Work out (2716) (katergazomai from katá = intensifies meaning of verb + ergazomai = labor, work or engage in an activity involving considerable expenditure of effort) means to work out fully and thoroughly, to accomplish or achieve an end (implying thoroughness), to finish or carry something to its conclusion. To work so as to bring something to fulfillment or successful completion and implies doing something with thoroughness. It means to do that from which something results. This verb always means to complete the effort and the work begun. Working out their salvation is the way to keep obeying as they had been obeying. As Wil Pounds renders it... Work out what God has worked in when you were born again. Bring the whole purpose of your salvation to completion. Don’t stop short of seeing the fulfillment of your very existence. Paul uses the present imperative which is a command calling for the readers to make it their life's work to carry this out, bringing it to the goal (the goal of Christ likeness, "conformed to the image of His Son" Ro 8:29-note). Thus this is not an optional exercise. In addition note Paul's use of the middle voice, which pictures the subject of the verb as the one who initiates the action and then participates in the results/effects of that action. The point is that believers have a responsibility to put forth real effort in their Christian lives and it is not just "let go and let God." (aka "quietism" the opposite extreme being "pietism" - click for more discussion of these two extremes - Dr. John MacArthur) In fact, Paul is commanding a continuous, sustained effort in this verse (balanced by a description of the continual, sufficient provision of divine desire and power in Php 2:13). Thus the clause could be rendered more fully as... You yourself keep on bringing your salvation fully to its intended goal. The point is do not go half-way in your salvation. Do not take bits and pieces when there is a whole parcel to be had. God has given us new life in Christ, but His desire is for us to experience this life abundantly in His Son (Jn 10:10). So don't be satisfied with just a little when you can have much! Go on, keeping growing until your salvation is completed (2Pe 3:18-note), confident that He Who began that good work will complete it in the day of Christ Jesus (Php 1:6-note) Notice that this verse implies that the believer has both freedom and responsibility. The responsibility of man in this verse as noted is balanced by the divine sovereignty in the next verse (Phil 2:13-note). Paul says believers are to continually be perfecting Christ likeness, that glorious supernatural life which commenced at the time of our new birth. Dearly beloved, is this your ongoing experience - increasing Christ likeness? If not why not? We will have no excuse at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2Co 5:10-note), "seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2Pe 1:3-note) Note that the "provision" is not nebulous or out of our reach but is rooted in true knowledge which in turn indicates that you must daily be in the Word of Truth (cp Jn 17:17), not so much that you might know, but that you would grow! How's your time in the Word? While reading through the Bible in a year is great, it is far better to daily "ingest" a small portion of "filet mignon" (Mt 4:4, Job 23:12-note) and "chew" it well (See Meditation) so that you might "digest" it fully and it might be "assimilated" completely into your innermost being, resulting in real, tangible growth in Christ likeness, as you live out that truth in Spirit energized obedience (cp 1Pe 2:2-note, Micah 6:8, Jn 7:17, Ep 4:15-note, Col 1:10-note, 2Th 1:3, Ps 92:12-note). The power that compels us comes from the Spirit who indwells us. Handley Moule places the command to work out our salvation in proper perspective writing that... We have still in our ears the celestial music, infinitely sweet and full, of the great paragraph of the incarnation, the journey of our Lord of love from glory to glory by the way of the awful cross...the immediate sequel is—that we are to be holy. We are to act in the light and wonder of so vast an act of love, in the wealth and resource of ‘so great salvation.’ We are to set spiritually to work. As C H Spurgeon wisely advised... Hurried reading is of little benefit; to sit down awhile and meditate is very profitable (cp Mary in Lk 10:39, 42). Martyn Lloyd Jones writes that working out what God has worked in... is the practical exhortation of the New Testament gospel to us today. I must now perfect (Ed: bring to final form so as to leave nothing wanting = speaks of our continual direction toward this goal) this thing which has been given to me. The seed has been planted; I have been given it in embryo. My business is to allow and to encourage this gift to grow and develop, until it comes to its final perfection and full maturity. I have got the gift: I need not be worried lest God is not present and not with me. God is working in me and I must develop it all I can. (Philippians 2:12-13 Working Out Our Own Salvation) The KJV Bible Commentary notes that... Our salvation is worked in by the Holy Spirit in answer to faith in God’s promises and it is worked out by the Holy Spirit by our obedience to God’s precepts. It is always a matter of trust and obey...No one can live the Christian life until he has Christ. It is not a matter of the imitation of Christ but the manifestation of Christ, the Holy Spirit reproducing the life of Christ in and through the believer. (Dobson, E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV Bible Commentary: Nelson) William Barclay says that katergazomai always has the idea of bringing to completion. It is as if Paul says: “Don’t stop halfway; go on until the work of salvation is fully wrought out in you.” No Christian should be satisfied with anything less than the total benefits of the gospel." And so he translates this as "carry to its perfect conclusion". (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series, Rev. ed. