Word by Mail

Phil 07 – ENERGIZED - Phil 2:12-16
 
I prob should’ve called the Msg “Working Out Your Salvation”
but I’m kinda “bound” by those One-Word titles
 
 
We ended our Last Msg – w/ the indescribable wonder
of WHO Jesus Christ is – & what He’s done for us
 
But when we see those Revelations of How magnificent Jesus is -
& How incredible & eternal His love for us is . . .
 
They are never meant to be just left at the fact alone
 
They are never for us to just say “WOW” & then go on
living just like we were - prior to that revelation
 
All the incredible & divine truth we saw in the last message,
about Who Jesus Christ is – & what He’s done for us . . .
 
Doesn’t end with just those facts – Those truths have a “Therefore” –
There is a “Response Required”
 
The wonders of the Word of God always have
Personal, Tangible Application to our lives
 
& that’s exactly what we see today – we see the “Therefore”
 
 
After describing WHO Jesus Christ is (Vs 6-8) –
& What He’s done for us
 
Phil 2:9 had it’s own “Therefore” –
& it was God’s Response to Christ’s Sacrifice
 
Phil 2:9-11
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 
& from that great statement - we go right into Our “Therefore” –
Our response to what Christ has done for us
Phil 2:12
12 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;
 
“Therefore” - - because of those incredible previous truths . . .
 
Paul says - “my beloved” – “as you have always obeyed – now much more . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”
 
This - “Work Out” is Certainly NOT - - Work FOR (earn) your salvation
 
The phrase “work out” is actually an English play on words –
the GK means “to carry to it’s ultimate conclusion”
 
Paul’s saying - IN LIGHT OF what we’ve just read about Christ –
we are called to carry our salvation - to it’s ultimate conclusion
 
& his thought here – is Not so much our Justification – (Right with God)
As it is our Sanctification . . .
Sanctification is that part of the Christian life that requires daily choices
- & daily battles - on OUR PART ! (our daily transformation)
 
So Paul says – “Carry your salvation -
to its ultimate conclusion (in this life) - WITH fear & trembling”
 
That’s not the “Fear” we Define as Reverence to God –
This word is more . . . well . . . FEAR - - It means – Be Afraid
 
This fear & trembling is best described as - “self-distrust”
It’s vigilance against temptation –
It’s fear of the power of your flesh & the world - to entice you
It’s caution of anything that could make us stumble or dishonor God –
 
In a Very Strong Exhortation – Paul says
“Carry your salvation to it’s conclusion – with a healthy fear of how strong your Flesh & the World are - to knock you off track”
 
 
Now - this “Working out” of our Salvation – (carrying it to it’s conclusion)
with fear & trembling – is the OUR-PART - PART
 
But Praise God our VICTORY is NOT in the OUR PART – PART –
Our Victory is in the GOD PART – PART (which we see in the very nxt vs)
 
Phil 2:13
13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
 
We must live within the “2-parts” of our life in Christ –
there is always an OUR-PART – PART (which is always the lessor) . . .
 
& there is always the GOD-PART – PART –
which is the whole & complete part – the everything part
 
The OUR-PART - PART – can never ADD TO or complete
the GOD-PART - PART . . .
& yet, the OUR-PART - PART is vitally necessary
for us to Live in the GOD-PART - PART (understand?)
 
God HAS Supplied ALL we need – for now & eternity –
But that doesn’t mean there is NOT an OUR-PART - PART
 
God’s Unconditional Grace & our Free-Will do go together –
& we have a great text here to show exactly that
 
Let’s read the end of V.12 with the beg of V.13 –
& we’ll see this great mystery side-by-side . . .
 
Phil 2:12B-13A
12 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who works in you . . .
 
Now - We just said – “work out” in V.12 means
“to carry to it’s ultimate conclusion” – that’s the YOUR-PART – PART
 
We have the free will to either carry our new life in Christ
to it’s ultimate conclusion . . .
or to go back to the miry pit of sin that Jesus Christ saved us from
 
& we all know people who have made a commitment to Christ -
then returned to the vomit of their own sin ? We have that free will
 
& that is Exactly what Paul is exhorting us NOT to do –
 
But instead - He’s saying “carry your great salvation to it’s conclusion – which is a life completely transformed by Jesus Christ”
 
 
& then (& this is the good part) in the very nxt Vs - Paul says
“for it is God who works in you” – (now watch closely)
 
The word “works” in V.13
is the word we get - “Energy” or “Energize” from
& it can also be translated “Power”
 
& here’s what you must hear – it is God (in the person of the Holy Spirit)
Who energizes you (gives you the power) . . .
 
