What does Paul mean here?
Work out your salvation with fear and trembling
- Thread starter Bright Raven
- Start date
oatmeal
Well-known member
Having received the gift of salvation we are do something with it.
The word work out is the word energeo, to energize it.
Ephesians 2:8-10 makes it clear that now that we have received the gift has God things for us to do.
Does he mean to work it out together until you are assured of your salvation?
No! Your salvation is secure. We are not told to work for our salvation, but to work it out in the practice of our lives. Our salvation is received entirely by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9).Works can no longer retain salvation for us than they can achieve it in the first place, but they are visible evidence of salvation. We have been created to do good works (2:10) if we are truly saved. The very next verse, in fact, assures us that God is now is working in us through His indwelling Holy Spirit (Henry Morris Study Bible)
I mean to talk and discuss until you are confident that you are in Him. Not works.
My previous answer should be sufficient. Ephesians 2:8-10 is KEY.
I wasn't talking about works in my response to you that you replied to though.
Good!
How is it with fear and trembling?
That is for you to figure out fear and trembling is not the same for all people.
Was work our your own salvation to individuals then instead of the collective body?
Each must attain their own salvation and work out that salvation.
Where does the word own come from (other translations are a source of or for it)?
Philippians 2:12 NASB
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
Who's salvation are you going to work out, your own or someone else's? It is common sense but for your question the "own" is not placed in the Scripture but in the commentary of the commentator.
I see that the NIV is like the NASB in that it does not have the word own. My point is that Paul is exhorting the church (of or at Philippi). Of course we are individuals. But he was instructing a group of people.
a Point well taken. But he was still speaking to individual people.
Okay. Great. I just want to be sure that I as an individual get assistance from others in working out my salvation, rather than a church working out its salvation in reference to another church.
That may be part of the process.
Amen. Awesome. Thank you.
I have been dogmatic before so this helps me to see the big picture.