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press) TDNT writes that katergazomai is... found from the time of Sophocles, means a. “to bear down to the ground,” “to overcome,” maintaining the older local sense of kata; b. “to work at,” “make.” Refined by constant use, it gradually takes on the sense of the simple, so that the verb signifies working at, and finally accomplishing a task." (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament) The idea is to "work out” as one does when referring to the working out of a problem in mathematics, that is, carrying it to its ultimate goal or conclusion. The Greek word katergazomai here means just this. Katergazomai describes not the spirit in which the work is done, but the aim and issue—"carry through" and so it represents the full and final bringing of an enterprise to a successful conclusion. Katergazomai was used by the Romans to describe "working a mine" or "working a field" and in each case there were benefits that followed such diligence. The mine would yield precious metals...and the field would yield fruit and crops. Paul's point is that by working out our salvation, believers bring the whole purpose of salvation to completion. In a sense then we are to daily "mine out" of our lives all the richness of the great a salvation which God has so graciously "deposited" within each believer. Remember that in chapter 1 (Php 1:11-note) Paul said believers had been "filled with the fruit of righteousness" (perfect tense which describes a completed, permanent state) and here using katergazomai Paul is saying "work the field" and bear the fruit of righteousness in your daily Christian walk. D R Jenkins offers an analogy to help explain how God works in (Php 2:13) and we work out... How does God work? (1) In the tree by air, light, heat, rain, and dew, and the tree works out in wood, leaves, and fragrant blossoms. (2) In man by means of His truth, Spirit, and grace, and we work them out in love, joy, etc. (Galatians 5:22, 23). (Biblical Illustrator - online) J C Ryle reminds us... If there is anything which a man ought to do thoroughly, authentically, truly, honestly, and with all of his heart, it is the business of his soul. If there is any work which he ought never to slight, and do in a careless fashion, it is the great work of "working out his own salvation" (Philippians 2:12). Believer in Christ, remember this! Whatever you do in religion, do it well. Be authentic. Be thorough. Be honest. Be true. (Authentic Religion) A W Pink... As Matthew Henry (1662-1714) pointed out, "Many are more inquisitive respecting who shall be saved, and who not—than respecting what they shall do to be saved." "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12) is a word which many need to attend unto. (Ed: Pink is not saying we work for our salvation as we could earn it but we do carry out the daily business of working out our growth in Christ likeness.) (Curiosity Rebuked) Thomas Watson writes that... Happiness is not attainable, but in the use of means. Now, the use of means implies practice. Salvation must not only be sought out by knowledge, but wrought out by practice, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12. There can be no crown without running, no recompense without diligence. (The Good Practitioner) William Dyer notes why it is so important to work out our salvation... Until you attain to firm salvation--you will never be free from great temptation. C H Spurgeon rightly notes that... What is to be worked out must first be worked in. An unconverted man can work nothing out, for there is nothing in. You have faith; work it out then; act like a believer; trust God in daily life. Be you Christlike, inasmuch as the Spirit of Christ dwells in you. Salvation is to be worked out. Holiness is salvation. We are not to work out our salvation from the guilt of sin; Christ has done that, but from the power of sin. God has in effect worked that in; He has broken the yoke of sin; it lives and struggles, but it is dethroned, and our life is to keep it down. A man may be saved from the guilt of sin, and yet not saved from the power of pride or bad temper. Your salvation is not complete till you are saved from these. You must fight them till you conquer. The model to be worked to. Every artist requires some idea in his mind to which he is to work. The apostle’s model is exhibited in the context. (1) Unanimity (Php 2:2); (2) humiliation (Php 2:3); (3) mutual love; (4) in a word, the mind of Christ (Php 2:5). J R Miller writes that... People sometimes think that salvation imparts . . . godly virtues, fine qualities of Christian character, lovely traits of disposition, and elements of spiritual beauty—without any cost or effort to the believer himself! Christ's followers are transformed—old things pass away, and all things become new. Those who believe in Him—are fashioned into His image. But these blessings do not come easily. The heavenly graces are not put into our life—as one might hang up lovely pictures on the walls to adorn a home! They must be wrought into our life in a sense, by our own hands. We must work out our own salvation, although it is God who works in us, both to will and to work. For example, patience is not put into anyone's life—as one brings in a piece of new furniture. You cannot merely receive patience as a gift from God. Patience is a lesson to be learned—through long and watchful self-discipline. Christ is the teacher—but you are the student, and it is the student who must learn the lesson! Not even Christ will learn it for you—to spare you the effort. Nor can it be made an easy lesson for you. It costs to grow patient, and you must pay the price yourself! The same is true of all the elements of a godly and worthy character. We are always at school in this world. God is teaching us the things we need to learn. The lessons are not easy—sometimes they are very hard! But the hardest lessons are the best—for