Explanation of Phil.2:12

**IamPJ** · August-11th-2011, 05:39 PM

Can someone explain what exactly this verse means? I know it's quoted often but I've never really understood it.

Philippians 2:12 ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I know it is God who does the work because of the very next verse, Phil. 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

What was Paul saying here in 2:12?

**mattfivefour** · August-11th-2011, 09:22 PM

Basically it means to cooperate with God. He has worked in our salvation; but to show it is real and to work it out into a life of service, He needs our cooperation. He cannot save a man who refuses to be saved ... and He cannot bring to a position of good fruit and much fruit a man who refuses to obey. Further, repeated refusal to obey (not failure due to weakness but failure due to total disobedience and lack of love for God) may in fact testify that we were never His in the first place. "Depart from Me! I NEVER knew you." Hence we are to ensure our obedience with fear and trembling. Indeed, in ALL we do we should do it according to Colossians 3:22-23.

That is what I understand and teach. And I believe it to be correct as the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. But please allow me to point you to some men who are far, far more knowledgeable than I could ever dream of being:

Marvin Vincent, a 19th century Presbyterian minister and one of the most reknowned scholars of Biblical Greek in history wrote the following on the words "fear and trembling" in his Word Studies in the New Testament:

"'Fear & trembling' Compare 2 Corinthians 7:15; Ephesians 6:5. Not slavish terror, but wholesome, serious caution. This fear is self-distrust; it is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness in the admonition 'be not highminded but fear.' It is taking heed lest we fall; it is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Savior. And these the child of God will feel and exercise the more he rises above the enfeebling, disheartening, distressing influence of the fear which hath torment. Well might Solomon say of such fear, 'happy is the man that feareth alway.' Compare 1 Peter 1:17."

Also you might be interest in what the outstanding British Baptist theologian and scholar John Gill wrote about Philippians 2:12 in his Commentary on the Bible published around 1850:

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; which is to be understood not in such a sense as though men could obtain and procure for themselves spiritual and eternal salvation by their own works and doings; for such a sense is contrary to the Scriptures, which deny any part of salvation, as election, justification, and calling, and the whole of it to be of works, but ascribe it to the free grace of God; and is also repugnant to the perfections of God, as his wisdom, grace, and righteousness; for where are the wisdom and love of God, in forming a scheme of salvation, and sending his Son to effect it, and after all it is left to men to work it out for themselves? and where is the justice of God in admitting of an imperfect righteousness in the room of a perfect one, which must be the case, if salvation is obtained by men's works? for these are imperfect, even the best of them; and is another reason against this sense of the passage; and were they perfect, they could not be meritorious of salvation, for the requisites of merits are wanting in them. Moreover, was salvation to be obtained by the works of men, these consequences would follow; the death of Christ would be in vain, boasting would be encouraged in men, they would have whereof to glory, and their obligations to obedience taken from the love of God, and redemption by Christ, would be weakened and destroyed: add to all this, that the Scriptures assure us, that salvation is alone by Christ; and that it is already finished by him, and not to be wrought out now by him, or any other; and that such is the weakness and impotence of men, even of believers, to whom this exhortation is directed, that it is impossible for them ever to affect it; therefore, whatever sense these words have, we may be sure that this can never possibly be the sense of them. The words may be rendered, "work about your salvation"; employ yourselves in things which accompany salvation, and to be performed by all those that expect it, though not to be expected for the performance of them; such as hearing of the word, submission to Gospel ordinances, and a discharge of every branch of moral, spiritual, and evangelical obedience for which the apostle before commends them, and now exhorts them to continue in; to go on in a course of cheerful obedience to the close of their days, believing in Christ, obeying his Gospel, attending constantly to his word and ordinances, and discharging every duty in faith and fear, until at last they should receive the end of their faith, the salvation of their souls: agreeably the Syriac version renders the words, , "do the work", or "business of your lives"; the work you are to do in your generation, which God has prescribed and directed you to, which the grace of God teaches, and the love of Christ constrains to. Do all that "with fear and trembling"; not with a slavish fear of hell and damnation, or lest they should fall away, or finally miscarry of heaven and happiness; since this would be a distrust of the power and faithfulness of God, and so criminal in them; nor is it reasonable to suppose, that the apostle would exhort to such a fear, when he himself was so confidently assured, that the good work begun in them would be performed; and besides, the exhortation would be very oddly formed, if this was the sense, "work out your salvation with fear" of damnation: but this fear and trembling spoken of, is such as is consistent with the highest acts of faith, trust, confidence, and joy, and is opposed to pride and vain glory; see Psalm 2:11; and intends modesty and humility, which is what the apostle is pressing for throughout the whole context; and here urges to a cheerful and constant obedience to Christ, with all humility of soul, without dependence on it, or vain glorying in it, but ascribing it wholly to the grace of God, for the following reason."

I pray this helps, PJ.

