"Work out your own Salvation with Fear and Trembling"... can someone explain what this means?
A true member of the body of Jesus Christ has come to realize, it is with difficulty, and it takes much work in studying God's Word daily, spending much time in His Word, overcoming the evil and sins of the world and church, enduring and standing up against difficult situations and trials. He also realizes and needs to pray continually and daily without fail for understanding of His Word, and to receive help through His Holy Spirit, to overcome and endure to the end. This is also "working out your own salvation." The apostle Peter also gives this admonition along with what Paul said in Phil. 2:12, that saints must work at their salvation in order to be saved, by saying in I Peter 4:18 - "And if the righteous scarcely, scarcely meaning with difficulty and much work, be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" This means that those that are yet sinners, and who do confess that they are still sinners in the church and by this their confession are ungodly, and are not righteous. This is the fruit of not working out their salvation. These are members that still have yet a great trial before them before they can be saved! Salvation is not a one time thing of saying I believe in Jesus. You salvation must be worked on daily. Seek forgiveness daily for any sins you commit. There is no once saved always saved. If you sin you need to seek forgiveness and repent and should be done on a daily basis. One is not truly saved until they are in the arms of the Lord and that does not happen until death. We must endure til the end to be saved
Paul said to "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" does that mean use hell to get converts?
Dear Friend, First of all, Paul is talking to "believers." Those who have already accepted Jesus as their Savior. You cannot work out salvation unless you have a relationship with Christ. Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. Paul is not teaching that salvation can be earned by works. Throughout his writings, he repeatedly emphasizes that salvation is not by works ...but, by faith in the Lord Jesus. The Greek word here in this text for "fear" is: G5401 φόβος phobos fob'-os From a primary φέβομαι phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm or fright: - be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror. The Greek word in this text for the word "trembling" is: G5156 τρόμος tromos trom'-os From G5141; a “trembling”, that is, quaking with fear: - + tremble (-ing). Christian's should take their salvation very seriously. Jesus most certainly did. He died a horrible death in order to redeem us back to the Father. Therefore it is vital for all Christian's to "advance" into holiness, and make themselves available for God to use them for His honor and glory.
What does it mean to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12, KJV)?
"Romans 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." "<< Galatians 6:4 >> King James Bible But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another." We are ALL held personally accountable to what we allow ourselves to be taught. While the religious leaders bear the heavier burden for what they teach and the responsibility they have towards those that trust them to do their "work" Each person is ALSO personally accountable to make sure that is correct. (now watch this was from some meeting or article and I look like a doof I haven't studied again for tonight yet) THANKS AMP MAN, I went back and read 13 AND 14 and v 14 is what I am working on in my personal study right now, no more whining and complianing, work it out. No more "Israelite murmuring or whining!" :)
What does St Paul mean by "work out your salvation with fear and trembling?"?
If you read the context of the chapter he's talking about those who are quibbling with each other and how they should do nothing exalting themselves but to humble themselves as Christ also humbled Himself and took on the form of a servant and not the commander. Paul is talking about the daily walk and how they need to fear that one day they will meet the Lord and he will require them to give an account of what they were doing while they were down here. People don't understand that although the salvation of our souls is a free gift by Christ there are rewards that we can have, hang on to, or lose by forfeiting them by neglecting a holy life before God. This also takes faith ... Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. So, he's talking about true Christian service here.
Why does the Bible say to work out your salvation in fear and trembling?
To understand most of what Paul writes, you are going to need to read the entire book, just like me. It's not about ability, it's about getting the full picture to begin with. Actually, you'd need to carefully read at least one gospel also. To have a chance to understand some of the harder verses, like this one, you'd really need to read most of the New Testament, and without a prejudice that blocks your understanding. The verse means one needs to leave behind their old life, and that will make anyone tremble and have some fear. But even telling you this may be meaningless, without that bigger context.
What did it mean when Paul said to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling?
It's a poor translation of the original Greek.κατεργάζομαι katergazomai which better translates to "finish or complete, to make perfect" It should say "...complete your salvation..." James explain that we do that by putting our faith to work BY DOING THINGS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD Jas 2:14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Jas 2:15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, Jas 2:16 and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"—but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? Jas 2:17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Jas 2:18 Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds." Jas 2:19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. [fn] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. Jas 2:20 How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless? ============================= Try the NLT for understanding Phl 2:12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. Phl 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Phl 2:14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, Phl 2:15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.
Philippians 2.12: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.?
