The Christian's Role in Sanctification (Philippians 2:12-13)
This sermon tackles a foundational question for spiritual life: how much is God's work, and how much is ours? It unpacks the apparent paradox of human responsibility and divine power, guiding listeners through the balance found in Scripture.
This sermon unpacks the paradox of spiritual growth, arguing that believers must diligently "work out" their salvation through active obedience and perseverance, even as God is continuously at work within them.
Overview
The sermon opens by addressing a common theological tension: the exact roles of God and the believer in sanctification. This question arose from a listener who believed spiritual living only required passive surrender, contrasting with the need for self-discipline. The preacher highlights that this is not a unique paradox, appearing in doctrines like salvation, the dual nature of Christ, and the inspiration of Scripture.
Two opposing views are then explored: quietism, which advocates for believers to be passive and simply "let go and let God," and pietism, which stresses diligent human effort toward personal godliness. While quietism faces difficulties explaining sin if God does everything, an overemphasis on pietism can lead to either pride in success or despair in failure, as the believer takes all the credit or blame.
The sermon posits that a balanced understanding is found in Philippians 2:12-13. The command to "work out your own salvation" is explained as bringing to fulfillment what God has already planted within. This involves two dimensions: actively manifesting inner salvation in daily conduct through obedience and discipline, and continuously pursuing the ultimate completion of salvation, including future glorification.
This active pursuit requires persistent effort, characterized by metaphors of running a race or fighting a fight, leading to the perseverance of the saints. The preacher emphasizes that this human responsibility coexists with God's sovereign power, acknowledging that while humans must strive, the underlying truth of divine action remains, even if not fully comprehensible.
Key points
- The sermon addresses the theological paradox of the believer's role versus God's role in the process of sanctification.
- This tension is compared to similar paradoxes in salvation, the person of Christ, and the divine inspiration of Scripture.
- Quietism is presented as the view that believers are passive and merely surrender to God, who does all the work in spiritual growth.
- Pietism is described as emphasizing diligent human effort, active discipline, and the pursuit of personal godliness.
- An overemphasis on quietism creates issues regarding accountability for sin, while an overemphasis on pietism can lead to pride or despair.
- Philippians 2:12-13 offers a balanced perspective, commanding believers to "work out your own salvation" while also stating that "it is God who is at work in you."
- To "work out your salvation" means to manifest outwardly what God has put inwardly and to persevere continually toward the ultimate completion of salvation and glorification.
In John MacArthur's words
“What is the believer’s role in sanctification and what is God’s role? To put it another way, is it me or is it Him? Is it faith or is it effort? Is it trust or is it obedience?”
“Not all truth is understandable to you. If it was you would be equal to God.”
“When you succeed you’ll have pride; two, when you fail you’ll have despair.”
Outline
- I. Introduction: The Tension in Spiritual Living
- A. The Question: Believer's Role vs. God's Role in Sanctification (Is it me or Him?)
- B. Related Paradoxes
- 1. Salvation (all God, all us)
- 2. The Person of Christ (100% God, 100% man)
- 3. The Inspiration of Scripture (all Paul, all Holy Spirit)
- II. Exploring the Poles of the Tension
- A. Quietism: Passive Surrender
- 1. Belief: Believer is quiet, passive; "let go and let God."
- 2. Historical Connection: Quakers, Arminian perfectionists.
- 3. Key Idea: Striving is a hindrance; surrender allows God to give victory.
- 4. Problem: Fails to explain sin; clay analogy breaks down.
- B. Pietism: Diligent Effort
- 1. Belief: Christians involved with all faculties in pursuing godliness.
- 2. Historical Connection: 18th-century Germany (reaction to dead orthodoxy).
- 3. Key Idea: Strong emphasis on Bible study, holy living, practical Christianity, self-discipline.
- 4. Problem: Over-emphasis on self-effort can lead to pride or despair.
- III. The Balanced View: Philippians 2:12-13
- A. The Command: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Verse 12)
- 1. Meaning of "Work Out": To bring to fulfillment, fullness, or completion; to mine out what has been planted within.
- 2. Two Dimensions of "Working Out"
- a. Daily Conduct: Living on the outside what God has done on the inside (e.g., Romans 6:19, 2 Corinthians 7:1).
- b. Continuous Pursuit of Full Salvation: Perseverance towards glorification (e.g., 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Philippians 3:12-15).
- B. God's Role: "For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Verse 13 - *introduced, but main discussion for next week*).
- IV. Conclusion: A Truth Beyond Full Human Understanding
Scripture references
- Philippians 2:12-13
- Galatians 2:20
- 1 Kings 8:54
- 1 Kings 8:58
- 1 Kings 8:59
- 1 Kings 8:61
- 2 Peter 1:3
- 2 Peter 1:4
- 2 Peter 1:5
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Romans 3:21-24
- Romans 6:19
- 2 Corinthians 7:1
- Ephesians 4
- Colossians 3
- 1 Corinthians 9:24
- 1 Corinthians 9:25
- 1 Corinthians 9:26
- 1 Corinthians 9:27
- Philippians 3:12
- Philippians 3:13
- Philippians 3:15
- 1 Timothy 4:15
- 1 Timothy 6:12
- Romans 13:11
- Matthew 24:13
- Acts 13:43
- Acts 14:22
- Romans 2:7
- Colossians 1:23
- Hebrews 3:14
- Hebrews 10:38
12 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.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Insights
Spiritual growth involves both divine power and human effort.
True faith often contains apparent paradoxes that defy simple logic.
Diligent effort is not opposed to God's work; it is a response.
Questions & answers
What is the central theological paradox discussed in this sermon?
The sermon explores the tension between the believer's role and God's role in the process of sanctification, asking whether spiritual growth is primarily "me or Him," or "faith or effort."
What is quietism, and what are its potential problems?
Quietism is the view that believers should be passive, simply surrendering to God and letting Him do all the work in spiritual living. The sermon argues this view struggles to explain how a surrendered Christian could still sin.
What is pietism, and what are its potential pitfalls?
Pietism emphasizes diligent human effort, self-discipline, and active pursuit of godliness. If overemphasized, this can lead to pride when one succeeds spiritually or despair when one fails, as the individual relies solely on their own resources.
How does the sermon define "work out your own salvation" from Philippians 2:12?
This phrase means to bring what God has already planted within the believer to its full expression and completion. It involves both outward demonstration in daily conduct and continuous perseverance toward ultimate glorification.
How does the sermon reconcile the concept of eternal security with the need for perseverance?
The sermon states that while the Bible teaches eternal security, it also teaches the responsibility of the perseverance of the saints. True believers work out their salvation continuously until the end, showing that God's keeping power and human perseverance go hand-in-hand.
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