Immanuel - Mankato Bible Class
Study of Philippians – Lesson 9
February 18, 2001
Philippians 2:1-4

Introduction:

In chapter 2 vv. 5-11, Paul has taken us on a bit of a side-trip in his letter. He had been exhorting the Philippian Christians to conduct themselves in humility, selflessness, and to keep looking out for each other’s interests and not only their own. In order to illustrate self-sacrifice and love for one another, Paul gave the example of Christ "humbling Himself." Once having introduced the truth about Christ’s humiliation, Paul also had to speak of His exaltation lest he leave the impression that Christ remains humbled. Now having finished the discussion of Christ’s humiliation and exaltation, Paul again returns to his admonition. This next section continues to expand upon the exhortation Paul began in 1:27: "Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…accordingly, my beloved ones…"

Verse 12-13: Accordingly, my beloved ones – just as you have always listened (obeyed/followed) — with fear and trembling keep working out your salvation not only in connection with my coming to you, but also now in an even greater degree with my absence. For GOD it is who is the one energizing you both to will and to do concerning His good pleasure

SELF-WORKED SALVATION (v.12) ??
BIBLE CONTRADICTION (v.12 & v.13)???

Verses 12 and 13 could leave the Bible student with an irresolvable conflict with the rest of Scripture IF the student forgets the CONTEXT in which these verses are written. In these verses, Paul is not teaching the Philippians concerning their justification won by Christ. Rather, he is admonishing the Philippians to continue on in their sanctification (Let your conduct be worthy….). "Working out salvation for yourselves…" is not suggesting that we can save ourselves from damnation, but that we live a life befitting our salvation.

• My Beloved Ones: Paul’s affection and Christian love for his fellow believers in Philippi is once again evident.
• ALWAYS LISTENED: Paul commends the Philippians on their previous faithfulness and obedience. Paul writes (literally): "listened to…" In the context of an admonition, "listening to" = "obey" which is the translation most versions use. However, "listen to" applies also to more than "obeying" it includes hearing and taking to heart all the words of the Lord whether that be comfort, encouragement, instruction, or admonition.
• Work Out Salvation: Salvation cannot be won by the works we do, but it can be lost through our disobedience. READ: Proverbs 10:16

  It is essential to our lives of sanctification that we strive for godly obedience with fear and trembling—realizing the magnitude of our weakness and the seriousness of our sin. These words are a caution against spiritual laziness and/or carelessness. A Christian ought not take his salvation for granted as if he could not fall from grace through sinning. Paul encourages the Philippians to be active and conscientious about their sanctification whether he would be with them or away from them, and especially if he were away (as he was while writing) since he would not be there to encourage them.

  WORKING OUT SALVATION = ":…they are to do it by example. . . by efforts to send the gospel to those who have it not. There is almost no one who cannot contribute something, though it may be but two mites, to accomplish this. . .by conversation. There is no Christian who has not some influence over the minds and hearts of others; and he is bound to use that influence in holding forth the word of life. . . By defending the Divine origin of religion when attacked. . . that we are to break off from our sins by true repentance. . . that we are to believe in the Savior and honestly to put our trust in him. . .that we are to give up all that we have to God. . . that we are to break away from all evil companions and evil plans of life. . .and that we are to resist all the allurements of the world, and all the temptations which may assault us that would lead us back from God, and are to persevere unto the end. The great difficulty in working out salvation is in forming a purpose to begin at once. [Barnes]

