And, before we look at God's Word, let's pray together.
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your goodness and love.
We thank You that we can come now and look at Your Word.
We recognize that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable.
And we pray that Your Word will prove profitable to each one of us this day.
Not that, O Lord, we will be glorified, but that Your name will be glorified,
that You will be honored in all that we see in Your Word.
So bless, O Lord, this time around that Word. In Jesus' name. Amen.
So would you turn with me, please, to Philippians.
That's the passage that we're looking at together.
Philippians chapter 2, and reading from verse 12.
Philippians chapter 2, looking at verse 12 through to 18.
So the Apostle writes,
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.
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing,
so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation,
in which you shine like stars in the universe,
as you hold out the word of life,
in order that I may boast on the day of Christ,
that I did not run or labor for nothing.
For even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith,
I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.
And our prayer is that God will bless to us that portion from His word.
We began our time together this morning by being asked various questions,
and this message begins with a similar kind of question.
What kind of life am I living as a Christian, as a believer?
Do my friends know that I am a Christian?
Do my colleagues at work recognize me as a Christian?
Where am I as far as my Christian experience is concerned?
I know that there is the habit, so they can go up on Facebook, of doing selfies.
Well, sometimes they're just that, selfies, you know.
You're looking in on yourself for all the wrong reasons.
But we want to look upon ourselves this morning for the right reasons.
Am I all that I ought to be in the sight of God's camera, as it were?
Am I growing spiritually speaking?
The Apostle Paul recognized constantly the need to grow spiritually.
In chapter 3 and verse 14, he says,
I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.
So even the Apostle, a great man that he was, with all his experience,
was still pressing on as he reaches the end of his earthly life.
And we remind ourselves this morning that our Christianity must never be a slot in the week.
Christianity is 24-7.
And what the Apostle Paul is encouraging us in, in these verses,
is that we too will endure to the end.
That we won't reach a time when we retire, as it were, as Christians.
That we will sit back.
That we will continue to live to the glory of God.
Now you'll notice that the reading that we had this morning begins with a therefore.
Well, as somebody has said, a therefore always has a wherefore.
So he's saying, in the light of what I have been saying.
Well, what has he been saying?
Well, way back in chapter 1 and verse 27, he says,
conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.
And then he goes on to explain how we can live our lives to the glory of God,
as we conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel.
To be different, to be united, to contend as one man.
To live, verse 29, in the light of what has been granted to us.
Namely, that we should believe,
but also to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To live selfless lives.
To live with the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what he has been saying.
And he goes on to say more.
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 with trembling.
And to live like that
is to live to the glory of God.
So how can I live to the glory of God
by continuing to work out my salvation?
And I want us to concentrate on that phrase
and see how it is expounded by the apostle in these verses.
Let's first of all notice Paul's exhortation here,
that it is an exhortation to Christians.
It's not an exhortation to the unbeliever.
He says, continue to work out your salvation.
He's not speaking about a salvation of works.
They are saved,
but they must go on to live for the Lord.
Their salvation.
To use the analogy again of a camera,
it's a wide angled lens
looking upon the church at Philippi.
They've already been identified,
chapter 1 and verse 1,
as servants of Jesus Christ,
of saints, holy ones,
those who have been separated unto God.
He has spoken in chapter 1 and verse 6
of the one who had begun a good work in them,
that he will continue to carry it on to completion
until the day of Jesus Christ.
He has spoken in chapter 2 and verse 1
of what it means to be united with Christ,
to be comforted by his love,
to enjoy the fellowship of the Spirit.
Now you Philippians,
work out your salvation.
You have that salvation.
Work it out.
I wonder how people would have received this letter.
In Acts chapter 16,
we have the foundation of the church at Philippi.
And we're introduced there
to three of the members of that early church.
And how they individually would have received this letter,
work out your salvation.
I think of Lydia.
We read about her.
She was a member of the church there.
And we read about her in Acts 16 and verses 13 to 15.
Remember, she was one of the women
who was praying on the riverbank.
She was a religious person.
She desired to serve the one and only true God.
But she needed spiritual eyes being opened.
And we know that there on the riverbank,
as the Apostle Paul and others
brought to them the gospel
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ,
that the Lord opened her heart.
And she invited Paul and his companions
into her home.
And there she gave them hospitality.
Lydia, work out your salvation.
She prayed then.
She worshipped the one true God.
She had an understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Her heart was open to the truth.
Lydia, work out your salvation.
You prayed then.
Continue to pray.
You practice hospitality then.
Continue to practice hospitality.
Don't stop.
An exhortation to Lydia, the Christian.
And then we go on to read in Acts 16
of the slave girl.
