12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. (Php 2:12-13, NIV)
As we have eyes to see we start to notice verses throughout Scripture where both the sovereignty and freedom of God are stated right alongside the responsibility and freedom of mankind. This characteristic holds true in Philippians 2:12-13. It’s tempting to conclude that these two statements are confusing and confrontational to any harmonious understanding; however, such a conclusion will not do because of the way Paul wrote what he did here. Let’s look closely for a minute and see if might attain some clarity toward Paul’s understanding of God’s work and ours.
Beginning with verse 12 we can see Paul calling his friends to obey him in something in Paul’s absence that they have been obeying in his presence. The something he wants them to obey is to “continue to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.” This active working out is their responsibility. If we stop for a moment to consider what Paul throughout the rest of the New Testament I think it is clear that Paul’s not one to by flippant or even toy around with his readers. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Paul labored so that those he was ministering to would grow up into maturity in Christ. Therefore, it’s quite safe to assume he’s not messing around with his readers here either. He’s not telling them to do something they’re unable to do. That would be cruel. He’s telling them to do something that’s only possible if God were working through them (Mt. 19:26). Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Paul’s invitation here to his friends assumes human responsibility and freedom. So farthey have obeyed—freedom.They mustcontinue to work out their salvation—responsibility. Immediately following this call in verse 12 we see the ground upon which Paul has placed this calling.
Verse 13 begins with the little but tremendously important word, “for.” With “for” Paul is telling his friends that they can work out their salvation with fear and trembling “because”[1] it is God working in them to fulfill his good pleasure. The means by which Paul’s friends will be able to work out their salvation is God working through them. This is evident because “for” and the remainder of verse 13 function as the ground clause upon which verse 12 is able to be lived (worked) out. If it were the case the verse 13 was not true, verse 12 would be an empty and impossible task; however, since verse 13 is true, verse 12 is a call worth following.
For a moment longer continue to look closely at verse 13 with me and notice three things that further help us understand what’s going on here.
Our willing is based on God’s working.
Our acting is based on God’s working.
Both our willing and acting fulfill God’s good purpose.
Isn’t it amazing what Paul’s saying here? Even our will (desire) to be obedient to the call in Philippians is from God. And not only is our desire from God, but our genuine acting out (working out) our desire is from God. Lastly, our desire and our acting out our desire are working together to fulfill God’s plan.
Paul didn’t write Philippians 2:12-13 in order to trip people up or make them wonder which is greater: the sovereignty and freedom of God or the responsibility and freedom of mankind. He wrote Philippians 2:12-13 to show them (and us!) what’s always going on behind the scenes whenever we’re exercising our freedom in responsibly working out our salvation with fear and trembling. Whenever we’re moving forward in this, we’re only moving forward in so much as God is working through us so thatwe move forward. In only the way C. S. Lewis could put it, while writing about the meaning behind the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man Lewis wrote, “When we carry it up to relations between God and Man, has the distinction perhaps become nonsensical? After all, when we are most free, it is only with the freedom God has given us: and when our will is most influenced by Grace [God], it is still our will.”[2]
Does this truth make your responsibility and freedom meaningless? In the words of Paul: by no means! On the contrary, the truth of God’s sovereignty and freedom working in tandem withy our responsibility and freedom makes yourresponsibility and freedom all the more real than they would have been had they been absent of the work of God. Working out your salvation with fear and trembling because God is working in you both to will and to work it out for his good purpose is the only real and true way this takes place. Don’t push against the sovereignty of God to keep your freedom safe as if they were enemies. As C. H. Spurgeon once famously stated when asked to reconcile God’s sovereignty and human responsibility: “I never reconcile friends.” Instead, welcome and embrace the sovereign work of God in and through you and you’ll experience a freedom like no other.
[1]One of the most helpful tools in biblical exegesis is to understand the way in which the words “for,” “because,” “therefore,” and “so” function. The New Testament writers (especially those writing epistles) use words like “for” and “therefore” as transitional words, which link ideas and conclusions from different parts of their letters, sometimes chapters apart and at other times verses apart. Recognizing the way they’re used helps us understand an author’s thought process. Stated briefly, the words “for” and “because” can be used interchangeably. You could say, “I’m going to lunch because I’m hungry” or “I’m going to lunch for I’m hungry.” Both “because” and “for” function in the same way—they give the ground for why the action is taking place. Hunger is the reason (ground) why I’m going to lunch. If you flip the ground with action you would then use “therefore” or “so.” In that way you could say, “I’m hungry therefore I’m going to lunch” or “I’m hungry so I’m going to lunch.”
[2]Yours, Jack, 1st ed. [New York: HarperOne, 2008] 186.