WORKING OUT

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-16 NKJV 

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; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 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, 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. 

So if you are brave enough to venture into this devotional, I have some good news. The good news is that this devotional is not about working out from a physical standpoint. 

But this is about a spiritual workout. And the truth of the matter is that spiritual workouts are challenging. Even more challenging than a physical workout.  

Paul writes to work out your own salvation. Notice he does not say work for your own salvation. No, he is referring to working or practicing on the outside what has been done in us on the inside.  

Verse 13 gives a bit more insight. We work out what God is working in us. He is working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. In chapter one, verse six, Paul writes that God started a good work in us, and He will complete it.  

But He needs us to work with Him. To do and practice what God is doing in us.  

In verse 14, we see an example of working out what has been worked in us. Do all things without complaining or grumbling. And do all things without disputing or arguing. Even in Paul's day, that would cause someone to stand out as different. It certainly does today. 

But the purpose of this workout, this exercise, is to show ourselves to be His children. We belong to Him. He wants us to be blameless and harmless. He wants us to be different without fault because we are called to shine as a light in the world.  

Another aspect of working out is holding on tight to God's word of life, not merely being able to quote scriptures. Rather holding onto by acting or practicing God's word.  

Paul said if the people would do these things, he would know that he had not wasted his time. He would be rejoicing. 

APPLICATION: 

Coming to faith in Christ is relatively easy. Living for Him is a very different story.  

And we have a part to play in our Christian growth and development. We are required to work out what God is working in us.  

We must live differently in a dark world because we are different. And in living in the light of what God has done in us, we will shine. We are called to hold tight to God's word and glorify Him on the earth. 

PRAYER: 

Dear Lord help me to display on the outside what you have done in me on the inside. Thank You for continuing Your work in me.