they bring out in us the finest qualities, if only we learn them well. Those, therefore, who find themselves in what may seem adverse conditions, compelled to face hardship, endure opposition, and pass through struggle—should quietly accept the responsibility; and, trusting in Christ for guidance and strength, go firmly and courageously forward, conscious that they have now an opportunity to grow strong, and develop in themselves the qualities of worthy and noble character! C H Spurgeon... Man’s work an evidence of his salvation: — William Wickham being appointed by King Edward to build a stately church, wrote in the windows, “This work made William Wickham.” When charged by the king for assuming the honour of that work to himself as the author, whereas he was only the overseer, he answered that he meant not that he made the work, but that the work made him, having before been very poor, and then in great credit. Lord, when we read in thy Word that we must work out our own salvation, thy meaning is not that our salvation should be the effect of our work, but our work the evidence of our salvation. (Biblical Illustrator) If depraved men go to such great lengths to work out their indecent acts (same Gk verb translated "committing" in Ro 1:27-note), how much more should we who are children (Jn 1:12, Ro 8:14-note) of the Most High God burn in our desire to be pleasing unto Him and by the enabling grace He supplies and the empowering of His Spirit, work out our salvation...day by day...decision by decision! Note that this verse is not teaching that an unsaved person can do good works to earn salvation. Why not? For one thing, those he addressed were already saved and secondly because the Bible is clear in its teaching that God “saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,” (see note Titus 3:5). THE GOAL: CHRIST-LIKENESS As James Hastings phrases it We are not to work for life, but, as it were, from life, as being those who already have it and who are resolved, by Divine grace, to experience all that life implies....we in the sphere of Christ Jesus, in Whom potentially we have all things, (are) to work Christ out with fear and trembling into the actual being, thought and character of our souls. Below are the 22 Uses of Katergazomai. The NAS translates katergazomai as: accomplished, 1; brings about, 2; carried, 1; committed, 1; committing, 1; does, 1; doing, 4; done, 1; effecting, 1; performed, 1; prepared, 1; produced, 2; produces, 2; producing, 2; work, 1. Romans 1:27-note and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. Romans 2:9-note There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, Romans 4:15-note for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation. Romans 5:3-note And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; Romans 7:8-note But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. Romans 7:13-note Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? May it never be! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by effecting my death through that which is good, that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. Romans 7:15-note For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. Romans 7:17-note So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. Romans 7:18-note For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. Romans 7:20-note But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. Romans 15:18-note For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 1Corinthians 5:3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 2Corinthians 4:17-note For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 2Corinthians 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 2Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2Corinthians 7:11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 2Corinthians 9:11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 2Corinthians 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. Ephesians 6:13-note Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Philippians 2:12 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; James 1:3-note knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1Peter 4:3-note For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousals, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. Muller wrote that 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. Wiersbe writes that... As you yield to the Lord, He works in and you work out; in this way, you fulfill His plan for your life (Eph. 2:10-note). God cannot shine through you until He works in you, so let Him have His way. You are a light in a dark world (Php 2:15-note), a runner holding forth the living Word to a dead world. (Wiersbe, W. W. With the Word : The Chapter-by-Chapter Bible Handbook Nashville: Thomas Nelson) James Boice reminds us Paul is not teaching “self-help” salvation (sanctification). This verse teaches because you are already saved, because God has already entered your life in the person of the Holy Spirit, because you, therefore, have His power at work within you—because of these things you are now to strive to express this salvation in your conduct.....“The verse does not say, ‘work for your salvation’ or ‘work toward your salvation’ or ‘work at your salvation.’ It says ‘work out your salvation.’ And no one can work out his salvation out unless God has already worked it in. Here is another illustration to help understand what Paul is calling believers to carry out --- When a musician has a fine composition placed before her, that music is not the musician's masterpiece; it is the composer's gift to the musician. But it then becomes the task of the musician to work it out, to give it sound and expression and beauty as she applies his skills to the composition. When she does, the composition reaches its completed purpose and thrills the hearts of her listeners. (Charles R. Swindoll, Laugh Again, p97) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_212-18.htm#work