TITLE: Salvation Work Out
TEXT: Philippians 2:12-13
PROPOSITION: God requires a spiritual work-out for salvation.
QUESTION: How?
KEY WORD: Definitions
SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. This is a passage that is often misquoted, abused, and often misapplied.

2. Some think:

   1. Work out = decide for your self what you want to do for salvation

   2. Many think “work out” means – figure out, like working a puzzle

   3. This teaches salvation is by works

3. How should we define this term?

WORK OUT – is used in the following ways:

1. Exercise – go to the gym and work out

2. Put into action – make a plan into a reality

3. Solve puzzle – solve a maze, fill in a crossword puzzle, Sudoku

4. Find common ground – seek some way to work toward solving a problem

5. Find a way to solve – negotiate a settlement, compromise

6. Pay back a loan – in exchange for money, do some work, barter

We are NOT saved BY:

1. Exercise – Salvation is not a matter of our muscle, trips to the spiritual gym

2. Pay back a loan – We cannot pay back God for our salvation, not earned

3. Solve a puzzle – God has solved the puzzle, not a maze for us to find our way out, not a puzzle to try to solve

4. Find common ground – Salvation is not a matter of finding some way to solve the problem, God already did that

5. Find a way to solve – Salvation is not reached by compromise, negotiation

We ARE saved BY:

1. Putting our faith into action –

   1. God has done His part

   2. We have a part to play – obedience

   3. We must obey, act, put our faith into active obedience

2. Grace – God’s part – love, forgiveness, justification, Christ’s death on the cross

3. Faith – Man’s part – living, active, obedient