Committing Sin vs. Working out Salvation

The Bible uses both a verb form for sin and a noun form for sin. By far the greatest occurrence in the New Testament is the noun form: the verb form hardly every appears. We sometimes see the use of the noun form used together with a verb form, such as “commit sin” in James 2:9.

The word “commit” here is Greek word ergazomai (G2038) which appears a total of 36 times in the King James Version of the Bible. It is translated as work 11 times, worketh 7 times, wrought 7 times, working 4 times, do 2 times, commit 1 time, labour 1 time, minister 1 time, trade 1 time and traded 1 time.

This interested me because I wondered to myself if there was a connection between these Greek words for “commit” and “work out” as in “work out your own salvation” in Philippians 2:12.

The Greek word katergazomai (G2716) appears a total of 23 times in the King James Version of the Bible. It is translated as worketh 7 times, wrought 6 times, do 3 times, done 2 times, working 2 times, causeth 1 time, perform 1 time and work 1 time.

There is indeed a connection according to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary:

From G2596 and G2038; to work fully, that is, accomplish; by implication to finish, fashion: - cause, do (deed), perform, work (out).

So this Greek word which means “to work fully” is derived from ergazomai (G2038) which means “to work” and kata (G2596) which is a very commonly used preposition in the Bible which means, according to Thayer’s Greek Definitions: down from, through out, according to, toward, along. I would say that the most apt fitting for this word in relation to Phillipians 2:12 is work toward salvation.

The Greek words used for salvation as in Philippians 2:12 and sin in James 2:9 – are both nouns. According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary a noun is:

a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things (common noun), or to name a particular one of these (proper noun).

We can therefore conclude that sin and salvation are both states of being (noun) rather than something that one does (verb). The Bible often uses a verb together with a noun as in “commit sin”. When a person “commits sin” they are working sin; they are giving expression to the sin nature. This is different to just simply perform an action. When a person works out their own salvation they are giving expression to the new nature that abides in them.

In the Greek, the verb form of salvation, “to save”, is sozo (G4982). According to Thayer’s Greek Definitions this word does not just mean to rescue from danger or destruction: it also means to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health.

The Greek word sozo (G4982) is used in the Bible in relation to healing: for instance, in Luke 17:19 when Jesus healed the lepers, He said, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well." The New King James Version uses the word “well”, whereas in the King James Version the word “whole” is used.

In Mark 5:23 a man begs Jesus, “My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live.” The Greek word sozo (G4982) is translated “healed” in this verse.

Salvation is all about protection, restoration and completeness. So when a person works out, or works fully, their salvation – they are giving expression to, and working towards the completion of, their protection, restoration and wholeness.