Working Out Our Salvation

Is that a misprint?  I thought we were saved by faith, and here it says "work" out your own salvation?  Contradiction?  The "balance" that some of those who are are still reluctant to give up on legalism are unwilling to let go of?  Is this a balancing, or correcting statement about how we are saved?  Or, perhaps, do we need to listen to what Paul is saying, in context, so that we don't misunderstand?

Anyone who has practiced for a sport, or a concert, or pursued excellence in any area, knows something about "working out."  You don't work out to become an athlete.  You don't practice to become a pianist.  Practice and working out and just simply what athletes and musicians do.  It is a way of living that flows out of who they are, not what they do in order to become.  People do practice to become better at what they do, but not in order to qualify for who they are.  And often, there are those who do what they do with excellence that inspire others to do what they do as well - with "fear and trembling" - not because people of excellence scare us, but because they inspire us and place us in awe.  Paul goes on to say we do this, because of God working in us, not that this is what we do to get God to love us.  How does this all work?  That's what Pastor Jon explores with us this morning.  A picture of what we are invited to do, not in order to qualify for something, but out of the overflow of who were are that inspires us to pursue excellence.  The image is that of a sail boat, not a row boat.

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