actually live out his good purposes.” The NIV translates similarly, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” It seems to me that Philippians 2:13 suggests both possible meanings. As God works in us, we will be enabled to live according to God’s purpose for all things, including us. And when we live into God’s purpose for us, God is pleased.

No matter how you translate the last words of verse 13, the main point is clear. As we seek to work out our salvation, God is helping us, not just instructing us from a distance, but dwelling within us, helping us from the inside out, as it were. This amazing truth gives us confidence and hope. It also helps us to be resilient when we face opposition and discouragement. When living in a distinctively Christian way is hard, we are glad to remember that God is with us always to help us.

Thus, with the psalmist we can joyfully say, “By my God I can leap over a wall” (Ps 18:29). Or with the Apostle Paul, we can confidently confess, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the High Calling archive, hosted by the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Is God a Dragon?