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God at Work in You: A Reflection on Philippians 2:12-13
Philippians 2:12-13 offers a profound insight into the dynamic relationship between human responsibility and our Creator:
"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; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
Many, many over the years have quoted Phil 2:12 as proof that we must save ourselves, in a sense. “Work out your own salvation” can sound like making sure you save yourself. But isn’t that being saved by our own works? Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly says is not the case. Ephesians 2 says we’re saved by grace through faith, and NOT by our own works, lest we start to boast. Or often on the other hand, people feel defeated as they are all too aware of their own failures and how often we fall short of God’s perfection.
If we could save ourselves, then we are our own savior. Being saved is God’s work and is God’s GIFT. We can’t earn a gift, or it’s no longer truly a gift. Ephesians 2:8 makes that clear: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God,”
Many miss how once called to salvation, totally a gift of God, our relationship with God after that should be a collaborative relationship. That’s what He wants as long as remember there is only one Savior – and it’s not you or me. Jesus is our Savior entirely.
Verse 12 challenges believers to take their salvation seriously, approaching it with reverence and intentionality. Then verse 13 shifts the focus to the heart of the matter—God's active role in our lives.
God’s Power in Action
Verse 13 reminds us that salvation isn’t by human effort; it’s about His divine grace working within us. But remember eternal life and salvation are God’s GIFTS to us. Let’s review this again, but read also verse 10 this time:
Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Philippians 2:12 fits more with Ephesians 2:10, that after we receive the gift of God – his salvation for us – He wants to see our lives demonstrating that new life, that new gift by doing good for others. Salvation is a gift. We can’t earn gifts, or it’s no longer a gift but a payment. But we can show we appreciate the gift by living in a changed way and having good works.
Our good works don’t save us, but prove we are saved. And our future rewards will be largely based on our works. But remember, salvation is not a reward, but a gift.
Let’s read Philippians 2:12-13 again: "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; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
God doesn’t just leave us to figure it out on our own. Instead, He works in us, transforming our desires (“to will”) and empowering our actions (“to do”). This work is not random but is perfectly aligned with His good pleasure—His divine plan and purpose for our lives.
The Will to Obey (“both to will…”)
Have you ever felt a sudden desire to pray, forgive, or take a step of faith? That’s God at work in you, reshaping your will to align with His. Left to ourselves, our natural inclinations often drift away from God’s ways. But His Spirit gently nudges and redirects our hearts, instilling a desire to follow Him.
The Power to Act (“and to do for his good pleasure”)
God doesn’t just stop at changing our desires; He gives us the strength to act on them through His Holy Spirit working in us. Whether it’s stepping out in faith, serving others, or resisting temptation, His power is at work, enabling us to live out the purpose He’s called us to fulfill. As Paul says later in this same epistle, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13).
Living Out the Partnership
Philippians 2:13 offers hope and reassurance. It reminds us that our spiritual journey is not a solitary endeavor. God’s active presence in our lives ensures that we are never alone in our struggles, uncertainties, or growth.
As we strive to "work out our own salvation," let’s do so with the confidence that God is continually working in us—shaping our hearts, guiding our steps, and empowering us to live for His glory. And it’s all to God’s glory, not ours.
Let these verses encourage you today: you are not just working for God; you are working with God, and HE is working with you.
Comments 3
That is a good Post Randy. Very informational;There are people who don't understand that, and thanks for elaborating about it. Have a peaceful Sabbath today.
A Short summary about I Am, I Am......
Think about Christ. Why is that they can say certain things about Christ but really not understand the Truth? What is it that was missed in Christ’s message by so many people? As I’ve mentioned many times before, the book of John is a very unusual book. Though it is very easy to read, there are many, many things in the book of John that are very, very important for us to understand. So, we’ll fall back a little bit on our Greek, and I want to show you two words in the Greek that mean the same thing:
ego—you’ve heard the word ego used in psychological terms; that means I am
eimi—means I am
In the Greek you want it to be very emphatic! You use the term ‘ego-eimi’ or ‘eimi-ego’ because you can switch the words around in the Greek. We’ll see what sort of meaning this has, especially in the book of John. It is used occasionally by others when they want to state something very emphatic, and it’s stating what you are as a being: I am…. (whatever).
let’s go to Exo. 3:14, because this has an awful lot to do with Who Christ is. One of the first difficulties that most pseudo-Christian religions have concerning Jesus Christ is that most of them—some of them do—do not believe that Jesus Christ was the Lord God of the Old Testament.
You know the account where God called Moses; told him He was going to send him to Egypt.
Exodus 3:13: “And Moses said to God, ‘Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they shall say to me, “What is His name?” What shall I say to them?’ And God said unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT I AM.’….” (vs 13-14). That is perhaps the most literal comparison in the Hebrew and the Greek: ‘ego-eimi’—I AM, I AM. Here He says: “…I AM THAT I AM….”
“…And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’ And God said to Moses again, ‘You shall say this to the children of Israel, “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My title from generation to generation.”’” (vs 14-15).
This becomes very important when we see what Jesus said and how He said it. It also becomes very important in our relationship with God and with Christ, and our relationship in prayer and in study. Our daily, personal relationship with God is most important, and that is accomplished:
through prayer
through study
through living the words of God
That is how our relationship is established and maintained.
The reason I want to go to John 18:5 is to show you that in this particular instance we have where the word ‘eimi’ is used separate from ‘ego’—and it’s translated in the King James ‘I AM’ from the ‘eimi.’
John 18:5 “They answered Him, ‘Jesus the Nazarean.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I AM’….” Notice in the Greek: ‘ego-eimi.’ ‘Ego’ means I AM; ‘eimi’ means I AM. Notice the power that this was used. This was when Jesus was arrested. They came out after the prayer (John 17) and in John 18 they came out and said, ‘Where is Jesus?’ He said, ‘Ego-Eimi’—I AM’
“…And Judas, who was betraying Him, was also standing with them. But when He said to them, ‘I AM,’ they went backward and fell to the ground” (vs 5-6).
This tells us a little bit about the power of the emphasis of what that word carries, that those people who came out to arrest Jesus were literally knocked off their feet! That’s pretty powerful! You heard someone say ‘I AM’ and you go loopty-loop and fall on the ground. If I were one of the soldiers there I’d begin thinking: Do I want to arrest this guy or not?
Verse 7: “Then He asked them again, ‘Who are you seeking?’ And they said, ‘Jesus the Nazarean.’ Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I AM….” (vs 7-8).
Here we see the power and the emphasis in it. Where the ‘I AM’ has that tremendous force. We’ll see a little later where the word ‘eimi’ is used in conjunction with or in parallel with ‘ego-eimi.’
Thank you Randy for the insights you have shared with us. this teaching illuminate the profound relationship between divine influence and personal responsibility, encouraging us to actively engage in our spiritual ..