Philippians 2:12-13 ESV
“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, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
There is a spiritual war going on right now against anything
related to our faith which has the word “works” in it. Ephesians 2:8-9 is
stressed over again regarding how we are saved by grace, through faith, and this
not of ourselves, for it is the gift of God, not of works lest we should boast.
But those who are standing in strong opposition to the word “works”
conveniently leave out verse 10 which says,
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
True, there is nothing we can do to earn or to deserve our
own salvation. In our flesh, we can never be good enough. Only through Jesus’
sacrifice for our sins, which is God’s grace to us, through God-given faith in
him, can any of us be saved from our sins and have eternal life with God.
But our salvation and our faith in Jesus Christ are not
absent of good works. For, by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, God
created us in Christ Jesus FOR good works, but they are the works of God, of
his workmanship, which God prepared ahead of time that we should walk (live) in
them.
So, what kind of works did God create us to walk in (in
practice)? And, are they critical to our salvation and to our eternal life with
God? And, what does it mean to “work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling”?
In Ephesians 4 we read that, as followers of Jesus, we are
to no longer live like the unsaved, like the ungodly. We are not to give
ourselves over to sensuality, greed, idolatry, immorality, lying, stealing and
every kind of impurity. Such things as these are to no longer be part of our
lives.
And, that is because the TRUTH in Christ Jesus instructs us
that we are to put off our old sinful self which is corrupt through deceitful
desires, that we are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and that we are
to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness
and holiness (Eph 4:17-24).
And, then we read in Romans 6 that, by faith in Jesus
Christ, our old self was crucified with Christ in order that the body of sin
might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin, but
that we would now become slaves of righteousness.
And, what does it mean to be enslaved to sin? It means to be
imprisoned to sin, and to be dominated by sin. It means we are not free, but
sin still controls us and that we obey its demands on our lives habitually,
like a prisoner in shackles.
And, we read in Romans 6, that if we obey sin, as our life
course, that we are slaves to sin, and it ends in death, but if we obey
obedience, that leads to righteousness, which then leads to sanctification, and
its end is eternal life with God (Rom 6:1-23).
And, then if we move over to Romans 8, we read that the
righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us, who WALK not according to
the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For, if we live according to the flesh,
we will die (in our sins), but if by the Spirit we are putting to death the
deeds of the flesh, then we will live (with Christ for eternity) (Rom 8:1-17).
Then, in Galatians 5 we read that if we WALK by the Spirit,
we will NOT gratify the desires of the flesh, and that the flesh and the Spirit
are opposed to each other. And, then it goes on to give us a list of works of
the flesh, which are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, etc.
And, it warns us that if we practice such things, we will NOT inherit the
kingdom of God.
And, then if you flip on over to Galatians 6, we are
cautioned against being deceived. It says that God is not mocked, for whatever
one sows, that will he also reap. If he sows to the flesh, from the flesh he
will reap destruction (decay, death). But if he sows to the Spirit, from the
Spirit he will reap eternal life (Gal 6:7-8).
And, in Titus 2:11-14 we read that God’s grace, which is
bringing salvation, is training us to say “NO!” to ungodliness and worldly
passions (fleshly lusts) and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives
while we wait for Christ’s return. For, Jesus gave himself up for us to redeem
us from ALL lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own
possession who are zealous for GOOD WORKS.
Then going a little further, we read in 1 John 1:5-9 that if
we say we have fellowship with God while we WALK in darkness (sin), we lie and
we do not practice the truth. But if we WALK in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another (because we are in fellowship with
God), and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
And, in 1 John 2:3-6 we read that we know that we have come
to know God if we keep (obey) his commandments. If we say, “I know him,” but we
do not obey his commandments (under the New Covenant), then we are liars, and
the truth is not in us. But, whoever obeys his word, in him truly the love of
God is perfected.
So, do you see what all this is saying? Yes, it is true that
we cannot, in ourselves, work our way into heaven. Totally agree! But God’s
grace to us is not free license to continue living in sin as a testament that we
aren’t trying to earn our own salvation by good works.
We were saved FOR good works, which are the works of God,
which he works in us, but that we have to walk in them in practice. We have to
not just be hearers of the word, in other words, but we have to be doers of the
word. We have to walk in obedience to our Lord if we want to be saved from our
sins and to have eternal life with God.
But we don’t do any of this in our own flesh or strength or
willpower. All this comes from God as we surrender our lives to him, and as we
allow him to do his work in our hearts and lives in transforming us away from
sin to living holy and godly lives, to the glory and praise of God.
The
Lord’s Anointed
An
Original Work / December 16, 2011
Based
off Isaiah 61
The Spirit of the Sov’reign Lord on me;
Anointed to preach the Good News;
Sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;
Proclaim freedom for the captives.
He sent me to preach release for pris’ners
Who are walking in sin’s darkness;
Proclaim God’s grace to all men who’ll listen;
And tell them about God’s judgments;
Comfort all who mourn;
Give crowns of beauty;
Oil of gladness and thanksgiving.
They will be called oaks of God’s righteousness,
A planting of our Savior, God,
For the display of our Lord’s splendor, and
They will rebuild God’s holy church.
God will renew them, and will restore them,
And you’ll be called priests of the Lord.
You will be ministers of our God, and
You will rejoice in salvation.
The Lord loves justice;
He is faithful to
Reward those who are seeking Him.
I delight greatly in the Lord;
My soul rejoices in my Savior, God.
He has clothed me with His salvation,
And in a robe of His righteousness.
He has given me priestly garments to wear,
As the bride of Jesus Christ.
As the garden of our Lord and Savior,
He causes us to grow in Him.
He makes righteousness,
Praise, and thanksgiving
Spring up before all the nations.
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