What are we supposed to do about it? When we read great hymns of the faith like Philippians 2:5-11 about Jesus voluntarily choosing crucifixion and then experiencing exaltation after he arose, we may wonder, “what are we supposed to do about it?”
In context, Paul is asking the believers to humble themselves in their relationships with one another just as Christ humbled himself. Continuing with the theme, he says, therefore my dear friends . . . as you have always obeyed. The Philippians were on their best behavior when Paul was there. Now he reminds them in his absence to continue to obey and to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.
This sets off some of our Baptist eternal security alarms, doesn’t it? Let me try to help, if I may. Paul does not say continue to work for your salvation or even work on your salvation. God is the one who saved us. Our work is to bring what he has done for us into practice. If we confess that Jesus is Lord, then surely we will do what he says. Once Jesus asked, “why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?” Good question. He is either Lord of all or not Lord at all.
As we continue to grow in Christlikeness, we work out our salvation, not to earn it but to demonstrate that it is real. This is what we call sanctification. As Dallas Willard taught, the gospel is opposed to earning but not to effort. The best news is that we are not in this work alone. God is working in us, so that we will and act to fulfill God’s purpose. So God is working on us while we are working out our salvation. Apart from Christ we can do nothing. With him, we can grow to fulfill God’s perfect plan for our lives.
