Verse of the Day 8/1

Verse of the Day 8/1

Philippians 2:12   Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,  English Standard Version (ESV)

Yesterday we considered the word "admonish", to warn or even reprimand.   The same thing is going on here in Paul's letter to the church in Philippi as He calls them to "work out their salvation".  Our salvation our faith is an active thing and not a passive thing.  It is not an insurance policy that we have taken out and then forget about because "we've got it covered".   Paul is not saying that they, or we, can earn our salvation but that it is God working in us that enables us to work out, to apply what we've learned in our lives, shaping our lives and our behavior.  God exposes who we are as we read and listen to His Word and shows where we need refinement, improvement.  It doesn't happen all at once but over time.

The last part of the verse should catch our attention as well.  We may not often hear about "fear and trembling" in regards to our salvation these days.  John Piper describes this as "the trembling one feels in the arms of a Father who has just plucked his child from the undertow of the ocean".  Stop and think about that for a minute.  Have you ever been saved from drowning or been through something where your life flashed before you?  It changes your life, it changes your perspective and your outlook from that time forward. We should be thankful to God for saving us, and it should change the way we live our lives. 

While we are "working out" our salvation God is working in.  We should be glad in it and live out our lives as a testimony to it and carry it to the goal and complete it.

A. W. Tozer  writes, "The term work out could be better translated, "Carry it to the goal and complete. . . ." The idea being conveyed is that of going into a mine for gold. You get all the gold out of the mine that you can."

In these days of confused situations
In this night of a restless remorse
When the heart and the soul of a nation
Lay wounded and cold as a corpse

From the grave of the innocent Adam
Comes a song bringing joy to the sad
Oh, your cry has been heard and the ransom
Has been paid up in full, be ye glad

Oh, be ye glad
Oh, be ye glad
Every debt that you've ever had
Has been paid up in full by the grace of the Lord

Be ye glad, be ye glad, be ye glad

  ("Be Ye Glad" - Glad)

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Philippians 2:12-13The Message (MSG)

Rejoicing Together

^12-13 What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.