Remember, she was possessed of an evil spirit.
A pythoness.
Worshipping a demon.
Making manic utterances.
And that comes across in the original languages.
She was not a pleasant person,
but she was held captive to Satan.
And you remember how she was delivered
from that evil spirit.
Now I would agree with you
that nothing is said about her
becoming a believer.
But if you look at Acts 16 and verse 19,
you discover that when the owners
of the slave girl
realized that their hope of making money
was gone,
they attacked Paul and his companions.
You see, something had happened to this girl.
She had been delivered.
She was a different girl.
No longer making those manic utterances.
No longer involved with the worship
of the python spirit.
A different girl,
freed from the power of Satan.
A new creation delivered by the Lord.
And can you imagine
Paul's exhortation coming to her?
She would remember her past life.
She would remember her wonderful deliverance.
Step out and continue to walk on.
You're no longer under the dominion of Satan.
Continue to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Work out your salvation as a Christian.
Or think of the jailer.
We know his story.
Remember how he receives
Paul and Silas?
He puts them into the prison.
He puts their feet in stocks.
He doesn't treat them gently.
And there are Paul and Silas
in the prison
singing praises to God.
And the prisoners are listening.
And suddenly, this earthquake.
The jailer wakes up.
He's suicidal.
Sirs, he says,
what must I do to be saved?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
and you will be saved
and your household.
And there that jailer
in that prison
after the earthquake
sits before Paul
and hears more.
Tenderly now,
he washes their wounds.
And he is baptized.
And then later,
this letter comes from Paul
and he remembers that night.
Jailer,
work out your salvation.
Continue on
in your Christian walk.
work.
My friends,
if you're a Christian
here this morning,
you have a testimony.
You can look back
to a day
or perhaps
over a period
of time.
And the Lord
entered into your life.
He changed your life.
He began
a work
in your life.
Are you,
as a Christian,
working out
your salvation?
Maybe you were saved
from a religious background
like Lydia.
And maybe you were saved
from an addictive background.
Maybe you were saved
as somebody
who was just going about
their work
like the jailer
doing your job,
being responsible
with little thought
of God.
And then an earthquake
interrupted your life.
And you cried out,
Save me, Lord.
Whatever your testimony
is this morning,
the exhortation
is to you.
Work out
your salvation.
Don't stop.
Don't think
you've arrived.
Continue.
Grow in grace
and in the knowledge
of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
So the exhortation
is to you
this morning
as a Christian.
The second thing
we notice
is that it was
an exhortation
that was
very serious.
They were to
work out
their salvation
with fear
and with trembling.
They're solemn
words, aren't they?
And we can easily
pass them by.
Christianity
is serious.
Not serious
in the sense
that we can't
be happy
and joyful.
Yes, we can be
all of those things.
But there is
a seriousness
about it.
Work out
your salvation
with fear
and with trembling.
The Apostle Paul
is very aware
that every Christian
lives his life
in the sight
of God.
And he lived his life
with this sense
of awe.
The Apostle
would have known
the Psalm.
The Psalm is saying
the fear
of the Lord
is the beginning
of wisdom.
That fear
has a sense
of awe.
Living
in the sight
of God.
And the Apostle
Paul wants
the believers
in Philippi
to recognize
the seriousness
of his exhortation.
And he wants us
to realize
the seriousness
of the exhortation.
Psalm 139
is a psalm
that reminds us
that our God
sees all
and our God
knows all.
That our God
knows us
intimately.
He knows
all that we
think.
The psalmist
says,
you perceive
my thoughts
afar off.
Before a word
is on my tongue
you know it
completely,
O Lord.
Our God
is an everywhere
present God.
Where can I go
from your spirit?
As the psalmist.
Where can I flee?
From your presence.
Work out
your salvation.
Live
to God's
glory.
Remembering
that you do it
in the
sight
of God.
And the way
that we behave
is always
in the sight
of God.
And the only
way that you
and I can
live to the
glory of God
is by being
holy,
being sanctified,
being set
apart,
being holy
as our God
is holy.
It's a big
demand.
That's how
serious it
is.
It is to
have,
as the
apostle Paul
puts it
in chapter 2
and verse 5,
to have
the
mind,
to have
the
attitude
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
To walk
before our
God
with
humility.
To walk
before him
and to
recognize
we walk
before him.
So when we get up
tomorrow morning,
we're living
in the presence
of God.
when we go
to our
places of
work,
it is in
the sight
of God.
When we go
on a holiday,
we don't go
without the
Lord.
We live
our lives
and we seek
to work out
our salvation
with fear
and with
trembling.
