There was a time in my life when I enjoyed getting up at four o'clock in the morning
and driving from Pendleton to near Abbeville, Parsons Mountain,
sitting out in the cold, black, dark, waiting on a buck to come out at daylight.
I don't enjoy that anymore.
I don't like to be cold like that anymore.
But I do miss some things about it.
Some of you know this, even if you're not a hunter living out in the country
or just living away from a place where there's just no light around.
On those cold, clear mornings in the woods before the first light of dawn,
the stars just fill the sky with bright, flickering lights
that really just illuminate against that black pitch, black, dark sky.
You know, that is an awesome display, isn't it, of God's glory, His splendor.
Or are you aware that God wants us to live such Christ-like lives
in this world of spiritual and moral darkness
that we, you and me, that we stand out like stars
in a pitch black, dark sky?
And we are awesome displays of God's grace and God's glory.
I want you to turn with me to Philippians chapter 2
and see how God calls every one of us
to so live our lives as followers of Jesus in this world
that we do stand out as light
in the midst of this world's darkness.
Philippians chapter 2, and today we'll begin in verse 12.
Paul says,
Therefore, my beloved.
Some translations say, therefore, my dear friends.
This is just a reminder now
as we've gone through this study in the book of Philippians.
Paul has a special relationship with these people.
These are overall faithful Christians.
They've really supported him in a lot of ways.
They've prayed for him.
They sent money to meet his needs.
They have been encouragers to him
and he counts them as dear friends.
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,
for it is God who works in you
both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, arguing,
that you may be blameless and innocent children of God
without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
among whom you shine as lights in the world,
holding fast to the word of life,
so that in the day of Christ,
I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain,
even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice,
sacrificial offering of your faith,
I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
I want us to note before we get into the body of the message,
the word therefore in verse 12.
Paul intends as he starts this section
for us to recall what he's just said,
which is what we looked at last week.
In verses five through eight,
we saw last week how Jesus is the model
of how to humble ourself.
He humbled himself by leaving the glory of heaven,
coming into this world as a man, as a slave,
and ultimately to die on the cross,
to pay the penalty for our sins.
We also saw in last week in verses nine through 11,
how God lifted Jesus from the grave
and exalted him, elevated him
to the highest place of honor in the universe
at his right hand.
And there in that exalted place,
Jesus is given the name Lord.
And every knee in the universe
will one day bow before him.
Every tongue one day will confess,
whether they want to or not,
that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Now what we find in verses 12 through 18
is a description of how we,
as Christians,
who willingly bow before Jesus,
who wholeheartedly honor him as Lord,
what we're gonna find in these verses
is how we are to live now
under the Lordship of Jesus.
So I want us to go through this passage
with the understanding,
what we're gonna be reading now
is how we will live
if Jesus is the Lord of our life.
Let's look first.
If Jesus is our Lord,
it will be evident by the way
that we relate to God.
It'll be seen in our relationship with the Lord.
First of all,
we'll demonstrate our ongoing faith in God.
We'll demonstrate that our faith is real,
it's living,
it's active,
it is continuing
from the time we were converted
to this very moment.
Look at the first phrase.
Paul says,
work out your salvation
with fear and trembling.
We need to be as clear
about what this does not mean
as what it does mean.
Let me just say point blank.
Paul is not saying
that we work for our salvation
or anything like that.
James Boyce,
in his commentary,
he makes this very clear.
I want you to look at it.
He says,
this verse does not say
work for your salvation
or work toward your salvation
or work at your salvation.
It says,
work out your salvation.
And no one can work his salvation out
unless God has already worked it in.
Paul is telling us,
we who are writing to Christians,
believers in Jesus,
people that God has already
brought about a new birth,
he is saying,
you live like the Christian you are.
You show the world
what it means to be
a follower of Jesus.
This is one way of him
just saying,
seek to grow and mature
as the child of God
that you really are
by God's grace.
Now,
I think it's important
that we note here
how the word salvation
is used
throughout the New Testament.
A lot of times,
people have the idea
that the word salvation
or saved
is just talking about
our initial conversion.
We repent of our sin
and put our trust in Jesus.
We are saved.
We think about that.
That's what salvation is.
Well,
that's only a part
of how the word salvation
is used
in the New Testament.
More often than not,
in fact,
the New Testament
uses the word salvation
to describe a process
that takes place
throughout our Christian lives.
Let's look at it
under three categories.
First,
salvation actually begins
when we trust Christ.
The biblical word,
the theological word,
is the word justification.
