The Most Important “Workout”
Reflective Reading: Philippians 2:13
Recently I had the opportunity to take our Masters Guild students to the Museum of the Bible to see the Logos presentation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Prior to the drama, John Piper was there to participate in a Q & A session. In his typical style, he gave profound and passionate answers to questions he was given. One question stood out the most for me. When asked about “besetting sins” he struggled with the most, he shared about his battle against “self-pity. ”
He went on to share a story about when he came home after a long day’s work to find his wife and daughter watching a movie. He was hoping for a warm welcome but was met with a reception of indifference. His first response was self-pity, which turned into frustration, then anger. Recognizing his response as sin, he called to mind a truth in the book of Philippians:
“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. Do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:12-14).
What John shared next nearly took my breath away. He said that when he recognizes his sin, he must go to war, so to speak. In Philippians 2:12, Paul writes that we are to “work out” our own salvation, or our own deliverance, with fear and trembling. The Greek word for “work out” is κατεργάζομαι (katergazomai), meaning to powerfully and aggressively work something out. Not only are we to aggressively “work out” our deliverance from sinful strongholds, but we are to do it with “fear and trembling.” “Fear and trembling” carries the idea of the kind of anxiety one feels when they have an extremely important interest at stake, and sense they may be in danger of losing it. Your love for your spouse or a teen that is in danger of drifting into a harmful or sinful relationship would cause you to experience the kind of “fear and trembling” that leads to action. This fear and trembling response would then motivate you to do whatever it would take to protect and restore them. This same fear and trembling response is also required when we find ourselves in a sinful and compromising position.
When facing besetting sins, Piper’s first response is to aggressively bring his frustration before the Lord and ask for help. When he comes “boldly to the throne of grace,” he obtains mercy “to find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The next thing he said was a game changer. His prayer for help is answered in proportion to his “work out” for deliverance. In other words, he needs to come to God at the moment sin rears its ugly head and immediately and aggressively cry out for help. The result? Piper said God always helps in his time of need.
The next day I did some further study and found what I would label as pure gold! Note the words in bold:
“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. Do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:12-14).
When we powerfully and aggressively “work out” our deliverance, then God powerfully and aggressively—and effectively—“works in” us. This a game-changer! The words for “works in” and “works out” are two different Greek words. “Work out” carries the idea of working powerfully and aggressively. It also carries the idea of bringing something to completion, not giving up. The second word, when referring to what God “works in,” carries the idea of a mighty work that can be clearly seen. This is what is missing today in our battle with sin—at least, this has been missing in my life. I allow sinful pleasures and pride to restrict God from performing a mighty work that can be clearly seen. The problem isn’t the absence of God’s power, it’s that we don’t want it badly enough, or as Piper described it, powerfully, aggressively enough—at the moment sin surfaces.
Not only will God work in us powerfully and clearly, but He will do it for the purpose of “His good pleasure.” I used to think this verse meant that God did what He wanted to do regardless of how we felt about it, or for His good pleasure. But a closer look at this phrase shows us something entirely different. The Greek word translated “good pleasure” carries the idea of showing kindness with a purpose. It is God’s pleasure to work powerfully and clearly in us so that we might be delivered.
There’s more to be discovered in these verses, but we have enough to think about as we ask, “How much do we wish to work out our deliverance?” God is ready and able to work in us to reveal His kindness and pleasure. Overcoming our sinful impulses requires a workout.
Therefore, as Paul continues, “do all things without murmuring and complaining.” Isn’t that a fitting ending? When we’re physically out of shape, we do not enjoy a workout. We come with all kinds of grunts, groans, and murmurings. If we want to overcome sin, however, it will require spiritual workouts without the murmering and complaining as we aggressively bring our needs before the throne of grace. When we do, we will begin to see our spiritual muscles develop as we overcome the sins which so easily beset us.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
So my friends, let the race begin!
Mark Hamby
Hebrews 12:2
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