Work Out Your Own Salvation

What we have received from God will not pass away if we work out our own salvation; it will remain and be renewed, just as the roof will not leak and the walls will not be drafty when you maintain a house and repair it. We need to be engaged in a purposeful, constant work so we can obtain salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:9.

Noah did a work. He built the ark in holy fear; it served to his own salvation and to the salvation of his whole house. David had a work to do to get his soul to be still, and he succeeded in it. Solomon built a temple for God, and it was filled with the glory of the Lord.

Our own work lies on a higher plane than the work that was done in the old covenant. Noah was saved by water, but he was not saved from his human nature. David was able to get his soul to be still, but it is our calling and goal to pour out our soul. Solomon built a house made of stones and wood for the Lord, and God dwelt in it. But now a temple is being made ready for God in our inner being, and we should be able to say about our heart: “God dwells there.” Then our thoughts, words, and deeds will be pleasing to God.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight.” Psalm 19:14. In this prayer David unites his work and our work. Because he was the man of God that he was, he launched a frontal assault and attacked the source of all restless thoughts and feelings—the soul—and he came to the blessed result that it became absolutely still.

In these days God gives grace for an even greater work. Now we can pour out our entire soul-life into the death of Christ. The word of God is living, and the person who lets God’s word divide between soul and spirit in his life is made alive. This is the plane on which we can work out our own salvation. If the life of faith that David ob­tained by battling and working was glorious, then the life into which we can enter by God’s grace is far more glorious.

As a man thinks in his soul, so is he. Proverbs 23:7. Therefore our whole thought-life must be cleansed through the dying of Christ, so that the peace that surpasses all understanding can preserve all the thoughts of our heart. Will we gain the victory if we are thus armed when we are tempted to get angry and think evil? Yes, God be praised! Then it will become an honor to overlook offenses; it will be grievous to think evil; and the words of our mouth and the medita­tions of our heart will be pleasing to God.

Now we are in the midst of this work to let God take possession of our spirits which He jealously desires. However, God does not take what is not given to Him. God cannot do this work as long as you lead a respectable, soulish life; as long as you will not let His word divide and separate.

This working out of our salvation occurs if we let God’s word intervene in our lives, dividing between soul and spirit.

You can pull yourself together and do something in your own strength, but it will only result in bondage and erratic efforts. How­ever, what we do in childlike trust and faith toward God, in accor­dance with His blessed workings, will result in perfect rest and peace.

Noah could view his work in rest and peace. David, having fin­ished his work, said, “My flesh also will rest in hope.” Has my work on my personal salvation succeeded perfectly? Am I experiencing a division between soul and spirit—daily and continually? Then I will also be in a position to surrender a liberated spirit into God’s hands in the end.