When a person
puts their faith
and trust in Jesus,
God looks at them
at that moment
and declares them
to be righteous,
justified,
if you want to use
that word.
No matter who a person is,
what they've done,
how awful they have been,
when they repent
of their sin
and trust Jesus,
they become one
with Jesus by faith.
And when God
looks at that person,
they've not done
one thing
to please God
their whole life.
God looks at that person
and declares
they are right
because united to Jesus,
the penalty for their sin
has been paid.
United to Jesus,
they have His righteousness,
His obedience
credited to their account.
So, salvation begins
when we trust Christ
and we might call it,
we might describe it
like this,
I have been saved.
If you're a Christian,
you might even say
I was saved
at a certain point
in my life.
That's good.
But that's not the only way
salvation is used.
Salvation continues.
Our salvation,
your salvation,
continues as we follow Christ.
The theological word
is sanctification.
To be set apart.
You are a saint
if you're a Christian
by virtue of
God declaring you
to be a saint.
But from the moment
He declares us
to be righteous,
a saint,
He begins to work in us
through His Spirit.
When God saves us,
He puts His Holy Spirit
in us
and from that point on
He works in us
to actually make us
like Jesus.
Now it's a
lifelong process.
In this room,
we are spread out
along the continuum
of growing in Christ's likeness.
Some people are just,
you know,
haven't grown a whole lot.
Some have shown
great strides
in Christian maturity
by God's grace.
We're all somewhere
on that line.
When God saved us,
put His Spirit in us,
He began the process
of making us
more like Jesus.
We could say like this,
I am being saved
right now
as God works in us,
developing us,
our character
to make us
more like Jesus.
Third way salvation
is used,
salvation concludes
when we go
to be with Jesus.
One day,
we're all going to die.
If we're Christians,
we're going to go
to be with the Lord
or He could return
before we die.
That's when we will
be glorified.
That's the word,
the big word,
glorification.
That's when we will
actually be made
like Jesus
without blemish.
We've already talked
about in a previous study.
That's when we'll overcome
or our sinful nature
will be totally eradicated.
We may describe that
as I will be saved.
Salvation will be complete.
Paul is using
the word salvation
here in verse 12
to describe how
we continue
to follow Jesus
after our conversion.
He's talking about
our sanctification.
When he says,
work out your salvation,
he could say,
work out your sanctification.
He's describing
our growing relationship
as children of God
developing the character
of Jesus.
Jesus.
Now,
what does that mean?
What does that look like
if we grow?
Well,
in verses 14 through 16,
Paul is explaining
what it means,
what it'll look like
as we
grow like this,
as we work out
our salvation.
Look at this.
He says,
after he said,
work out your salvation
with fear and trembling
for God works in you
to will and work
for his new pleasure.
Do all things
without grumbling
or disputing,
that you may be
blameless and innocent,
children of God
without blemish
in the midst
of a crooked
and twisted generation,
among whom you shine
as lights in the world,
holding fast
to the word of life.
That's describing
how we're to live,
how we're to grow,
how we're to mature,
how we're to change.
Now,
let's just stop here
for a moment.
Look at yourself.
Can you see signs
that you are growing
like these signs?
Can you see signs
that you are growing
in living
a Christ-like life?
Can you see signs
of spiritual growth?
Think about it this way.
Are you,
more often than not,
somebody who just grumbles,
complains,
whines,
likes to argue
about everything under the sun?
Are you just basically
a negative person?
Do you easily
take offense
at something somebody says
or the way they look at you
or slight you?
Do you like to talk about
how life's not fair?
You get the short end
of the stick all the time.
Deep down,
you're halfway mad at God
a lot of times
because life doesn't work
the way you think
it ought to work,
at least for you.
more,
now let's just be honest.
Everybody gripes
and complains at times.
Everybody has a pity party
at times.
Everybody thinks
life's not fair
to me at times.
Let's just be open
and honest about that.
But is that
just the way you are?
Is that your nature?
Is that your character?
Or,
are you more often
than not
seeking to obey God?
I mean,
you really want to.
You put forth the effort
to do what you know
God wants you to do.
Do you more often
than not
see the needs
of other people,
think about other people,
or instead of just
always thinking
about yourself?
Do you more often
than not
not take offense?
Not wear your
feelings on your sleeve?
Do you more often
than not
count your blessings,
be thankful
for what God
has and is doing,
what He's promised
to do,
rather than
be disappointed?
Are you quick
to forgive?
forgive?
