Does this mean that we need to earn our way to salvation?

Question

Philippians 2:12 says: " Work out way your salvation with fear and trembling."

A number of cults cite this verse to support a works-oriented view of salvation. The Jehovah Witnesses conclude from this verse that salvation is not assured for anyone ( Reasoning from the Scriptures, 1977,329 )

The Mormons say pepole must "work out" their salvation by self-effort in order to attain godhood ( McConkie, 1977,329 )

Answer 1

Working out your salvation has nothing to do with works. The Bible plainly tells us that we are saved by faith. It goes on to say that if our works fail us at judgment, we are still saved by faith.

Answer 2

If you want to earn your salvation all you have to do is ensure that you never sin from the moment you are born. That means you always have had to have faith in Christ, never lie, never steal anything, never think a hateful thing against another human being, never become irrationally angry and so many other things. Have you ever gone against God? Of course you have, everyone except the Lord himself has gone against God's law. And since Christ can only let the perfect and the pure into his kingdom we're all kind of in trouble... well we would be if it hadn't been for Christ. He died on the cross so that we might live, we must be washed white in the blood of the lamb. Faith is what gives us salvation, good works are how people in the world see our salvation. If we do good works as Christians it reflects well on our Lord but if we, as Christians, do bad things it reflects badly on our Lord. That is why Christians should always do good and show kindness and mercy. So, in short, to answer your question. We cannot earn salvation, it can only be gained in the knowledge that we are sinners and are therefore imperfect. The only way we can gain salvation is through the repentance of our sins through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, and who rose again on the third day. This is the only way to be in heaven with the Lord. 'For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.' John 3:16

Answer 3

To earn salvation means that in someway we DESERVE our salvation. That God OWES us our salvation. This is certainly not true. Once we have sinned we have EARNED eternal death. Only by God's mercy can we be saved. This, however, does not mean that God has not laid down a plan to which we can receive that mercy, nor does it mean that we do not have a part in that plan. People get this strange idea that if anything is required of us at all that must mean we "earn" our salvation. That is about as ridiculous as believing that if someone gave you a check for a million dollars you "earn" that money by simply going to the bank and cashing it! If someone gives you check for a million dollars as a gift you did nothing to earn that million dollars, but you don't actually have that money until you DO something with that check. The same is true with salvation. We must RESPOND to the gift of salvation, and that requires some action on our part. It even requires several actions on our part, we must hear, believe, and accept the gospel of truth. We must have our sins washed away in baptism (Acts 2:38, 22:16). We must also continue to try to live according to grace, and not according to the law (Galatians 5:4). We must continue to press on in the faith, living a life of obedience and repentance (Revelation 3:2-4). We must continually work out our salvation with God, or we can fall from grace. However, never be fooled into believing that this means you can do one single thing to actually deserve the salvation that has been given to you!

Answer 4

No. You never earn your way to "eternal Salvation" for Christians today. You have to understand the 3 tenses of Salvation. 1. (Past) When you receive Christ as your Saviour you are saved from the Penalty of Sin Christ blood blotted all your past sins and you are predistend to heaven. 2. (Present) You are saved from the Power of Sin as the Holy Spirit helps you in your daily life but sometimes you are defeated by the lures of the world so that you have to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 3. (Future) Salvation from the presence of sin because there is no more sin in heaven at the dispensation of the fulness of time when God will then put all things in order.

Answer 5

You are saved by 'grace through faith', but 'faith' is perfected by works. Can I say I have 'faith' yet have no 'works'? Without works faith dies. They work together go hand in hand, but no, salvation is a gift of God it is not based upon anything but what Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross.

However, Scripture is also clear that once we do have saving faith 'works' should be the outcome of this. I would disagree with the Mormon interpretation concerning salvation along with a few other things.

Answer 6

I think you are seeing that there is a potential for conflict by many religious doctrinal positions and the Bible.

There are two positions on works and faith that are an error.

The first is that we are saved by faith only. This is in complete contradiction with the Bible:
James 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

There are numerous "works" that God has identified that are necessary for our salvation. Consider these statements:
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Also consider Mark 16:16)

I can think fo many more. For some reason, the "ignore God" button is on when people say there is nothing a person does that brings about salvation. This is compeltely unsupportable by scripture.

