More on Sanctification....

Most Christians would agree that grace is certainly a part if not central to the justification of an individual. But some would say that after justification, grace plays a different role in sanctification.

Now, aside from those who hold that one can in fact lose their faith, there are those who believe that "once saved, always saved." Reformers term this as those who persevere in the faith.

Philippians 2:12 states: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Many here would stop and state, well, I have a great responsibility to keep up my faith--this is true, in a way. Some would hold that there is action on our part and then God gives grace to sustain us because of our faithfulness and obedience. But what does verse 13 say?

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Now let's analyze this. We should work out our own salvation, fearfully, for it is God who is the one working in us. Does verse thirteen seem to indicate that He relies on us to do His work in us? Doesn't seem so to me. In fact, countless times, He is faithful when we remain faithless (see 2 Timothy 2:13), for He cannot deny Himself (because we as His chosen, are His).

Not only does God give us the faith to believe by awakening our hearts to the truth in justification, but He constantly helps us to grow with the help of the Holy Spirit, giving us a desire and the grace to "work out our salvation." So why does Paul say this here? In Romans 6, Paul exhorts the Roman church not to commit the fallacy that they should sin so that grace would then be exalted all the more. Similarly here, Paul tells the Philippians that they should be concerned with their sanctification, but ever recognizing that God is the one that first helps them to do this work. Grace first, and not our obedience and then God's response of grace, helps us to perservere to the end. Paul wants them to recognize that fact. Complacency in our Christianity is not an option--Paul is telling them not to fall into that, just as he was doing in Romans 6.

I will end the post with a quote from Matthew Henry's Commentary:

It should encourage us to do our utmost, because our labour shall not be in vain. God is ready to concur with his grace, and assist our faithful endeavours. Observe, Though we must use our utmost endeavours in working out our salvation, yet still we must go forth, and go on, in a dependence upon the grace of God. His grace works in us in a way suitable to our natures, and in concurrence with our endeavours; and the operations of God’s grace in us are so far from excusing, that they are intended to quicken and engage our endeavours. "And work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for he worketh in you.’’ All our working depends upon his working in us. "Do not trifle with God by neglects and delays, lest you provoke him to withdraw his help, and all your endeavours prove in vain. Work with fear, for he works of his good pleasure.’’—To will and to do: he gives the whole ability. It is the grace of God which inclines the will to that which is good: and then enables us to perform it, and to act according to our principles. Thou hast wrought all our works in us, Isa. 26:12. Of his good pleasure. As there is no strength in us, so there is no merit in us. As we cannot act without God’s grace, so we cannot claim it, nor pretend to deserve it. God’s good will to us is the cause of his good work in us; and he is under no engagements to his creatures, but those of his gracious promise.