Well,
cooperating with God
as He works
in us
to make us
more like Jesus,
if we do that,
we won't be doing
all this
grumbling
and disputing,
but we'll be
developing this
more blameless
Christ-like character.
That's just
a fact.
So look at yourself,
evaluate yourself
and where you are
in your relationship
with God.
Now,
as we do,
as we cooperate
with God,
as He works
in us,
we need to take
this very seriously.
Look at what else
He says.
Work out your salvation
with fear
and trembling.
God has graciously
saved us,
He's made us
His children,
and God wants us
to know Him
as our loving
Heavenly Father.
He wants us
to have a close
relationship with Him,
be able to come
into His presence
and talk to Him,
fellowship with Him,
praise Him,
thank Him.
He does that.
Jesus even taught us
to pray,
our Father.
So,
I don't want to
minimize in any way
the fact that we
as Christians
have a close
relationship with God
as a Father.
But even as our
Heavenly Father,
God never ceases
to be
the God that He is,
the holy,
the pure,
the awesome,
the glorious,
the sovereign God
who's created
all things
and for whom
everything exists.
we must never lose
a healthy fear
or reverence
for God
no matter
how long we live
as Christians.
We,
you and me,
as children of God,
we should never cease
to be in awe
and wonder
of who God is.
A long time ago,
I watched a movie
that centered around
the personal life
of a fictitious
President of the
United States.
The President's
closest advisor
was his
lifelong friend.
Late one night,
they were
in the White House
shooting pool together,
no one around,
and talking about
a serious issue.
The advisor
kept calling
the President
Mr. President.
Yes,
Mr. President,
this and that.
The President
finally looked at him
and said,
we have known
each other
practically all
of our lives.
You are my
closest friend.
No one is here
but you and me.
Please quit
calling me
Mr. President
and call me
Phil.
And without
hesitating,
the advisor
said,
yes,
Mr. President.
You see,
he knew
there are some
relationships
that we just
must never
lose sight
of
our
superior's
authority
and dignity.
And we always
show respect.
That's the way
it should be
in our relationship
with God.
call him
father.
Think about
how much
he loves us,
loves you.
How he called
you to be
his child.
Enjoy
closeness
with him
but never
cease to
also see
him
as the
holy God
that he is.
And that we
must always
in how we
approach him,
talk to him,
live before him,
treat him
with the utmost
reverence
and respect.
If Jesus
is our
Lord,
it'll be
seen by our
ongoing,
continuing
faith
in God.
Always remember,
saving faith
is continuing
faith
throughout the
Bible.
But also,
if Jesus
is our
Lord,
we'll
demonstrate
our ongoing
obedience
to God.
Look at this
next verse
13.
For it is
God who
works in you
both to
will and
to work
for his
good pleasure.
This
explains
how
we are
to work
out our
own
salvation
because God
is at work
in us.
We work
out our
own
salvation
with fear
and trembling
because God
works in us
giving us
the desire
and ability
to please
him.
I put an
article in
this week's
newsletter by
Paul Tripp.
It explains
this verse,
this whole
concept very
well.
I especially
like the way
he describes
some signs
that God
is working
in us
to will
and work
for his
good pleasure.
Look at
this.
Tripp
says,
so when
you have
a hunger
to know
what is
right in
God's
eyes,
think about
this.
Do you
ever have
that?
So when
you have
a hunger
to know
what is
right in
God's
eyes,
when you
care about
his glory,
when you
willingly
submit to
his will,
when you
forsake
your plan
for his
plan,
and when
you find
joy in
surrendering
to his
lordship,
you know
that you
have been
visited
by rescuing
grace.
Do you
see signs
in your
life
that God
is giving
you
true
desires,
an act
of the
will
kind of
desire,
and the
ability
to please
him?
Think about
it.
Can you
look at
your life,
the way you
think and
the way
you live,
can you
point to
signs?
I see
that God
is working
in me,
giving me
these kind
of desires
to please
him,
enabling me
to act
on those
desires.
Let's think
about how it
actually would
work out.
Do you have
a real desire
to please
God as a
husband to
your wife?
Do you
have a true
heartfelt
desire as
a wife
to be the
kind that
a wife
or your
husband
that God
wants you
to be?
As you
think about
being a
parent at
any age,
do you
have a
desire to
be a
godly
parent,
to have
the influence
on your
child that
God wants
you to
have,
to teach
them and
train them
according to
the way
God has
taught us
in his
word?
Children,
boys and
girls,
many of
you in
here,
you would
say,
I am a
Christian.