The third
exhortation,
idea of this
exhortation,
is an
exhortation
that demanded
commitment.
It has
here that
we are to
continue to
work out
our salvation
with fear
and trembling.
He's
talking about
a process
which takes
a lifetime.
Now when we
believed,
when we
trusted in
the Lord
Jesus Christ,
at that
moment,
we were
justified.
We were
declared not
guilty.
The perfect
righteousness of
the Lord
Jesus Christ
was put to
our account.
So we are
justified.
We're right in
the sight of
God.
That's
immediate.
And that's
true of
every Christian.
sanctification.
But then
sanctification is
a process.
It's a
lifetime
commitment.
We're not
what we once
were, but we're
not what we
should be.
So work out
your salvation
with fear
and trembling.
We're coming up
to the
Olympic Games
and no doubt
we'll be
watching the
races and
some of the
things that
will be going
on there.
We will see
the sprint
which will be
over in less
than ten
seconds.
It's over,
it's quick,
and we would
at times wish
that life were
like that,
that it was a
quick sprint
and all the
glory that goes
with those
hundred meters
runners.
But no,
the Christian
life is not
like that.
It's a
marathon.
It's a
slog.
It's sometimes
going through
the pain
barrier.
It's a
commitment
moment by
moment.
And notice
how Paul
acknowledges
the commitment
that was
already in
the Philippians.
He prays
for them,
chapter 1
and verse 4.
And he
prays for
them with
joy.
Why?
Because of
your partnership
in the gospel
from the first
day until
now.
In other
words,
there had
been a
degree of
commitment.
In chapter
4 and
verses 14
to 16,
again he's
speaking about
commitment.
Yet it was
good for you,
he says,
to share in
my troubles.
moreover,
as you
Philippians
know,
in the
early days
of your
acquaintance
with the
gospel,
when I
set out
from
Macedonia,
not one
church
shared with
me in
the matter
of giving
and receiving
except for
you only.
Yes,
they were
committed,
they were
laboring for
the Lord.
There was
partnership
in the
gospel.
You have
always
obeyed,
he says,
in the
verses that
we're
looking at
this morning.
Not only
in my
presence,
but now
much more
in my
absence.
All right,
continue then
to work out
your salvation
with fear
and trembling.
Keep going,
keep forward,
don't stop
living to
the glory
of God.
There's
always room
for
improvement.
Remember
that Paul
is not
sitting in
an office.
He's a
prisoner.
And he's
asking the
Christians in
Philippi to
be like
him,
to keep
going on,
even when
the going
is tough.
In verse
17 he
speaks about
being poured
out like
a drink
offering.
Later,
he would
write to
Timothy
and he
would say
as his
execution
approached,
I have
fought the
good fight.
I have
finished the
race.
I have
kept the
faith.
I remember
hearing of a
man who was
a very
faithful
evangelist
and he'd
heard the
message that
he had
terminal
cancer.
and people
were saying
to him,
stop,
take a
rest now.
He said,
no,
I'm coming
to the
finishing
line.
I'm on
the sprint
now to
get home.
Continue
on.
Don't
give up.
Be like
the apostle
and be
able to
say as
you
approach
God,
and none
of us
know when
that day
will be
when we
stand in
his presence.
But may
we all be
able to
say,
I was
committed
right to
the end.
I fought
the good
fight.
I finished
the race.
I have
kept
the faith.
I have
been
obedient
even
to
death.
So this
exhortation
of the
apostle is
to you
as
Christians.
It's
for you
to be
committed.
Live
to the
glory
of God
that you
might be
as you're
reminded in
chapter 1
and verse
10,
pure and
blameless
until the
day of
Christ.
Fourthly,
it's an
exhortation
that deals
with real
issues.
Look at
verse 14.
Do
everything
without
complaining
or arguing
so that
you may
become
blameless
and pure
children
of God.
Now this
verse deals
with the
whole idea
of being
obedient.
Not
arguing
or
complaining
about
what God
teaches
you
through
his
word.
Yes,
I know
it says
that,
but,
and we
argue
with
God's
word.
Yes,
I know
it says
that,
but you
don't
know my
circumstances,
and we
argue,
or it's
hard,
Lord,
because of
the situation
in which
I find
myself.
Do
everything.
Be
obedient.
That's what
he's saying
here.
It's
dealing with
real
issues,
issues in
your life,
and in
my life,
and in
the
Philippians
life.
It deals,
if you like,
with the
nitty-gritty
of life.
Let's
remember that
the apostle
is writing
under the
inspiration
of the
Spirit of
God.
He's
the apostle
who's
speaking
with
authority.
And let's
remember,
he's not
using words
for the
sake of
using
them.
