Sermons About Trembling
Philippians 2:12-18 - Working Out A Common Salvation
God is going to get the glory either in our salvation or in judgment (see Rom. 14). Now that Paul has raised this high Christology he gets practical how what we do in living humbly. Paul gives moree explicit directive as to what it means to live humbly and how we must live out a humble live in the midst of community. We are commanded here to work out our salvation (sanctification) which is our responsibility, but in a way that give God the credit for working in us. This is not a matter of synergism between me and God in which he did his part and I did mine. This responsibility to work out our salvation is a monergtistic work of God. God doesn't help those who help themselves but helps those who cannot help themselves. It is his power (see 2 Peter 1:1-4) that gives and grows our faith. The amazing thing about these verses is that they refer primarily to working out our salvation within the church, the body of Christ rather than as individuals. And for that reason Paul goes on in verse 14ff to say that the way we work our ours slavation is to not be complainers or to not constant questioners. The complainer is committing a major sin according to Paul, becasue we are to examples to the crooked and twisted generation of what considering each other more important entails. We shine when we humble ourselves in our witness to this world For these reasons Paul is joyful and commands the Philippians and us to rejoice with a humble spirit in living in community - working out our salvation together in the power of Christ.
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A Song of Divine Harmony
Not only is the Christ hymn of Philippians 2 a powerful picture of the gospel, but it also helps us hear harmony in regard to the nature of God, when often Christians today either worship God as a friend or as an exalted King.
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