• FEAR AND TREMBLING (cf: 2 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5): As a child of God considers the things of God and brings his life into harmony with that, it cannot help but be with every understanding of fear.
• How can I, a sinner in every way, even dare come before the almighty and holy God and call Him Father? I can come boldly and confidently because of the salvation my Savior has won! This fills me with AWE!!
• When I consider my salvation through Christ Jesus and also ponder on the many blessings the Lord of heaven and earth showers upon me, I will be moved to give Him all praise, glory and HONOR!!
• When I am aware of my weaknesses and sin and also the words which God’s law directs toward my sin, I will be moved to TREMBLE and be rightly AFRAID of who I am (by nature) and therefore, run to Christ all the more!!
• With fear and trembling. That is, with that kind of anxiety which one has who feels that he has an important interest at stake, and that he is in danger of losing it. The reason or the ground for "fear" in this case is in general this: there is danger of losing the soul. [BARNES]
• "There is here no contradiction of chapter 1:6, where Paul states that he was sure that God would continue the good work to the end. A Christian must be sure that god will give him firmness and confidence and faithfulness, keep him from falling from grace, and he must still be in fear, lest he lose his salvation by his own foolishness." [Kretzmann, p. 304]
• FOR it is GOD…ENERGIZING…to WILL and to DO…GOOD PLEASURE: Verse 13 does not present the "other side" to verse 12. Rather, verse 13 explains the preceding verse. For the Philippians to work out their salvation would be "mission impossible" and Paul’s admonition would leave them without any hope of fulfillment if not for the truth that GOD (not they) is the one who is working to WILL and to DO in them. Paul admonishes the Philippians to work out their "salvation" externally, i.e. their Christian while reminding them that such outward fruits comes from GOD working inwardly in their hearts. Without the effective working of God in our hearts, we would not have the motivation or will to do what is pleasing to Him and what serves in His kingdom, much less actually carry those things out to their fulfillment. This word of God contradicts any human notion that the will of man has some good in it from which our good deeds flow (cf: Formula of Concord below). READ: Ephesians 1:5; Also…1 Corinthians 15:10, 2 Corinthians 3:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Hebrews 13:20-21.
• Can a Christian ever "will" and not "do" according to His good pleasure? (Cf: Romans 7:14-25)

From our Confessions

"Thus Scripture denies to the intellect, heart, and the will of the natural man every capacity, aptitude, skill, and ability to think anything good and right in spiritual matters, to understand them, to begin them, to will them, to undertake them, to do them, to accomplish or to cooperate in them as of himself. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our sufficiency is from God" (2 Corinthians 3:5). . .what St. Paul says is also true, "For God is at work in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). [Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, Article II, #12, 14 ~ Tappert]

"In the third place, Holy Scriptures ascribe conversion, faith in Christ, regeneration, renewal, and everything that belongs to its real beginning and completion in no way to the human powers of the natural free will, be it entirely or one-half or the least and tiniest part, but altogether and alone to the divine operation of the Holy Spirit. He opens the intellect and the heart to understand the Scriptures and to heed the Word…"For God is at work in you, both to will and to do work" (Philippians 2:13). [Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, Article II, #26 ~ Tappert]

Although the regenerated, while still in this life, reach the point where they desire to do the good and delight in it (indeed, actually do good deeds and grow in sanctification), nevertheless, as mentioned above, we do this not of our own will and power, but the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says, creates such willing and doing (Philippians 2:13), just as the apostle ascribes this work alone to God when he says, "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…" (Ephesians 2:10). [Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, Article II, #39 ~ Tappert]

Verse 14: Do all things without grumbling and without disputing…

• Paul provides an immediate example of "working out salvation," namely, do everything without grumbling (gogguzo) and disputing. Paul’s admonition is clear and straightforward. Applying his admonition to our own lives is much more difficult.
• Evaluate the statement: It is a sign of Christian maturity when Christians learn to do uncomplainingly ( outwardly and inwardly) things they don’t necessarily care to do.

Verse 15-16: …in order that you may be unblamable and children of God unblemished in the middle of a generation [that is] crooked and perverted – among whom you keep shining as stars in the world holding fast the Word of Life unto a boasting for me in the Day of Christ that I neither ran nor toiled into emptiness/for nothing.

