Let us now consider Philippians 1:19-21. In verse 19 Paul says that his circumstances will turn out for his salvation through the petition of the saints and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. According to verse 20, we see that the salvation Paul expected to experience was that instead of being put to shame, in everything Christ would be magnified in him with all boldness. Thus, for Paul’s environment to turn out to be for his salvation means that it would turn out for the magnification of Christ in him. Hence, salvation here is actually Christ magnified in him. The words, “To me to live is Christ” in verse 21 are an explanation of what it means to magnify Christ. To magnify Christ is to live Him. On the negative side, Paul expected that he would not be put to shame; on the positive side, he expected Christ to be magnified in him.
According to the context of these verses, salvation here is not salvation from hell. Instead, it is salvation from being put to shame. If Paul had been sorrowful and downcast when he was in prison, that would have been a shame. Suppose Timothy came to visit Paul and found him weeping over his difficult situation. What a shame that would have been to Paul! But suppose Paul rejoiced in the Lord and sang praises to Him. Then Christ truly would have been magnified in his body, even though he was a prisoner in Rome. This is the salvation spoken of here.
Suppose a brother is in a very sorrowful situation, and someone comes to visit him. If that brother is weeping and complaining about his sorrows, that will be a shame. This brother needs to experience God’s salvation in his situation. Then should someone visit him, that suffering brother will be able to say to him, “Praise the Lord! The Lord’s grace is sufficient. I am in the third heaven. Hallelujah!” What a glorious testimony this would be! We would see that a brother’s suffering has turned out to be for his salvation.
Paul’s earnest expectation was that instead of being put to shame, he would magnify Christ. What a tremendous salvation it is to magnify Christ in all circumstances! The jailers and the guards could see Paul rejoicing in the Lord. In him Christ was magnified. To magnify Christ in such a way is to live Him.
In 2:12 Paul charges us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. In 1:19-20 Paul speaks of something turning out for salvation, but in 2:12 he tells us to work out our salvation. In verse 13 he goes on to explain, “For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.” In chapter one salvation comes by the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. But here salvation comes from the operating God within us. Now we must see that the operating God is actually the Spirit of Jesus Christ. The One who operates in us both the willing and the working for His good pleasure is the indwelling Spirit of Jesus Christ with His bountiful supply.
We should be careful, and even be fearful and trembling, lest we offend the God who is operating within us. This is the reason Paul says in 2:14, “Do all things without murmurings and reasonings.” Murmurings are found mainly with the sisters, and reasonings, mainly with the brothers. If we murmur or reason, we offend the indwelling and operating God. When we murmur or reason, we may have the sense deep within that we are offending the operating God, grieving the indwelling Spirit. Furthermore, we may have the sense that the indwelling Spirit is telling us not to reason or murmur, but to work out our own salvation. We have received an all-inclusive salvation, which is Christ Himself, but now we must work out this salvation. The very God who is the Spirit with the bountiful supply is operating in us. With fear and trembling, let us respect Him and cooperate with Him to work out our salvation. If we do this, we shall be saved from murmurings and reasonings. This is a practical and instant salvation worked out according to the inward operation of God.