Salvation Worked Out with Fear and Trembling

 April 22, 2024

Monday

I always have a measure of fear when I preach. If I preach something that is incorrect, untrue and misleading many people could be led astray. There is no way that I can gather the exact same people to correct my errors. Now, that we stream our services, I don't even know who is watching and listening. I couldn't send them all emails or letters or anything rebutting what I had previously said because I don't know who they are. So, I am careful to get it right. And I do, most of the time. (I have told the congregation that I cannot preach messages on all the things I have gotten wrong because I simply won't live long enough.)

Paul told the Philippians to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. It doesn't mean they will work for their salvation. Paul is clear that salvation is not a matter of our works. But salvation is not merely saying a prayer or being baptized either. It comes with obedience to the Lord or we really don't know what we were doing when we came to Jesus. It is based on what He did in His crucifixion and resurrection. It is not based on whether we made a commitment to Christ by saying a prayer, walking an aisle or avowing Jesus publicly in some other way. Our belief established a relationship which cannot be erased.

Yet, salvation must also be a process in which we are refined. This is done through our working it out. It is with fear and trembling that we want to get this right. We often have deacons read scripture, say prayers or give testimonies in our church. Often, they are almost terrified to do so. They are not scared of the congregation nor are they scared of what I will say about what they are doing. They are merely taking every step to make sure that it is done right. They are meticulously careful and that always brings trepidation. 

Salvation is working in us to get it right. We are working on our salvation to get it right. There is nothing wrong if this takes an atmosphere of fear and trembling. After all, while we are working out our salvation we are in the presence of the Almighty God. He is not waiting for us to make a mistake so that He can punish us. He is seeking to applaud when we get it right. Still, like those who do feats of skill on a stage there is fear and trembling because of that desire to get it right.

Each of us has days that we utterly fail. These days are those in which we didn't start the day with God and didn't walk with Him throughout the day. We found ourselves acting like those who don't know the Lord. We acted like they expected us to act. While God forgives, this is no reason that we should take our salvation capriciously.

So, we do just that. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling. It is really the only way that we can work it out.

Philippians 2:12 (NASB 2020) ¹² So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;