• UNBLAMABLE….: Paul is still speaking in the context of sanctification. A purpose in doing all things without grumbling and disputing is that our reputation in the world around us will be without blame and spotless. This is to be a goal of our Christian lives, not so that we might be like the Pharisees and parade our "holier than thou" lives among the people. Not at all!! Rather, we seek to have a blameless life among the world so that God is given glory and His Word is not smudged in any way. READ: 1 Timothy 3:7, 6:1; cf: 1^st Petition of Lord’s Prayer & Luther’s explanation.
• CROOKED. . .SHINING STARS: If we are unblamable, pure, and unblemished in the world we will shine like stars in the blackest of night because the world in which we live is overtaken in the darkness of sin. We are luminaries, Christ is the LIGHT. READ: Deuteronomy 32:5-6; also…Matthew 5:14-16, John 8:12, Ephesians 5:8.
• HOLDING FAST THE WORD OF LIFE: If we fail to hold fast the Word of Life then we are forsaking the means by which God is working in us. If we forsake the God who is working in us both to will and to do, then our working out of our salvation will cease, we will reject Christ and be lost. The regular and faithful use of the Means of Grace is VITAL!!

Luther comments about the treasure of the Means of Grace even when it is in the midst of error. The error is not defensible, ought not be tolerated, nor supported/joined with in any way. However, so great is the treasure of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament that it can overcome man’s error. Nevertheless, once man has so forsaken the Gospel that there is none of it left, then the power of God for salvation is gone and so is salvation itself…

LUTHER:

"Thus we, too, nowadays call the Roman Church holy and all the bishoprics holy, although their faith has been undermined and the bishops and their servants are godless. For God rules in the midst of His enemies (Psalm 110:2); again, Antichrist sits in the temple of God (2 Thessalonians 2:4), and Satan is present in the midst of the children of God (Job 1:6). Therefore, even though the church is "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation" (Philippians 2:15), even though it is in the midst of wolves and robbers, that is, spiritual tyrants, it nevertheless is the church. Although the city of Rome is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, yet Baptism, the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, the reading and text of the Gospel, Holy Scriptures, the ministry, the name of Christ, and the name of God remain in her. Those who have made these their own have them; those who have not done so are not excused, for the treasure is there."

• BOASTING: The boasting to which Paul looks forward is clearly a boasting in the Lord (cf: Jeremiah 9:24) because he has already said that the Philippians faith, etc. is God’s working (v.13). The Philippians’ steadfastness and faithfulness until death (cf: Revelation 2:10) will serve toward Paul’s boasting in the Lord and rejoicing because the Lord used Paul as His tool to serve the Philippians with the Gospel. If, on the other hand, the Philippians forsake the Gospel, all of Paul’s labor among them will be in vain.

Verse 17-18: But even though I am being out like a drink-offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am rejoicing and I am rejoicing with you. In the same way, also you on your parts keep on rejoicing and keep on rejoicing with me!

• DRINK-OFFERING: "In the Old Testament rituals, the drink offering was poured out next to the altar on which the burnt offering was sacrificed. Paul regarded the believers’ lives of obedience to the Gospel as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1) to the Lord. His own martyrdom, should it occur, would be a willing sacrifice on his part, a sacrifice poured out next to the sacrifices of the Christian lives of the Philippians. Far from hindering his labors on the Philippians behalf, his martyrdom would crown those labors…" [The People’s Bible, p. 59] Paul’s life would not actually be poured out as a drink-offering until later (cf: 2 Timothy 4:6), but whether at this time or later the truth would be the same. When Paul would lose his life for the sake of the Gospel it would glorify God as part of His will (good pleasure) in the salvation of souls and the work of His Kingdom. Thus, Paul could find reason to rejoice even in the prospect of his death.
• REJOICING…REJOICING WITH YOU: Paul expresses an ongoing joy in himself – a joy in his salvation as well as the privilege to serve in God’s Kingdom work (cf: Ephesians 3:8f). Paul expresses an ongoing joy that he shares with the Philippians – Paul rejoiced because the Philippians were rejoicing! The "joint rejoicing" described by Paul expresses a strong sense of fellowship between himself and these fellow Christians. This is yet another evidence of the "bond of Christ." READ: 1 Corinthians 12:26. Paul then also encourages the Philippians to keep on rejoicing on their own parts and also together with Him in Christian fellowship!

{WCE}