If the word fear interpreted as awe, then why did the translators not say awe? Several different translations say fear, not awe. Fear means fear and awe means awe. Don't try to make the Bible say something it doesn't say. Look for the expression in different parts of the Bible. # Job 4:13-15 Amid disquieting dreams in the night, when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling seized me and made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end. # Psalm 55:4-6 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest Paul may have meant it in a slightly different way, but he was well aware of Job and Psalms, being a Pharisee. Christians are not supposed to be smug, convinced of their own salvation no matter what they do. We should fear God's wrath for the sins we have committed. All wiped away by Jesus? What about after our conversion to Christianity? How many times did Jesus die for our sins? So what makes us think we can go on sinning after we became Christians? Jesus often healed the sick and said, "go and sin no more, or something worse will happen to you." So how can we think we can have our sins forgiven and continue to sin? Each one of us needs to do a moral inventory, and work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Christians, what does "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" mean?
Working out your own salvation. 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; a. Therefore . . . as you have always obeyed: We should not miss the connection between the obedience Jesus showed (Philippians 2:8) and the obedience Paul expects of the Philippians (Philippians 2:12). b. Work out your own salvation: We know that Paul does not mean “work so as to earn your own salvation.” Such a statement would contradict the whole of Paul’s gospel. c. Work out your own salvation: What Paul does mean is he calls the Philippians to put forth real effort into their Christians lives. This is not to work their salvation in the sense of accomplishing it, but to work out their salvation - to see it evident in every area of their lives, to activate this salvation God freely gave them. i. “The believer must finish, must carry to conclusion, must apply to its fullest consequences what is already given by God in principle . . . He must work out what God in His grace has worked in.” (Muller) ii. “He exhorts as if he were an Arminian in addressing men. He prays as if he were a Calvinist in addressing God and feels no inconsistency in the two attitudes. Paul makes no attempt to reconcile divine sovereignty and human free agency, but boldly proclaims both.” (Robertson) d. Now much more in my absence: In context, Paul asks for this Christian work ethic (not a works ethic) to be promoted all the more because of his absence. e. With fear and trembling: Paul’s idea is not that we should live our Christian lives with a constant sense of fear and terror, but that we should live with a fear of failing to work out your own salvation.
In the New Testament, Paul says that we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Can you explain?
The phrase "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" is often misused to instill fear into people, warning them that it means that they can lose salvation. Paul can hardly be encouraging believers to live in a continuous condition of nervousness and anxiety. That would contradict his many other exhortations to peace of mind, courage, and confidence in God who authors our salvation. The Greek word "fear" translated in this context can equally mean "reverence" or "respect". Paul uses the same phrase in 2 Corinthians 7:15, where he refers to Titus as being encouraged by the Corinthians’ reception of him "with fear and trembling", that is, with great humility and respect for his position as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul himself came to the Corinthian church in "weakness and fear, and with much trembling" (1 Corinthians 2:3), mindful of the great and awesome nature of the work in which he was engaged. In the same way, we can also be mindful of the importance and awesome nature of our own humble walk with God - with attentive reverence and the utmost respect.
Why did Paul tell the Philippians to work out their salvation in fear and trembling?
Remember, Bruce, that Paul is writing to those who are already saved. They are saved by faith alone, which is a constant theme in all of Paul's letters — constant. Again and again I have pointed out the basic rule of Biblical hermeneutics, that we always interpret Sacred Scripture by Sacred Scripture, and it follows that we must interpret narrative by didactic, implicit by explicit and the obscure portions by the clear teachings. Proof-texting, in the way many present this type of question, is a mark of scripture twisting and is a favorite venue for various cults. Thus, such interpretation — or even a hint of such — is best avoided. To understand a text we must understand the purposes for which the original writer wrote the text. In this case, Paul's subject words, "my dear friends, as you have always obeyed ..." are as important as his predicate words, "continue to work out" and his object words "your salvation." Also, don't forget the "therefore" — whenever we see a "therefore" we must always look back to find out what the "therefore" is there for. Vv. 8-11 describe Christ who will return in glory and power — the greatest power in the universe so that "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess" his Sovereign lordship. That's a "fear and trembling" momment if ever there was or will be one. It is beyond dangerous for us to make up our soteriology from a single verse or two. Here's what the Bible Knowledge Commentary has to say about vv. 12-13: "This outworking was to be done “with fear and trembling,” with a complete trust in God and not in themselves. The only way this could be realized was through God who would enable them to do it (v. 13). Paul told the Philippian saints that God worked in them so that they could do His good pleasure and accomplish His good purpose. Both divine enablement and human responsibility are involved in getting God’s work done. Believers are partners with God, laboring together with Him. The verb works (v. 13) means “energizes” or “provides enablement.” God makes His own both willing and desirous to do His work." Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. 1983-c1985. The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Victor Books: Wheaton, IL