The second error on works and salvation is the other extreme. It is to say that works alone bring about salvation. An example of this is infant baptism. Here a work is done to someone who has absolutely no faith, and it is expected to have some impact on them. Apart from faith (believing), works can have not value

*****

The main confusion is that most people do not read into what works Paul condemns, and what free gift of grace means. First, if you read scripture carefully, you will note that in every instance Paul seems to condemns works, he is in fact condemning the works of the law of Moses (not the Law of Christ, Galatians 6:2). Read it and see; he will mention circumcision, sabbath keeping, etc each time he references the failure of works to justify.

Secondly, we seem to have interpeted the idea of grace as something that is given with no strings attached. If that were even remotely true,why is it that it is not going to be imputed to all men (Matt 7:14, etc)? Free gift does not mean no strings attached, it means that the price was paid for by another. Look at it like this: someone buys a farm; they pay the purchase price. They then tell you " I have paid for this farm, and I offer it to you. You must cultivate it and work it, but you do nto have to pay for it, it is a gift". It is a free gift, paid for by another. But there are conditions made, which if I do not keep I cannot have or keep the farm.

Look at Paul's statement like so: "Work for the farm you have been given". It does not take away the value of the farm to understand I must labor in order to obtain it. I still have not paid the price; my work does not equal the value it cost.

Answer 7

the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" as Jeremiah 33 i guess says, so as it´s written "all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6 As Cain who by his own righteousness broght the fruit of the earth an not that what the LORD reqiuered as Abel did by faith....

Our righteousness are as filthy rags.... thus we earn our way to salvation, and just by faith in Jesus righteousness as Paul says (further it´ll be quoted) we can overcome sin.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Romans 8:31-34

Kindest Regards
Grace be with you
http://www.srac.de

Answer 8

As usual, misinterpretation is made when a verse is taken out of context. Every knee is going to bow before God. Some will bow willingly and others will bow even though they don't want to.
The verse you quoted mean 'you better make sure you know which one of those groups you are going to be in'.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
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.
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.Philippians 2:5-13

Answer 9

There is no place for SELF in any of Gods word or plan. The gift of salvation is free, But holding on to it has conditions. We cant work for it or buy it. But, if we arent careful to hold on to what we have, we will lose our gift. GOd doesnt take it away, we take it away by refusing to hear and respond in obedience to the Holy Spirit. How can we have the mind of Christ when we act like the world? What do we have to give them if not a changed life ourself. God tells us that faith without works is dead and counts as nothing. WE need to be more than believers, but doers of the WOrd. Even the devil believes.... Remember?
Instead of saying what little do I have to do to squeeze thru those pearly gates, we are to say, What more can I do for you Lord, because we love Him and He loves us. JEsus gave us His all, and we are surely not to give any less. WE will obey, and count it all as joy once we are born again and truly belong to the Lord. In 1 John 3:9 it says those born of God cannot sin. How much more should we offer to HIm than He offers for us. Do we just give lip service to God and say we love Him? OR do we show it as commanded, to love and obey.
WE are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, that doesnt mean we try to earn our free gift of salvation. But we will be working it out in our minds to know just what we are to do and being willing to do it, as we know God has the answers to everything, we dont, and we want only to do all things HIs way. God is good. all the time, God is good.
We either trust Him enough to do it all His way , or we dont. Question we must ask ourselves is if we do. Total trust is what God wants, and then we trust enough to obey even when its tough.
Salvation can be assured, only by those that know GOds word and obey it. We only know what we know now, so we must hunger to know more, and to know more of what God wants from us to be able to fullfill the plan He has given to each of us , to fulfill His purpose and to fillfill the destiny in which HE has called us to I count it aall as JOY>>>> amen

Answer 10

Christianity?: In the Bible, It is crystal clear that WE CAN ONLY EARN SALVATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. Nothing else; not laws, not acts, not anything but faith.

Logic Flow
1) God is perfect, sinless, and righteous. Man sinned, and turned sinful, imperfect, and short of the glory of God.
2) Jesus died on the cross as the sacrificial lamb to remove that gap between God's perfection and man's imperfection. All people have to do is believe Jesus died and was resurrected. However, Jesus makes it clear that you must prove you belong to him through the way you live.

Faith is the key, but faith also means obedience to him.