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"WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION" "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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." (Philip. 2:12) People often use this verse out of context to teach that salvation is based on works: "work out your own salvation." This is done by transposing our idiomatic expression "work it out" to the word of God itself and then privately interpreting a verse while ignoring the given context. In other words, it is reasoned that Paul must be saying, "work out your own salvation" just as we might tell someone "work out your differences" or "work out your schedule." That's not the case at all. God's word is not to be interpreted by our idioms, but rather by itself, comparing scripture with scripture. Paul is not telling the Philippians to work so they will be saved. That would contract a truckload of scripture, including what he had already told the Philippians. The next verse makes that very clear: "For it is God which worketh IN you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Philip 2:13; emphasis added) He is simply saying that it is our responsibility to let our INNER salvation work in our OUTWARD members, to let our light shine so the world will see our good works and glorify God (Mat. 5:14-16). If you doubt that, just read verse 15: "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, AMONG WHOM YE SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD." (emphasis added) No one is working to be saved. That was made clear in the previous chapter: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work IN YOU will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philip. 1:6; emphasis added) THAT is going to happen whether YOU "work out your own salvation" or not, but, if you want a meaningful and fruitful life, then let the light of Christ WORK in your OUTWARD members so the world will see Christ in you. That's the spirit of the text, and anyone who uses it to teach works-based salvation is teaching heresy.