May 17, 2021: We Must Work Out Our Salvation in "Fear and Trembling"... What Does That Mean to Us?

In Chapter 2, in the Book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul is speaking to the people of Philippi about the position of Christ in our lives...That Jesus' name is above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven, those on earth and those under the earth and that one day, every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is "Lord", to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2: 9-11 (NKJV)

Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name, which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We, as Christians, must come to recognize and acknowledge the supremacy of who Jesus Christ is in our lives...Our Lord. And as we acknowledge "Jesus as Lord" in our lives, we are in "awe and reverence" to Him. In essence, we should worship Jesus in "fear and trembling" in our salvation.

Philippians 2: 12-13

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,13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

The apostle is not suggesting that the believers at Philippi should be afraid of the outcome of their salvation. Rather, “fear and trembling” is the response to the His divine glory. And then in v. 13, it says: "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose".

To "work out our salvation" does not mean that we must work hard in our efforts to please God, to maintain our salvation, but just the opposite. We must humble ourselves and come to "complete and absolute surrender" to Him, so that God can complete the work in us so that He receives the glory, not us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them". (Eph. 2: 10)

PERSONNAL COMMENT

Our lives, as Christians, would be so much easier if we can fully comprehend the full concept of our surrender. We, as individuals, want so much to be in control of our lives. We want to make our own decisions. Let us "workout our salvation" in "fear and trembling" and allow God to receive the glory in our lives.