Reasons for Working Out Salvation (Phil. 2:14-18)

Paul continues with his theme of his readers ‘working out their own salvation’. In the previous verses his challenge to them included the necessity of doing so with fear and trembling because of the presence of God. The Lord sees everything that takes place in their lives and he also knows their motives. Clearly the presence of God should cause believers to behave correctly. If they do not, then he will chastise them.

What does Paul have in mind when he urges his readers to engage in this activity? His desire is that they would become like Jesus. So we should bear in mind the description of Jesus that Paul gave in verses 5-8, especially about humility, and in verses 9-11, especially about pleasing the Father.

Living before a watching world

The first reason that Paul gives is that his readers should remember who is watching them. He reminds them that it is not only God who is doing so. There is another audience observing them, and that is the society in which they live, which Paul describes as ‘a crooked and perverse generation’ (probably a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:5 where Moses speaks about wrong behaviour that indicates those guilty of it were not God’s children). 

Paul is reminding them that they have to be different from those among whom they live. The differences are not those required by the world – it is important to stress that the world does not set the agenda of the church – but those required by God. These requirements are many, so obviously Paul could not mention them all here. The fact that he does not mention others does not mean that they could be ignored by the Philippians. Yet inevitably he would only mention the ones that were appropriate to the situation in Philippi.

As far as we can tell, the problem in the church in Philippi was connected to the fact that two of the members were not getting on with one another. The dispute between Euodia and Syntyche was so strong that Epaphroditus, the believer from Philippi who had come to Paul in Rome with the church’s gift, told Paul about it. Paul is not writing to a church made up of perfect members when he gives his requirements in verses 14-16. Instead he is writing to a church in which there were disagreements taking place. It is to such people that he says, ‘Do all things without complaining and disputing.’

The word that is translated ‘complaining’ concerns outward responses whereas the term translate ‘disputing’ describes inward attitudes. Complaining can be done in all kinds of ways and can be said in pious words. Disputing usually involves confrontation and unhelpful arguments. Paul is not saying that individuals cannot question an issue, but he is saying that there are wrong ways to deal with it. It is evident that Paul desired that everything be done from a spirit of peace, that believers should not be the cause of inflaming situations.

We should note the range of circumstances which this admonition states: ‘all things.’ Paul uses the description ‘all things’ several times. One of these other uses is Romans 8:28 where he says that God is able to work all things for the benefit of his church. Romans 8:28 and Philippians 2:14 balance one another. We should not complain in any circumstance because God can work all circumstances for our good.

Living as children of God

In verse 15, Paul states the outcome of a peaceable spirit: they would have the necessary qualifications for living as God’s witnesses in the world. His words remind us that our actions towards one another either qualify or disqualify us as witnesses for God. If the individuals in Philippi who were not living in a peaceable way continued with their sinful attitudes and actions, it would cause the church to have no spiritual influence in the lives of others. We are all aware of the effects of church disputes on communities. People use it as an excuse not to listen to the message of the gospel.

A peaceable spirit brings growth in sanctification. Paul assures his readers that if they cease from complaining and disputing they will develop spiritual qualities. The outcome will be seen in their lives, they will be blameless and harmless. Blamelessness means that onlookers cannot point a finger at us, accusing us of wrong behaviour. Harmlessness means that our actions do not have a detrimental effect on those who observe our behaviour. The goal of such behaviour is to be without fault. This obviously does not mean sinlessness, but it does mean that our conduct must be above reproach in order for the effect of our witness to be beneficial to the world.

A peaceable spirit will ensure that people recognise that we are the children of God. One of the Beatitudes is, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.’ Paul says here that if we are free of complaining and disputing, people will acknowledge that we are like God. In order to appreciate his point here, it may be helpful to consider the relationship that Christians have to their heavenly Father.

The New Testament approaches the relationship from three angles. First, we become children of God by adoption. This imagery illustrates the status that is given to those who once were slaves to sin. In the ancient world, a wealthy person would sometimes adopt a slave and make him the heir. God finds his people in a very low state and elevates them to the highest state possible by making them members of his family.

Second, we become his children by regeneration. ‘But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God’ (John 1:12-13). Obviously, regeneration is part of the total package that happens to a sinner when he is converted; it also includes justification and adoption and many other aspects of salvation. If adoption points to the possession of liberty from slavery, regeneration concerns the giving of life to those who were dead in sins.

Third, we become his children by transformation. In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus said to his listeners: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.’

Each of these aspects of the relationship to the Father is connected to one another. We need divine life to live a transformed life. Our status as sons demands that we live a transformed life. Our aim should always be to reveal who our Father is; our lives tell others what God is like.

