Work Out Your Sanctification, Not Your Justification (Philippians 2:12-13)
- Patrick Dirrim
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
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, ¹³for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. —Philippians 2:12-13
One of the four characteristics the Reformers used to describe God’s Word is that it is perspicuous–a word that means the Bible’s meaning is clear. It’s written in such a way that everything a person needs for becoming, living, and growing as a Christian is clear. This, however, does not mean that all parts of the Bible are easy to understand.
Still, just because something isn’t easy to understand, doesn’t mean that it can't be understood. It just means that it takes some work to properly grasp the author’s intent. And that brings us to our Fighter Verses passage for this week. Ever since the Reformation, Christians have been zealous to ensure that we understand that salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.
What then are we to make of the verse that tells us to “work out” our “own salvation with fear and trembling”? Doesn’t that contradict faith alone in Christ alone? At face value it might, but when one understands that this letter is addressed to those who are already Christians it becomes apparent that Paul means something else. In this case Paul is not referring to how one is justified–made right with God. Instead, he’s speaking of how a person is sanctified–made increasingly into the image of Jesus in what they think, desire, and do.
We know from elsewhere in the Bible (e.g., Ephesians 2:8-9) that justification is God’s work alone, and this text shows that sanctification is synergistic. This means that as we work in our pursuit of obedience and holiness, God works in us too! As we strive and seek to obey Him, God enables and empowers to do it, through the Holy Spirit whom He graciously gave us at the moment of our conversion.
It’s encouraging to see in verse 13 that God’s work in us not only enables our obedience but also produces the desire to obey, to be holy. The Holman translation captures this well: “For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose” (emphasis added).
What a gracious God! Christians are not only saved by His power, they are also continually empowered by that same power—both to will and to act in obedience to Him.
For Reflection
Where do you struggle with personal holiness? Ask God for the desire to obey Him and the power to overcome sin.
Look back over the last couple of years. Where have you seen the Spirit empowering you to fight temptation and convicting you of your need to resist sin?
Give thanks to God for the victories over sin that He brings to mind and ask Him to sanctify you further.
Patrick Dirrim helped to start Grace Fellowship church, with his wife Barbara 22, years ago. They have worshipped there ever since, outside of the two years when they served as missionaries in Guatemala. They've been married for 30 years and have seven children and two grandchildren. The Dirrims have been using Truth78 curriculum from the start and have introduced it to many other churches, as well as trained others how to use it.