**Meg** · August-11th-2011, 10:47 PM

I like Matt's reply, especially the commentary from Marvin Vincent. There are far too many would-be Christians and much worse, sons and daughters of outright rebellion, taking forgiveness for granted and discrediting our faith and our Lord God. One word I really noticed missing in English translations is respect. One thing Jesus Christ really earns and deserves from each one of us is our respect. I have long wondered if that word is missing from the Greek language of the First Century, thus we are left with "fear and trembling" as a substitute.

We have nothing to fear from the Lord if we are sincere in our efforts to serve Him, even when our agonized cries on our worst days are less than flattering... (Been there done that, still in Christ, although I did repent of some of my worst moments...) Let us strive to honor Him in what we do and how we live, and when we do fail Him, as each of us has or will yet do, let us recognize our lapses and pick up the pieces and carry on. This, in my mind, is "working out our salvation with fear and trembling"...

**IamPJ** · August-12th-2011, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by Meg

I like Matt's reply, especially the commentary from Marvin Vincent. There are far too many would-be Christians and much worse, sons and daughters of outright rebellion, taking forgiveness for granted and discrediting our faith and our Lord God. One word I really noticed missing in English translations is respect. One thing Jesus Christ really earns and deserves from each one of us is our respect. I have long wondered if that word is missing from the Greek language of the First Century, thus we are left with "fear and trembling" as a substitute.

Thank you both for the replies Matt and Meg. I have a much clearer understanding now of this particular scripture.
And I agree with you Meg about the word "respect". You don't see it in the Bible and it fits well with the "fear and trembling".

This forum has been so helpful to me...thank ya'll.

**acceptedinthebeloved** · August-12th-2011, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by IamPJ

Can someone explain what exactly this verse means? I know it's quoted often but I've never really understood it.

Philippians 2:12 ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

I know it is God who does the work because of the very next verse, Phil. 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

What was Paul saying here in 2:12?

I've posted about this on the other forum, so I hope you don't mind my chiming in.

The Philippians were in "fearful circumstances."

Their mentor, Paul, was now in prison (a fearful circumstance).

Persecution was on the increase (a fearful circumstance).

Here's what I had written on the other forum (and though I would probably tweek it a bit, I hope you get the basic idea):

The context of the phrase "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" is where Paul is saying to the Philippians to "work it outwardly, despite the fearful circumstances" they found themselves in... (Paul was in prison). In other words, "fear not" and "just do it" (

) because "it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do of His good pleasure." They didn't need Paul's presence, afterall. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Philippians 1:28a gives one clue to this being the intended meaning: "in nothing [be] terrified by your adversaries."

Paul tells them (by way of encouragement) that "many of the brethren..., waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Philippians 1:14

In verse 12 (the verse in question, and key), Paul mentions the distinction between their being in his presence, and now (much more) in his absence, to work it outwardly because it was "God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." They were to be confident in this.

This should all be understood in light of Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Therein we find boldness. Understanding our (legal and permanent) "position" in Christ directly affects our "condition," that is, our walk in the Christian life in this world.

One writer expressed it this way:

By it he works out "his own salvation with fear and trembling," from every trap and from every snare which Satan spreads in his path. Fear and trembling will always accompany me - not distrust of God, but distrust of myself - because I see what a poor thing I am in conflict with my wily foe, and how I tend to respond to the very suggestions which he makes to me on the road.
...

It is important also to notice that this verse (Phil. 2:12) is one of the texts which is used by the enemies of the truth to deny that one can know that he has the salvation of the soul. They say, "Even Paul tells the Philippians to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling." When the context is seen this assumed difficulty disappears. It is most disastrous to take words or passages of Scripture out of their connection; for, if kept and read where God has placed them, the harmony and beauty of the whole is preserved; and what is more, the enemy is often defeated by the very text with which he sought to, defeat us. No one need fear to look at the passages of Scripture he quotes.

- HC Anstey (1888)

Hope that helps!

**mattfivefour** · August-12th-2011, 05:06 PM

Excellent, accepted! Your post on the context of Philippians as a whole demonstrates once again that in scriptural study the broader context indeed illuminates the narrower, and vice versa. I like particularly Brother Anstey's statement "Fear and trembling will always accompany me - not distrust of God, but distrust of myself - because I see what a poor thing I am in conflict with my wily foe, and how I tend to respond to the very suggestions which he makes to me on the road." How so very true! Some of those old Brethren elders were very wise men with much good doctrine. I myself have advanced my academic studies though a Brethren College.

**acceptedinthebeloved** · August-12th-2011, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by mattfivefour

Excellent, accepted! Your post on the context of Philippians as a whole demonstrates once again that in scriptural study the broader context indeed illuminates the narrower, and vice versa. I like particularly Brother Anstey's statement "Fear and trembling will always accompany me - not distrust of God, but distrust of myself - because I see what a poor thing I am in conflict with my wily foe, and how I tend to respond to the very suggestions which he makes to me on the road." How so very true! Some of those old Brethren elders were very wise men with much good doctrine. I myself have advanced my academic studies though a Brethren College.

Very good!