Such behaviour means that the Philippians can declare the message of the gospel with clarity. Paul likens believers to stars that shine in the darkness. The darkness refers to the crooked and perverse generation. Yet no matter how dark a place is, the stars can easily be seen, even from a long distance away. The necessity of living a holy life is so that we will have credibility when we communicate the gospel. If we live like the world, we will be part of the darkness and our attempts to spread the gospel will not even be noticed. It is therefore important that each of our lives is Christlike, that we stand out as different from the world around us.

Paul describes the gospel as ‘the word of life’. The phrase suggests that it is alive as well as being the way to life. In Romans 1:16, he had written that he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. Therefore he urges his readers in Philippi to hold fast to it. They were not to let go of the gospel as the foundation on which they were building their spiritual lives.

Yet Paul does not focus primarily on individual witness. He stresses a togetherness as the church in Philippi spreads the gospel. All it takes for the church’s witness to become ineffective in a community is for one of the members not to live a holy life. This is why we cannot ignore what effects our behaviour has on the corporate witness of the church. Others read us as a congregation as well as individuals. If they see us doing wrong, they will conclude that is what our congregation is like. If somebody observed Euodia and Syntyche disagreeing, he would assume they were a church that liked to argue among themselves. If he saw them trying to outdo one another, he would conclude that the church did not mind self-promotion among its members.

Of course, we know that we cannot give a perfect witness because we are sinners. This is why mutual forgiveness is essential. If we don’t forgive one another, the world will conclude that we don’t take very seriously the command of Jesus to forgive one another. The world would have no answer if they observed Euodia and Syntyche embracing one another in a penitent manner.

Living in light of the Day of Christ

Paul includes another important reason for working out our salvation. Not only is God at work within us, not only is the world watching us, but on the day of judgement we will give account for the use we have made of Christ’s servants.

One wrong deduction that many believers make regarding their sins is that if they are pardoned of them it means that God will not deal with them for sins they commit as believers. Yet the New Testament makes it clear that believers will give an account for what they have done. For example, in 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul writes to Christians: ‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.’

Obviously, the fact that unbelievers will appear before the judgement seat is something that such should take to heart very seriously. For them, it will be a judgement of condemnation when they will be punished by Jesus Christ. Yet for believers also the judgement will be a solemn day.

There are many reasons why such an event is necessary. One such reason is connected to the many situations in which a person has suffered from unjust accusations and perhaps lost his reputation. As Spurgeon put it in a sermon in 2 Corinthians 5:10, on that day there will be a resurrection of reputations as well as bodies. Another reason for this judgement is connected to the type of service that was given. Much that has been done in the name of Christ may have done for the wrong motives. Paul refers in chapter 1 of Philippians to those who were preaching Christ from wrong motives. The truth of the matter will be made plain. There are many aspects of the lives of Christians that will be revealed, both the good things and the bad. The secret acts of kindness that we did quietly for Christ will receive his great reward, as the parable of the sheep and goats in Matthew 25 makes clear. On the other hand, the gossiping and backbiting, the scheming and the provoking, will be revealed. Jesus assures us that every idle word will be brought up at the judgement day (Matt. 12:36).

Of course, one reason why Paul mentions this future day of accounts is to ensure that his readers will bear this in mind. Each of them, and us, should say when we are about to say something, read something, look at something, listen to something, do something: ‘I am yet to appear before Jesus Christ.’ It is an incentive to holy living to becoming Christlike.

The reality is that every Christian on that day will have something about which he or she has regrets. And on that day, as they sense the forgiving grace of God in that he has pardoned these failures, they will appreciate in a new way the magnificence of his mercy. When they realise that all these failures and sins have been cleansed in the atoning work of Jesus, they will sing all the louder to him from thankful hearts. And as they think that the Holy Spirit continued to work in them when they sinned, bringing them to repentance and restoration many times in their lives, they will express gratitude for his faithfulness.

Listen to the appeal of their spiritual father

Paul has already mentioned several reasons why his readers should work out their salvation: the presence of God, observance of the world, responsibility of living like children of God, and the coming day of Christ. He now mentions one more – his own personal relationship to them.

The apostle realised that he would be deprived of a source of rejoicing if his readers should be found wanting before the judgement seat of Christ. It was possible that their refusal to sort out their differences would cause him to have laboured in vain as far as these arguing individuals were concerned.

So Paul concludes this request for Christlikeness by a reference to the sacrificial systems. It was customary for a small thank offering to be offered alongside a larger offering of an animal. Paul wanted an aspect of his Christian life to involve thankfulness for the Philippians’ life of service. He desired to be thankful on the Day of Christ and thankful should he hear before then of their ongoing service for Christ. In using this illustration, Paul revealed that he was a humble man. No one else would think that his contribution was smaller than what the Philippians had done or would do. But he had a low opinion of his achievements.