Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ( Philippians 2:12 - NKJV)
Here's another passage,
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not works, lest anyone should boast. ( Ephesians 2:8-9 - NKJV)
Paul says we work out our salvation. Paul says our salvation is not of works.
Which is it?
Most religious guides come down on the no works side with an additional of ANY kind.
Yet, all the while claiming there are no works involved in salvation they insist on works.
They insist you must believe. Belief is a work. In John 6:28-29 the disciples ask Jesus what they should do to work the works of God. Jesus himself responds, Believe. No belief, no salvation. Belief is a work, an action that is done.
They insist you must repent. So did Jesus in Luke 13:5. There is no salvation without repentance. Repentance is an action, a work, that must be performed to be saved.
Romans 1:16 says the gospel is THE power of God unto salvation. God ONLY saves through the gospel.
II Thessalonians 1:8 says one must obey the gospel to be saved from God's wrath. I Corinthians 15:1-4 says the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Christ according to the scriptures. How does one literally obey the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection? You may go to the cross and die but you will be dead right there and there will be no resurrection for you. Since we must literally obey the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, how can we do that?
The answer is found in Romans 6:3-5...
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Do you see the death, burial and resurrection in the passage? How about the born again Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 & 3:5 that one must undergo?
In Romans 8:1 we read there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. How does one get into Christ? Many teach when you invite Jesus into your heart. But that's how Jesus got into you, not how you get into Jesus. The answer is in Romans 6:3, Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus
There are works set by God and there are those devised by man. Man's works, whether more or less than God's works, won't work. If they did, then man could boast. Ephesians 2:9.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" (Philippians 2:12 - NKJV)
Marv Walker 706 816-7190
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