Working Out Your Salvation
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 09/27/2020
Foundation Scriptures:
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; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV
1. Working Out Your Salvation.
a. Salvation—sōtēria—deliverance; preservation; health or healing; made whole; safety; salvation of the whole person (spirit, soul, and body).
b. If you are born again by faith in Jesus Christ—you are a new creature; forgiven; made righteous; received eternal life; on your way to heaven; sin has no more power over you (2 Cor. 5:17; Col. 1:12-14).
c. 1 Peter 1:9 KJV — Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
d. It is your responsibility to allow God’s salvation power to keep working in your soul (mind; will; emotions) and body, for His perfect will to be fulfilled in you (Php. 3:21; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
e. Romans 8:23b KJV — …waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
f. Submit to the Word and renew your mind (Jam. 1:21-25).
g. Put off the old man and put on the new.
h. Ephesians 4:22-24 NKJV — that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
i. Have clean hands and a pure heart (Ps. 24:4; 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Pet 1:22).
j. Live as obedient children of God—fear God; esteem the Blood of Jesus as precious; be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:13-25).
k. Produce the fruits of righteousness (Php. 1:11; 1 Tim 6:11; 1 John 2:29; 3:7,10).
l. Romans 6:22 KJV — But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
m. Do not take God’s grace and mercy for granted (Heb. 10:25-31).
2. Do Not Neglect Fellowship with the Saints.
a. Do not forsake or neglect to assemble together as believers (Heb. 10:23-25 AMPC).
b. You are not the only one out there—Father God wants us to look out for one another.
c. Hebrews 3:13 KJV — But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
d. Each of us needs to experience truth and grace—people who will tell us the truth and confront the sin in our lives, and people who will love us, accept us, forgive us and encourage us in our walk with God.
e. Work to live in harmony with each other (1 Cor. 1:10; 12:25).
f. Romans 12:16 AMPC — Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits.
3. Walk in Love, Forgiveness, and Harmony.
a. John 13:34-35 AMPC — I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].
b. Love and care for one another.
c. Ephesians 4:32 NKJV — And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
d. If you do not forgive, the Father cannot forgive you.
e. Mark 11:25-26 AMPC — And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings.
f. Forgive and keep on forgiving (Luke 17:3-4).
4. Daily Read the Word and Pray.
a. Fellowship with God through His Word and prayer.
b. Stay connected to Him (the Vine); dwell in His Word and let the Word dwell in you (John 15:1-8).
c. Talk to the Lord; spend time in His presence; listen for His voice.
d. Allow Him to bring correction to any area of your life (Prov. 3:11-12; 2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 12:6-14).
e. Revelation 3:19 KJV — As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
f. Produce good fruit—and if you are not producing good fruit—make corrections to what you are doing (Rom. 7:4; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 5:8-10; Php. 4:17).
5. Be Financially Involved in Kingdom Business.
a. Tithe (one tenth) to your local church (Malachi 3:8-12).
b. Offerings—local church and missions.
c. 2 Cor. 8:12-15; 2 Cor. 9:6-12
d. Poor and needy (2 Cor. 8:7).
6. Be the Light and the Salt.
a. You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16).
b. Live your life as a daily witness to Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior.
c. Acts 1:8 AMPC — But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
d. Sharing Jesus by your actions.
e. 1 John 3:18 AMPC — Little children, let us not love [merely] in theory or in speech but in deed and in truth (in practice and in sincerity).
f. Sharing Jesus by your words—witnessing.
g. Proverbs 11:30 NKJV — The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise.
h. Ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21).
i. Be a soul-winner.
j. Make disciples.