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.Philippians 2:12-13
This passage can sometimes be misunderstood. But it is important to notice that these verses don't say to work for your salvation. They say to work out your salvation.
We have to work out what God has worked in. What has he worked in? A desire to do his will. We cannot work something out unless it is in there to begin with. If we know Christ personally, it is in there and we have to work it out. How? By our actions.
It is only by God working in us that we can even want to do good works or have the ability to perform them. Once we bow the knee to Christ, the Holy Spirit enters our lives and he works on us from the inside out. And as we defer to him, listen to him and follow him, he will show us how to work out our salvation. And it's all about doing those things he directs us to do. It's a way to put our faith on display for others to see.
But again, doing good is not what saves us. Only faith in Jesus Christ can do that. But living out that faith by doing good does help other people see and understand what a meaningful and personal relationship with Christ is all about.
A Prayer for Today
Dear God, I know that the only thing that can save me is faith in your Son, Jesus Christ. But I also recognize that true faith is lived out each and every day by what I do. Help me to point others to you by living out my faith in ways that honor and glorify you. In Christ�s name I pray, Amen.
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