To make the free will choice to carry your salvation
to it’s ultimate conclusion of transforming your life
 
The choice is YOURS – but the Power is HIS – ALL HIS –
All we have to do is Get Connected, & Stay Connected
 
 
NOW - let’s read the end of V.12 & all of V.13
 
Phil 2:12B-13
12 . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
 
So using the definitions we have so far – we have;
“carry your salvation to its transforming end – for it is God who energizes you both to WILL - & to DO – for His good pleasure"
 
NOW – we need to look at the words WILL - & - DO
 
The word “will” means more LIT “to desire” . . .
 
So – we have – “ it is God Who energizes you to Desire . . .
for His good pleasure” - - - but we’re not done yet
 
The word translated “to do” IS THE SAME GK WORD translated “works” at the beginning of this sentence
 
It’s energeo – which means Energy or POWER . . .
 
So we have – V.13 “for it is God who energizes you both to have the desire, & to have the power – for His good pleasure" –
 
which is how the NLT translates this vs
Phil 2:13 - NLT
13 For God is working in [energizing] you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
 
We make the choice - & God Energizes us with the Desire & the Power to live transformed lives that are pleasing to Him
 
God’s Part - is DONE – FINISHED – COMPLETE –
Our Part - is won day-to-day – in moment-by-moment battles & decisions
 
 
& so – what’s it look like – When we’re “Working Out” our Salvation?
 
& the answer . . . is in the next Vs . . .
 
We’ve just been in some real “Mountain-Top” Vs’s here in Phil  2 –
showing the awesomeness of Christ, & His power working in His
 
& now - the Word of God does what it always does –
it takes the supernatural power of God – RIGHT TO THE STREETS
 
So - Now that you know the Supernatural Divine Power working in you -
 
. . . What Great, Awesome & Eternal Work would God have you do ?
Vs.14 tells you - -
 
Phil 2:14
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
 
AWE . . . Come-On God – Can’t I do something
Great & Awesome & Eternal . . . Yeah you can . . .
 
“Do all things without complaining and disputing,”
 
Now that you know of the Unlimited Power of Jesus Christ in you –
What should be your FIRST Reasonable Response . . .
 
“Do all things without complaining and disputing,”
Doesn’t that make you feel like the new kid - who comes in & wants
the big important job - & his boss says – “go sweep the floors”
 
Awe, Man – I wanted the big job – I wanted to make a Difference –
I wanted to really do something important . . .
 
Yeah I know – here it is . . .
“Do all things without complaining and disputing,”
 
The Holy Spirit is beginning RIGHT HERE –
to explain what “Working Out” our Salvation means . . .
 
& He begins with a command about something that takes out
as many Christians as any other sin I’ve seen
 
Let’s Review – Just To See The Build Up . . .
V.12 – work out your own salvation w/ fear & trembling
V.13 – God is Energizing you with His Desire & Power to do His will
AND SOOO . . . V.14 – Do all things without complaining and disputing . . .
 
WHY is this such a critical place to begin “Working Out our Salvation” . . .
 
Because of the next Vs. - Phil 2:15A
 
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, . . .
 
 
 
The NLT nails this translation – so let me read V.14-15A - NLT
 
Phil 2:14-15A - NLT
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you . . .
 
Now it starts to make sense doesn’t it ?
 
Do you know – one of the worst Witnesses to the unbelieving world –
is a Christian who’s constantly complaining, arguing, disputing
 
I believe that is why the Holy Spirit starts with such a basic instruction ?
 
& remember – thru-out Philippians – there’s an underlying concern –
of some “personality” conflicts & disputes
 
& so Paul says – “Work out your salvation by . . .
14 Do[ing] everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you . . .
 
Because there are Sooo Many in the body of Christ –
Whose witness is destroyed right here . . .
 
