Words are powerful. They can wound and hurt. They can soothe and comfort. They can embolden and stir people to action. It is because words are so powerful that we must be very careful to say and write only what is good and true. Jesus said, “I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37) In harmony with this teaching, the apostle Paul wrote “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for building up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians 4:29)
Though words are powerful, talk is cheap. It is not enough to merely say that we believe something, we must also act on our convictions. It is not enough for us to merely call ourselves Christ’s followers. If we really belong to Him, we must live according to His teaching. Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)
The apostle Paul emphasizes this principle in his letter to the followers of Christ at Philippi. After reminding them that God has exalted Jesus to the highest place and given Jesus His own title, that is, ‘Lord,’ Paul writes in verses 12 through 18 of chapter 2, “So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputes, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the world, holding up the word of life; that I may have something to boast in the day of Christ, that I didn’t run in vain nor labor in vain. Yes, and if I am poured out on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice, and rejoice with you all. In the same way, you also rejoice, and rejoice with me.”
Paul had already reminded the people to whom he is writing that Jesus was obedient to God. He was so obedient that He died in order to fulfill God’s will. (2:8) Paul commends the people at Philippi for also being obedient and urges them to continue. What is especially praiseworthy is that they were not only obedient while Paul was present with them but, also, in his absence. The test of true obedience is not what we do while our leaders are looking at us, but what we do when no one is looking. Are we obedient to Christ even when our leaders are not there?
Paul instructs his readers to continue to work out their salvation. (2:12) From this we learn that salvation is an ongoing process. It is not enough to submit to Christ, just once. Salvation depends upon continuing to submit to Him.
When Paul says to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, it should not be supposed that a follower of Christ is fearful about whether he is saved or not. Quite the contrary. As the Apostle John declared, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life…” (1 John 5:13) In view of this, a follower of Christ should have no anxiety about his eternal destiny. Why, then, does Paul write of fear and trembling? Perhaps he means that we should fear anything which would take us away from the path of obedience to Christ. Perhaps the fear Paul writes about is actually a realization of the importance of the task Christ has called us to do and the awesome responsibility which it entails. It may be that Paul is merely encouraging the followers of Christ to remain obedient to Christ in spite of their fears brought on by the opposition which they face. In any case, Paul points out that the follower of Christ is not alone in his struggle. It is God who not only gives the desire to obey but, also, gives the ability to do so.
We normally think of salvation in terms of being set free from the penalty of sin. But it includes much more than this. Paul expresses the desire for his readers to “blameless and harmless (NIV, “pure”), children of God without blemish.” (2:15) How may the follower of Christ adopt the purity of his Lord? Paul says to “do all things without murmurings and disputes” (NIV, “do everything without complaining or arguing.”) (2:14) This points to the fact that the kind of perfection which God desires is not merely outward, but stems from the heart. Complaints and arguments result from hearts which are not fully submitted to Christ. If we wish to become pure, we must allow Christ to cleanse our hearts.
Paul contrasts the followers of Christ to the people among whom they live. While the followers of Christ are in the process of becoming pure, the people around them are crooked and perverse. It is like the difference between light and darkness. As Jesus told His disciples, “You are the light of the world…” (Matthew 5:14) The word Paul uses can mean a lamp or a beacon but, most often, is used for heavenly bodies such as the stars or the sun. The light which shines from the followers of Christ not only gives direction, but dispels darkness and allows people to see. It must be noted, however, that this light is not self-generated. It comes from the ‘word of life.’ (2:16) One of the titles which is given to Jesus is The Word. It is Jesus who gives spiritual life. And so, when Paul refers to the ‘word of life’ he is pointing to Jesus who has given life to His followers. The phrase which Paul uses can be translated either to ‘hold on to the word of life’, or ‘hold out the word of life.’ In either case, Christ’s word, working in and through His followers causes light to shine out to the surrounding darkness.
One of the reasons Paul desired the people to whom he was writing to become pure and blameless was so that he could be assured that his work had not been done in vain. Paul had dedicated his life to spreading the gospel. He wanted his hard work to have meaning. When he viewed the progress the followers of Christ at Philippi were making in their faith, he knew that his work was worth it. He writes that he is being poured out like a drink offering. By saying this, Paul demonstrates the mutual interdependence between himself and Christ’s followers at Philippi. In the Mosaic Law a drink offering was never offered by itself. It was offered as a supplement to the main sacrifice. Paul’s sacrifice rounded out their service. His struggles and hardships were given meaning and worth by the sacrifices they had already made. Both were needed to make a complete offering to God. Just as their mutual sacrifices made a complete offering, it also enabled them to share their joy.