Phil. 2:12-16; Working out, Working in (2)

We have been given a command: work out your own salvation.  We are considering various supporting phrases and have come to the last which is …

·        God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Here is another one of these universal principles: God is always at work.  In every situation and every relationship He is at work.  We should not be surprised to see that He is at work in our work!  Let us look at these two uses of the word “work.”


First, consider “our” work.  The Greek word recognizes, for one thing, that we are not alone in our work.  The “middle voice” suggests we are working alongside someone.  It is consistent with Phil. 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  I am without question working.  But I have help.


Furthermore the term has the idea of “doing business and producing results.”  Again this is consistent with our calling in Christ: He chose us to bear fruit (John 15:16).  It fits the parable Jesus told in Luke 19:12-27.  Remember that Jesus spoke of a nobleman who went on a long journey and so called in his three servants and gave them each some money to use for him while he was gone.  When the master returned he judged and rewarded each servant on the basis of their accomplishments.


Now let us consider “God’s” work.  The Greek word here is different and recognizes that He is very active in His work, using the “active voice.”  He doesn’t need any help in what He is doing.  The term has the idea of “being at work, putting forth effective power and displaying one’s activity.”

What is important is that this term is frequently used of God in the NT.

o   1 Cor. 12:6: God works all in all.

o   Gal. 2:8: God was working effectively in Peter’s ministry to the Jews and was working effectively in Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles.

o   Gal. 3:5: God was giving the Spirit and working miracles.

o   Eph. 1:11: God works all things according to the counsel of His will.

o   Eph. 1:20ff: God worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand.

o   Eph. 3:20: God works in us to do exceedingly abundantly above what we ask or think.

o   Col. 1:29: Paul labored and strove according to God’s mighty working which was working in him mightily.

o   1 Th. 2:13: The word of God works effectively in believers.

Here is what we can rely on: when we set ourselves to work out our salvation God will be effectively working in us to produce the right desire and to give the needed strength.  Count on Him.  Do not give up in the battle.  In every story in the Bible, where men (including Christ) are being called on God for some purpose of His, if you look carefully at the story you will see that God is always at work in the person and in the situation.  Always!  And whether you see it or not, He is working in you to desire and do His good pleasure.