He's
not only
calling for
obedience,
he's
speaking to
specific
situations
that applied
to the
church
at
Philippi.
You see,
there were
people there
in the
church,
and they
were made
up of
different
people.
from
different
backgrounds.
People
from
different
cultures.
People
who were
rich,
or
were born
to a
rich
background.
Some
who had
a slave
background.
Different
personalities.
And they
were all
part of
the church.
Well,
you do
everything,
no matter
what your
background
is,
that you
may be
pure and
blameless
children
of God.
God.
He speaks
to a
specific
issue,
because he
is dealing
with real
issues.
In chapter
four and
verse two,
I plead
with
Euodia,
and I
plead with
Syntyche,
to agree
with each
other in
the Lord.
One
commentator
says about
their names,
and he
said that
they should
be altered
slightly.
They should
be odious
and soon
touchy.
And I
think there's
a lot to
be said
for that.
But at
any rate,
they were
people who
were complaining
or arguing.
They were
causing
problems in
the church.
Now,
you two
ladies,
work out
your salvation
by agreeing
with each
other in
the Lord.
Stop
arguing.
Stop
complaining.
And there
were others
in the
church,
chapter four
and verse
six,
who were
anxious and
worried about
different things.
Do not be
anxious,
he says in
chapter four
and verse six,
about anything.
But in
everything,
by prayer and
petition,
with thanksgiving,
present your
requests to
God,
and the peace
of God,
which transcends
all understanding,
will guard your
hearts and your
minds in
Christ Jesus.
Real issues
in the
church.
Don't fret.
Don't complain
about your
lot in
life.
Why?
Well,
so that you
might live to
the glory of
God,
so that you
might be,
as he puts
it here,
become those
kind of people
that are
blameless
and pure,
live as
children of
God.
Notice the
force of
Paul's words
here.
Live so
that you're
recognized by
the family
likeness.
You have a
heavenly
father.
You have
been bought
with the
precious blood
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ.
The Holy
Spirit has
witnessed with
your spirit
that you
are sons
of God,
daughters
of God.
Take on
the family
likeness.
Are we
Christ-like?
Are we
like our
elder brother,
the Lord
Jesus Christ?
So the
force of
Paul's words
are there for
us all to
see.
Take on
the family
likeness by
living sanctified
lives.
Live to
the glory
of God
day by
day,
moment by
moment.
Happy in
doing the
will of
God from
the heart.
Constantly
live to
God's
glory.
When our
children are
young,
at least some
of them,
we might
say to
them,
would you
make me a
cup of
tea?
And they
say,
oh, do I
have to?
Yes, you
do have to,
you know,
make a
cup of
tea.
But then
the day
came,
and they
said,
would you
like a
cup of
tea?
They
didn't have
to be
asked.
I think
the barbecue
is going
on later
on today,
so I hope
somebody is
listening.
But, you
know, the
whole thing
is doing
all to
the glory
of God
without
grumbling or
complaining.
We're
before our
heavenly
Father,
to do
it gladly
from our
heart.
Not because
we must,
but because
we want
to be
pleasing
to the
Savior.
Fifthly,
it was
an exhortation
that was
delivered
in a
hostile
world.
Work out
your salvation
as Christians.
Be
committed.
Be
committed.
Deal with
the practical
things in
your life
that need
to be
dealt
with.
Work out
your salvation
even though
you're living
in a
hostile
world.
Look at the
latter part
of verse
15.
Without
fault,
in a
crooked
and depraved
generation.
salvation.
In a
world,
verse 17,
where I am
being poured
out like a
drink offering,
work out your
salvation in the
Roman pagan
world of the
day.
Work out your
salvation in a
world that is
hostile to the
message of the
gospel.
people.
Work out
your salvation
where the
world is under
the dominion
of Satan.
Work out
your salvation
where Christians
are suffering
martyrdom and
imprisonment.
That's where
you're to work
out your
salvation.
We're living
in an
increasingly
hostile
world.
We see
that in
laws that
are passed.
We see
that in
so many
different
ways.
In the
secular world
in which we
find ourselves.
Work out
your salvation
even though
everybody is
against you.
Was it
Athanasius,
an early
Christian who
was told,
the whole
world is
against you,
Athanasius?
Well, he
says, if the
whole world is
against Athanasius,
then Athanasius,
is against
the whole
world.
To stand
firm
in a
hostile
world.
Work out
your salvation
when people
are disagreeing
with you,
when people
are making
their life
difficult,
when your
bosses are
making life
difficult,
when things
are difficult
in the home
situation.
Work out
your salvation
there.
