Christ as Our Example vs Christ as Our Salvation - Objective & Subjective

 

Christ as Our Example vs Christ as Our Salvation - Objective & Subjective

Phil. 2:9 "Therefore God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name"

Phil. 2:12 "So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"

Gal. 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me"

Eph. 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast"

 

Analysis Items	Christ as Our Example - Objective	Christ as Our Example - Subjective	Christ as Our Salvation - Objective	Christ as Our Salvation - Subjective
Definition	Christ exalted on high in heaven as our external, historical model	Christ as the indwelling life, becoming an experiential example within us	Christ's objectively accomplished redemptive work, delivering from God's condemnation and the lake of fire	Christ as the living Person within us, becoming the salvation we "work out"
Location	In the third heaven, at the highest place in the universe	Within us as life and example	The redemptive fact accomplished on the cross	Within us as the power and reality of salvation
Nature & Characteristics	• External, distant • Historical fact • Difficult to follow directly	• Internal, experiential • Living life • Practically followable	• Accomplished, certain • Legal positional change • Requires no human effort	• Living, dynamic • Needs to be worked out • Experiential salvation
Function & Role	• Provides moral standards • Gives behavioral patterns • Reveals God's intention	• Enables us to actually follow • Lives out Christ from within • Becomes the reality of life	• Provides legal positional change • Gives eternal security • Delivers from condemnation and lake of fire	• Experience salvation in daily life • Power over sin and death • Dynamic force for transformation
Means of Realization	• Learning Christ's character • Imitating Christ's behavior • Looking to Christ in heaven	• Cooperating with God's operation • Letting Christ live from within • Through the Spirit's power	• Trusting in Christ's accomplished work • Accepting the fact of redemption • Justification by faith	• Working out salvation with fear and trembling • Cooperating with God's operation • Manifesting salvation in experience
Temporal Characteristics	• Historical accomplished fact • Eternal standard • Unchanging model	• Ongoing present process • Continuous sanctification • Progressive transformation	• Past accomplished redemption • Eternally effective salvation • Once-for-all work	• Present need to work out • Dynamic experience • Continuous process of salvation
Focus of Experience	• Learning moral character • Changing external behavior • Establishing ethical standards	• Transformation of life and nature • Internal actual experience • Living out Christ	• Establishing position and identity • Guarantee of eternal destiny • Forgiveness of sins	• Experiencing life's power • Reality of daily salvation • Life transformation and renewal
Limitations or Challenges	• Difficult to follow heavenly example from earth • May become external imitation • Could lead to legalism	• Need to learn cooperation with God • Requires spiritual sensitivity • Needs time for maturation	• Only positional change • Lacks practical reality in living • May neglect sanctification	• Requires subjective cooperation • Needs attitude of fear and trembling • Easy to neglect God's operation
Related Detailed Scriptures	1 Pet. 2:21 "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you would follow in His steps" John 13:15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you"	Phil. 2:13 "For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure" Col. 1:27 "To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory"	Rom. 5:1 "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"	Phil. 1:19 "For I know that this will turn out to my salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" Rom. 7:24-25 "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Practical Application	• Study Christ's life and deeds • Learn Christ's character qualities • Use Christ as behavioral standard • Look to Christ in difficulties	• Practice fellowship with the Spirit • Learn to obey inner sensing • Let Christ's life flow out • Live out Christ in daily life	• Preach gospel to save sinners • Establish assurance of salvation • Thank God for redemptive grace • Boast in salvation	• Experience salvation in trials • Practice cooperation with God's operation • Experience God's power in weakness • Work out salvation in daily living
Ultimate Goal	Know and imitate Christ's example, becoming like Christ in character	Live out Christ, letting Christ become our life and living	Obtain eternal life, delivered from the power of sin and death	Experience Christ as life, manifesting God's good pleasure in all things

 

Integrated Conclusion:

According to the revelation in Philippians 2:12-13, Christ as our example and salvation, along with their objective and subjective aspects, are actually four dimensions of one complete spiritual experience:

1.      Objective Foundation: Christ's exaltation in heaven (example) and the accomplishment of the cross (salvation)

2.      Subjective Reality: Christ within us as life (example) and saving power (salvation)

3.      Unified Experience: "Working out salvation" is the concrete practice of "taking Christ as our example"

4.      Divine-Human Cooperation: We work with fear and trembling, God operates within, causing us both to will and to work

Key Insight:

The "salvation" in Philippians 2:12 does not refer to salvation from the lake of fire, but refers to our example Christ becoming the salvation we work out, experience, and enjoy. This salvation is a living Person, Christ Himself.

 

*Please refer to the 2025 June Semi-Annual Summer Training, General Topic: Experiencing, Enjoying, and Manifesting Christ (Part 3), Part 2: Knowing Christ as Our Model and Taking Him as Our Model