"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" Phil 2:12 (NKJV). Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling... what does that mean? It means I'm responsible for my walk with God, not my pastor, husband, best friend etc... it's my job to work out my salvation.. but hang on, how does that work since salvation is a free gift? as seen in Eph 2:8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (NKJV). Yes salvation is a gift but once we are saved we need to make choices, and seek after Him so that we can become more and more like Him. To become more Holy, since He is Holy; “Be holy, for I am holy" 1 Pet 1:16. God is fearful, we are to worship and respect Him (see Isa 8:13 & Rev 14:7). We are to make choices that bring us closer to Him. It also means that although I need
to carry others in prayer (Gal 6:2) my first priority must be to make sure
I'm obeying the Lord.
This sounds hard, maybe even imposible but verse 13 gives us hope, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him." (NLT). This means that as we commit ourselves to doing God's will, He helps us by giving us the desire to do what is right as well as the strength to do it! What an awesome God we serve! We are not alone, He helps us...
So let us fear Him, submit ourselves to the process of becoming Holy, knowing He is working in us to give us the strength to do so!
May the LORD bless you as you work out your salvation,
May He protect you from the schemes of the evil one to lead you away from Him,
May the LORD smile upon you and be gracious to you as He gives you the strength to live holy lives.
May He show you favour and give you peace to know that He is with you and never leaves you alone.