And as you
work out
salvation there,
you're to
hold out
the word
of life.
Verse 16.
In the
hostile world
of their
day,
they were
to make
the Lord
Jesus
Christ
known.
They were
to make
known that
which was
of first
importance,
that Christ
died according
to the
scriptures,
that he was
buried,
and that he
rose again
according to
the scriptures.
Live your
life,
not only in
what you
don't do,
but what
you do
do.
Let people
know that
your parable,
that you're
seeking to
live before
men,
let them
know the
meaning of
it.
Why I am
living like
this is
because I
belong to
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
I'm living
this way
because of
what Jesus
Christ did
for me upon
the cross
of Calvary.
I'm living
this life
because he
rose again
that I might
be justified.
I'm living
my life
to the
glory of
God
in a
hostile
world.
And in
this hostile
world,
I shine
as stars
in the
heavens.
I'm a
luminary
in a
dark
world.
In
Daniel
chapter 12
and verse
3,
we have
these words,
those who
are wise
will shine
like the
brightness
of the
heavens
and those
who lead
many to
righteousness
like the
stars
forever
and ever.
Oh,
that that
would be
our
testimony
in the
world in
which we
live in
Carragiline,
an exhortation
that was
delivered
in a
hostile
world.
The last
point,
it's an
exhortation
that can
be
worked
out.
I don't
know
if you
felt like me
as when I
was preparing
this message.
How can I
do it?
I might as
well give
up now.
it's
impossible
to live
like that.
I might
as well
give up.
I'll never
make it.
And I
would agree
with you
if it
wasn't
for
verse
13.
Work
out
your
salvation
with
fear
and
trembling
for it
is God
who works
in you
to will
and to
act
according
to his
good
purpose.
God
in his
grace
in his
mercy
in his
love
has revealed
his son
to you.
He's put
his Holy
Spirit
into your
life
through the
miracle
of the
new
birth.
Your
very body
as a
Christian
has become
the temple
of God's
Holy
Spirit.
We are
indwelled
by the
Spirit
of the
living
God.
And because
of this
power
that is
at work
within us
we are
enabled
to work
out
our
salvation
with
fear
and
trembling.
There's
an old
hymn
that says
this
every
virtue
we
possess
and
every
conquest
won
and
every
thought
of
holiness
is
our
his
alone.
He
has
worked
therefore
the
virtues
that I
have
in this
evil
world
is
because
of
him
and
every
victory
I'm
able
to
accomplish
is
because
of
his
work
in
me
and
every
thought
that I
have
the
desire
after
him
is
because
he
is
at
work
with
me
in
me.
I
can
continue
to
work
out
my
salvation
because
he
is
at
work
and
he
will
bring
that
work
to
completion.
I
can
live
to
the
glory
of
God.
I
can
be
committed
to
him
who
loved
me.
I
can
deal
with
the
real
issues
that
are
bothering
me
in
my
life.
They
can
be
dealt
with.
I
can
live
in
a
hostile
world
to
the
glory
of
God.
I
can
do
it
because
of
his
work
in
me.
It
wouldn't
be
possible
would
it
apart
from
that
work
in
me.
So
are
we
going
to
live
for
the
glory
of
God?
Will
we
be
a
rejoicing
church
because
I
believe
that's
how
the
apostle
Paul
brings
his
section
to
an
end.
He
says
even
if
I
am
being
poured
out
like
a
drink
offering
on
the
sacrifice
and
service
coming
from
your
faith
I
am
glad
and
rejoice
with
all
of
you
so
you
too
should
be
glad
and
rejoice
with
me.
The
apostle
as
he
sees
the
Philippians
living
to
the
glory
of
God
working
out
their
salvation
he
rejoices
he
hasn't
run
in
vain
the
Lord
has
blessed
his
ministry
and
he
sees
the
church
growing
and
becoming
stronger
and
living
to
the
glory
of
God
and
he
rejoices
and
the
church
rejoices
there's
nothing
sad
about
living
to
the
glory
of
God
may
the
Lord
enable
us
over
the
days
that
follow
and
the
years
however
many
they
may
be
if
life
be
short
or
if
life
be
long
may
I
be
glad
to
glorify
my
God
let's
pray
together
father
we
do
thank
you
that
you've
given
us
your
word
and
we
thank
you
father
that
by
your
enabling
we
are
enabled
to
live
our
lives
to
the
glory
of
your
name
help
us
for
the
rest
of
this
day
and
for
all
the
days
that
are
given
to
us
that
lie
ahead
whether
they
be
long
or
whether
they
be
short
may
we
lift
your
glory
by
the
power
of
your
spirit
in
Jesus
name
Amen