Some of
you I've
baptized.
Do you
have a
desire to
honor your
parents,
to obey
them because
you know
that's what
God wants
you to do?
Do you
have a
kind of
desire to
be a
Christian
friend?
you go
to work
tomorrow
or today?
Do you
desire,
have that
God-given
desire to
be an
employee or
employer
that truly
honors God
by the way
you treat
people and
interact with
people?
Now,
let's take it
a step
further.
Do you
act on
those desires?
do you
willingly and
regularly,
nobody does
it perfectly,
nobody does
it all the
time,
but do you
willingly and
purposefully
say no
to getting
your way
in your
relationships
at home?
Do you
willingly put
forth the
effort to
serve your
spouse,
your children,
your parents?
This takes
an act of
God,
your brothers
and sisters.
If we are
Christians,
the Spirit of
God lives
within us.
What Paul is
saying here,
he gives us
the desire,
the will,
the want
to,
to actually
do or
live this
kind of
life.
Now,
I want to
be clear about
what Paul is
saying here in
verse 13.
Be clear.
God is the
one who gives
us both the
desire and
the ability to
live an obedient
Christian life.
So we are
dependent upon
God.
We don't just
muster this
stuff up.
God gives
us the desire
and then the
ability to act
on that desire
to live a
faithful Christian
life.
So we are
dependent upon
God.
But we do
have to,
you and I,
we have to
act on the
desires.
We have to
actually put
forth the
effort to do
what God
calls us to
do.
So we must
discipline
ourselves in
order to obey
God.
The Christian
writer Jerry
Bridges says
that faithful
Christian living
requires that we
practice dependent
discipline.
Now here's a
good example
from the life
of Paul.
It comes from
Colossians chapter
one.
He's talking
about his
ministry, his
preaching.
He says, he,
that is Jesus,
is the one we
proclaim,
admonishing and
teaching everyone
with all wisdom
so that we may
present everyone
fully mature in
Christ.
To this end,
I strenuously
contend with
all the energy
Christ so
powerfully works
in me.
I want you to
see, Paul is
saying that he
disciplined
himself to
work hard at
his ministry.
I strenuously
contend.
If you read
in the book of
Acts and some
of his letters,
Paul worked
hard knowing
he was going
to be arrested,
beaten, put in
prison.
Sometimes he had
to support
himself.
He was a
tent maker.
And so
sometimes he'd
work all day
and preach late
at night or he
would preach
throughout the day
and work late
at night to
support himself.
Paul worked
hard to the
point of exhaustion
at times.
That's what the
word is talking
about.
in order to
be faithful,
in order to
fulfill the
desires that
the Lord gave
him.
But he never
thought it was
all about him.
He knew he was
dependent upon the
Lord to enable
him to do
whatever he did.
That's that last
phrase, with all
the energy Christ
so powerfully
works in me.
I want you to
understand.
If you're a
Christian, it's
by the grace of
God.
God chose to
save you.
You heard the
gospel.
You repented of
your sin.
You trusted
Jesus.
God put his
spirit in you.
And from that
moment on, God's
been working in
you to cause you
to desire and be
able to grow as a
Christian.
We'll put it that
way.
God gives you
those desires.
And as people of
God, it is our
responsibility to
act on those
desires, even if
it means it's hard,
we have to
rearrange some of
our schedule.
We just have to
do it.
I don't know a
better way to say
this.
We have to
learn to suck it
up and do it.
You know, there's
tomorrow.
Everybody in this
room who's going to
go to work,
everybody's not
going to want to
jump up in the
morning and just
go to work.
Sometimes we just
have to make
ourselves go and
do what we need to
do to work, to
support our family.
We have to suck it
up and go.
If you ever play
sports, they're
going to run you
and condition you
and put you through
more than you ever
really wanted to do.
But if you want to
play the sport, you
got to suck it up and
do it.
God saves us by
his grace.
God puts his
spirit in us who
gives us the desire
and will give us the
ability.
But we got to suck it
up and do it.
Serve.
Suffer if necessary.
Be inconvenienced if
necessary.
In our home, at
church, out in this
world.
Because we're
supposed to shine
like light in the
midst of the
darkness.
When it comes to
living a faithful
Christian life, we
are totally dependent
upon God.
The desires and the
ability, it comes
from him.
But even God's
supernatural work
within us does not
make our efforts to
discipline ourselves
unnecessary.
If you're a
Christian, we'll
wind this down and
think about some
serious things here.
