Paul has found a root for real joy. In his letter to the Philippians he explains it for all who read. Joy, for Paul, is found in anchoring his life in Jesus. That is, for Paul “to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21). Having relationship with Jesus Christ, Paul has what he most desires. And when we have what we want most, we experience joy. So, Paul is laying out for us the foundation for his joy.

As he does this, he invites others to join him in this joy. He wants us to become co-experiencers with him. The joy he has, he shares with us in and through this letter (Phil. 2:17). And part of how that joy is experienced is by embracing the very kind of life that Jesus himself lived.

In the second chapter, Paul calls all those who have entered into friendship with Jesus to “think his thoughts,” in a sense. (“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus;” Phil. 2:5.) If we want to experience Jesus’ life, we will have to give ourselves to Jesus’ attitude and approach to life (as has been touched on in several previous posts).

But having laid out Jesus’ humble and servant-oriented and self-giving mindset, and having called us to embrace this attitude of heart and mind, Paul calls us to clear and specific action:

So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for [His] good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Just what does Paul mean by “work out your own salvation”? Is he, in some way, arguing that we either enter into spiritual life, into life eternal, through our own efforts or that we maintain and keep our spiritual life, life eternal, by or through our own efforts? I don’t think so. That is so very contrary to all that Paul says about the “giftedness” of eternal life (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The language rendered “work out your own salvation” here doesn’t mean to “work for” or “work to keep.” Then what does Paul mean? He uses very nearly identical language in Romans 5:3 where he wrote about tribulation working or bringing about patience in us. The idea is one of bringing something to its full and complete end: Trials are the means and context for bringing patience to fullness in us. Thus, in Philippians, the idea is more one of giving ourselves to the work of grace Jesus is doing in us so that his intended end is achieved in us.

To put it another way, drawing on the context in Philippians where these words appear, we might say: Vigorously give yourself to this humble servant attitude modeled by Jesus so that your salvation can come to full fruition, reproducing in you the character of Jesus himself.

How can we be sure that this is not about our “working to obtain” or “laboring to keep” our salvation? Just notice what Paul says about the grounds for our “working out” our salvation. He says we are to “work out” this salvation because it is God who is producing in us both the will to live in such a fashion and the enablement or power to live that way. God provides both the longing to live life like Jesus as well as the enablement to do so. And what Paul is calling for is a vigorous embracing of that work of God in and through us.

The example is there, in Jesus. The longing to follow that example is there, by God’s doing. And the necessary strength and enablement is also amply provide, by God himself.

I want to give myself to that. I don’t want to hold back. I want to energetically and purposefully pursue growing up to share Jesus’ life . . . embracing and making mine all this grace that God is pouring in and through me.