They never get off 1st base - because they refuse to be transformed,
even at this simplest level
 
 
Alright – in order to see the whole picture –
let’s re-read Vs.14 & all of V.15
 
Phil 2:14-15
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
 
Do all things without complaining and disputing
Become blameless and harmless
Be Children of God without fault
In the midst of a crooked & perverse generation . . .
 
SO THAT YOU WILL - - . . . shine as lights in the world,
 
We know – We are not to be OF this World (NOTW) –
But we ARE to be IN this world – AS SHINING LIGHTS
 
Jesus Christ came to be The Light to this Dark World –
& THEN - He chose to use US - to be the conduits – of HIS LIGHT
 
The “working out” of your salvation means; You become a Shining Light
You become a Worthy Witness
A Testimony of the Power of Jesus Christ to Radically transform a Life
 
But . . . if we’re walking around just as miserable & dark as the world – what kind of Testimony / Witness – is that
 
GUYS - We have an Eternal work to do every day when we wake up –
to let Jesus Christ live thru us - to Shine as a Light in the Darkness
 
So that those around us can see the Light - (& be transformed by it)
 
& exactly HOW can we do that – Day in & Day out . . .
by doing what the beginning of Phil 2:16 says
 
Phil 2:16A
 
16 holding fast the word of life, . . .
 
 
 
Guys – In ourselves - we are NOT capable of living out
the kind of life God has called us to . . .
 
BUT – God IS capable of living out that life
inside Every Person who is completely yielded to Him
 
 
We’ve been saying - “to work out your salvation” means to
“to carry your salvation to it’s conclusion”
 
& THAT IS A PROCESS . . . & HERE’S HOW IT WORKS;
At some point in your life – the Reality of God is revealed to you
You believe & receive - & you are Born-Again . . .
But you are not Born Mature – or Fully Developed
Your Spiritual Maturity comes in the process of Knowing Jesus . . .
As you are led by His Spirit – You are being transformed by His life in you
 
& THAT IS the “working out your salvation” -
 
& as you carry it toward it’s conclusion –
you become a Transformed Child of God
 
You start Thinking Different – Responding Different – Acting Different
 
& that’s exactly why 2Cor 3:18 says;
As we behold the glory of the Lord – we are being transformed
into His image – from glory to glory – By His Spirit
 
We become a Light in the Dark world by:
yielding our life to Jesus Christ –
& by being transformed (day by day) by His Spirit within us
 
But you can’t make this happen on you own
It’s God working in you (energizing you) to give you
the Desire & the Power - to do what pleases Him (V.13)
 
& here – at the beginning of V.16 – Paul reveals THE KEY
for you to “Carry Out” this transformation process . . .
 
YOU MUST - hold fast to the word of life
 
Your part is to HOLD ON to Jesus Christ – HOLD FAST
Don’t slip away – don’t wander away . . .
 
Every Day – Every moment – Every Situation –
Hold fast to the Word of Life that God has given you
 
That is the YOUR-PART – PART . . .
 
& IF you will do your PART – then God will be working in you
to give you the DESIRE - & the POWER – to do what pleases Him
 
& you will find yourself TRANSFORMED by the process . . .
 
 
To study more – on that Transformation Process –
I want to give you 3 Scriptures . . .
Gal 2:20 - Rom 12:1-2 - Rom 8:5
 
& Finally - Paul saw “Our being transformed” by the Life of Christ –
As his “work” – his “labor” – his “race”
 
We see it in Phil 2:16 (all)
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
 
The great call on Paul’s life was to see people
transformed by Jesus Christ – From Darkness – Into Light . . .
 
So in the Day of Christ – he would know that he had not run in vain –
that he had not labored in vain
 
May we be those transformed Lights in a Dark world –
So that we may ALSO rejoice in that day of Christ . . .
So we may also know – we’ve not Run in Vain – Or Labored in Vain
 
May we Work-Out our Salvation – Knowing that God Energizes us,
with both the DESIRE - & the POWER – to do what pleases Him
 
Our Part – is to make our choices FOR HIM –
Day-by-Day -- Moment-by-Moment
 
His Part – Is Everything Else !