July 1, 2008
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Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Phil 2:12-13
In the context that salvation is a free gift from God, in real life and according to the teachings of Scripture what does "work out" mean to you?
Comments (5)
Be obedient and faithful to God as you live your daily life.
Living the Christian life is not easy. It is described as a race, a fight. It takes effort, persistence, diligence, strength, and many other things that I've not time to list. LOL
I look at the "working out" that is mentioned as the effort that goes into submitting to God. We must exercise, or 'work out', our faith to get stronger in it. Or rather, God exercises our faith, while we merely hold on tight (hopefully). LOL
The original Greek word, katergazomai, means to finish, complete, fashion, or accomplish. I believe this is what is spoken of in Revelation to believers; to overcome. To not give in to the world and return back, but to continue on in the fight, to last to the finish line of this marathon and not quit giving ourselves over to Him.
It means, live it, walk it, talk it, with awe and reverence, understanding the cost paid. I absolutely love this.. from Of First Importance yesterday:
“Q: Who has truly pondered the weight of sin?
A: The one who has truly pondered the weight of the cross.”
- Anselm of Canterbury, quoted by Micahel D. Williams in Far as the Curse is Found (Phillispburg, NJ; P & R Publishing, 2005), 76.
It's clear that as we realize the weight of our sin in light of the penalty of the cross, we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling.. understanding how vile our sin is and the great debt paid. We should not treat it as cheap nor should we ever take it for granted. It is a costly gift and should be revered as such.
Each one of us has a different nature; therefore, God has to deal with each of us differently. I believe that this "working out", at least in part, has to do with seeking God' will for my life. There may be things that I can't do and stay true to God, that someone else might not be bothered with at all. Yet, God requires me to refrain from that thing; for He knows that it would cause me to stumble and fall. Of course, God expects all of His children to obey the direct command given in His Word, but I believe this has to do with our own individual personalities. Asking God how He wants me to dress, what activities I can participate in, etc.
"for it is God who works in you"....I think too that it is first submission to God so He can work in us, thus it becomes His work as I can't do it, and that makes it a gift. Our most important work is submission to Him in all avenues of life and it isn't easy and it is serious ~ "with fear and trembling". It is interesting that is says "God who works in you both to will and to act" ~ much food for thought here. Do I not even have it in me to will it?
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