If you're a
Christian, you are
about as spiritually
mature as you want
to be.
And so am I.
You say, that's not
true.
Well, it is.
Think about it.
God has saved you by
his grace through
faith in Jesus.
He has forgiven you.
He has made you his
child.
He has put his
spirit within you to
give you the desired
ability to please him.
The way you respond to
what God is doing in
your life shows how
serious you are about
your own personal
spiritual growth.
How can you argue
that?
It's convicting,
isn't it?
It is to me.
If Jesus is our
Lord, it will be
evident in the way
that we relate to
God.
In our ongoing faith
and in the way we
obey him.
But I will look at
one thing.
We're just going to
look at the title
here.
If Jesus is our
Lord, it will be
evident by the way
we relate to people.
There is no
relationship with God
that doesn't
correspond, work out
in relationships to
people.
If Jesus is Lord, it
will be evident by
we relate to people.
First, we will work
on having healthy
relationships with our
brothers and sisters
in Christ.
That's what we were
talking about in
verses 14 and 15,
about not grumbling
and arguing and
fussing and carrying
on.
And then we'll work
on being positive
witnesses to
unbelievers around us.
We shine.
We stand out in the
midst of a very dark,
sinful world.
Now, Paul Tripp
concluded that
article I had in my
newsletter with this
statement.
Every moment of our
obedience is an
evidence of and a
celebration of the
grace that not only
forgives us, but
rescues.
And not only rescues,
but transforms.
Look at that.
Every moment of our
obedience is an
evidence of and a
celebration of the
grace that not only
forgives us, but
rescues, and not only
rescues, but transforms.
Now think, how many
moments during the week
do you actually live in
obedience to God?
How much do you really
live your life, seek to
live your life in
obedience to God?
What does that say about
your desire to please
God?
If we don't really
desire and put forth the
effort to please God,
what does that say about
us?
What does your
obedience say about the
way that you discipline
yourself to act on the
desires that God gives
you to please Him?
Think about that.
Or would you have to
admit that you don't
really have a desire to
please God, bottom line?
Let's be real honest.
Would you say this
morning, I don't really
have a desire to please
God, and that's why I'll
ever put forth any effort
to obey God.
If that is your true,
you know, if that's a true
description of who you are,
you're not a Christian.
Because the Holy Spirit
doesn't live within you.
And Paul tells us in Romans
chapter 8, if the Spirit of
God's not in us, the Spirit of
Christ is not in us, we're not
Christians.
But if He's in us, what Paul
is saying here, He works in
us to give us the desire and
the ability to obey God.
So if we never have that
desire and ever put forth the
effort to obey God, how could
we be Christians?
But I will say this, if you
tell me, I know exactly what
you're talking about.
I do believe I'm a Christian.
I have had those desires in a
day gone by.
I put forth the effort in a
day gone by.
But the truth is right now, I
am, I'm rebelling against God.
I've, I've turned away.
And I don't desire like I used
to.
And I certainly am not
obeying.
If you're truly a child of God,
God will discipline you.
Because Hebrews, Hebrews chapter
13 tells us, 12 tells us that
God disciplines His children
whom He loves.
So I'm going to encourage you,
if you're not a Christian, let
this be a wake-up call.
Don't think about you profess
faith, you've been baptized, you're
a member of the church, or
anything like that.
Evaluate where you are in your
relationship with God right now
like this.
Do I have a desire to please God?
And do I desire to put forth the
effort and actually do to please
God?
That's a sign of a Christian.
If you don't, it's a sign you're
not a Christian.
If you're not a Christian, that
bothers you.
You want to be.
This is a wake-up call for you.
Humbly bow before God.
Repent of your sin.
Trust Jesus as your Lord and
Savior.
Call upon Him to save you now.
And if you'd say, I am a
Christian, but I've fallen far,
let this be a wake-up call to
you.
Come back to the Lord humbly and
confess your sin.
Repent.
Draw back close to the Lord and
ask Him to just reawaken you,
your conscience, your heart, so
that you will have those desires
again.
And as you have those desires
again, act on them.
Ask God to help you to follow
through on them.
Because that's how we are to
live in this world.
If Jesus is really our Lord.
Let's pray.
Dear God, show us now how we
should respond.
Show us now, Father, how we can
leave here this morning
demonstrating that Jesus is the
Lord of my life.
Let's just, in attitude of
prayer, listen to God.
And then do what He's telling
you to do.
Respond as He wants you to this
morning.
Thank you.
See you.