Therefore, my beloved..., work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13, NKJV

As I poked through my garage to pull out some garden tools the other day, I came across an unopened box that contained a hitch-mounted bike rack.  It was a very thoughtful Christmas gift given to me several months ago so we could tote our family's bikes to new trails and new adventures.  But since it wasn't the season for bike-riding back then, it remained in my garage -- unboxed and unused.  It's one thing to possess a gift, but it's another thing to actually put it to use.  The analogy may not be perfect, but when it comes to the gift of salvation, I wonder if we content ourselves with merely accepting God's gracious gift without unwrapping it, assembling it, and living it to the full.  In Philippians 2, Paul invites believers to "work out your own salvation" because he doesn't want us to just keep it in the garage.  He knows this gift is so much more than something to have.  It's something to live.

WORKING IT OUT

Therefore...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12, NKJV

The particular term translated here as "work out" combines the verbal idea of working and accomplishing with a specific direction or end.  The emphasis, then, isn't on the act of working itself but on working something through to its end result.  Let's be clear:  Paul isn't saying we work for our salvation -- after all, we're saved by grace through faith, not on the basis of our own works (cf. Eph. 2:8-9).  Instead, he's letting us know that this gift of salvation has an intended purpose, an end-goal that we must intentionally pursue with a deep sense of reverence and humility. It's not something to take lightly as if that objective will just happen by default once we choose to accept God's gracious gift.  Beyond the initial choice of faith, 

the Christian life is marked by a continual exercise of faith to let God's salvation be fully and completely worked out.

Because this is God's good work that He not only begins in us but also will be faithful to complete in us (Phil. 1:6), Paul wants us to awaken to the reality that salvation is so much more than something to possess.  It's something to unbox and put to use.

THE GOAL OF THE GIFT

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus... Philippians 2:4-5, NKJV

So what is the end-goal and intended purpose of salvation?  In the bigger picture of Philippians 2, the final product that salvation targets is our transformation -- and more specifically, transforming us to have the mind of Christ that serves others needs before and even above our very own (Phil. 2:3-5).  In another epistle, Paul describes the experience of becoming spiritually mature and growing in Christlikeness as contingent upon whether we exercise our spiritual gifts in ministry (Eph. 4:11-13).  This is the "fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13) we get to grow into -- a life of engaging our unique abilities to serve others, bless others, and build up the body of Christ.  We are, in fact, saved to serve!  

Listen again to how Paul describes our salvation as something that isn't based on our works but ultimately produces in us a life of good works:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV

Did you catch that? God is not only a gracious gift-giver but also a master craftsman whose artistic skill is best demonstrated in our transformed lives.  When we're saved by God's gracious work on Calvary,

He continues to exercise His re-creative power in us to produce lives that do good works He has uniquely prepared for each of us.  

These are good works of service, works that fill others' needs before our own, works that uplift others rather than our egos.  

When we go back to Philippians 2, Paul underscores the reality that this transformed life is the result of God's work in us.  I love that He works in us not just to be able to do the things that please Him, but that we also "will" to do them, i.e. want to do them.  

When we experience the full extent of God's salvation, we'll find ourselves jumping at the opportunity to serve God and the people He surrounds us with.  

The sacrifice of our time and energy for others' benefit will be the passion of our hearts, not just doing our duty.

WORKING OUT WHAT GOD WORKS IN

So how is it with us?  To what extent are we merely doing God's good pleasure without the will (or want) to do it?  If we find ourselves dutifully serving others outwardly without passionately wanting to do so inwardly, let's take Paul's appeal to heart.  Let's humbly WORK OUT all that God has promised to WORK IN.  Day by day, may we come to the Master Artist and let Him make us His workmanship, transforming us to have the mind of Christ so we can serve like Christ.