Scripture Reading: Phil. 2:12-15

Ⅰ　

The salvation in Philippians 2:12 is a constant and practical salvation that can be applied to our daily situations, especially to our family life and the church life:

A　

In order to stay together in the church life with saints of many different nationalities, dispositions, and personalities, we need a present and practical salvation—1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 2:14-16.

B　

This is especially necessary if we are to experience the church not only locally, but also as the new man universally—Col. 3:10-11.

Ⅱ　

Salvation here refers to salvation from murmurings, reasonings, blame, guile, blemishes, crookedness, and perverseness—Phil. 2:14-15:

A　

Murmurings are of our emotion and come mainly from the sisters; reasonings are of our mind and come mainly from the brothers.

B　

The natural married life is a life of murmurings and reasonings.

C　

We should do all things without murmurings and reasonings in order that we may become blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked, perverted, warped, and twisted generation—v. 15.

Ⅲ　

Our salvation is not merely an action; it is a living Person, the Triune God Himself, operating in us—v. 13; 1:19; 4:23:

A　

The indwelling God energizes us from within as the source, power, strength, and energy for our constant salvation—Eph. 1:20; 3:20.

B　

God operates in us both the willing and the working for His good pleasure— 1:11; Col. 1:27, 29.

C　

The willing takes place in our will, indicating that God's operation begins from our spirit and spreads into our mind, emotion, will and eventually into our physical body—Rom. 8:4, 6, 11.

D　

The good pleasure of God's will (Eph 1:5) is to operate in us so that we may reach the climax of His supreme salvation—cf. Rom. 5:10, 17.