WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING...REALLY?!

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¹² Therefore, my beloved, 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; - Philippians 2:12 NKJV

Many times this verse is used to remind (actually to scare) believers that once they are saved, it is their responsibility to make sure they maintain their salvation or else…but the thing is, our salvation was secured by Christ and in Him alone is it secure. If WE couldn't save ourselves in the first place, what makes US think WE can do anything to keep this free gift of eternal life? See the subtle pride… Besides, I don't think that's what the Apostle Paul meant when he penned that phrase.

Misuse of Scriptures such as this has instilled into many a saint this awful sense of insecurity and fear, almost bordering on paranoia – constantly looking over their shoulders, as it were. Lest we forget anything that's not of faith is sin and this kind of fear makes the cut. This insecurity only serves to make self-righteous hypocrites out of God’s well pleasing and eternally beloved children in Christ. 

Christ, the Living Word assures everyone who is in Him of their acceptance before God.  

³⁷ All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. – John 6:37 NKJV

Again, Jesus went on to say this:

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. – John 10:27-28 NIV

And He also said this:

⁴⁷ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. – John 6:47 NKJV

If you believe in Jesus, you have eternal life and boy am I glad He said “Most assuredly” or as in another translation “Verily,verily”, the Swahili Union Version renders it “Amin, amin”, it’s settled, you are accepted in the Beloved and you have been given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your adoption into the Family of God.

Let us simply take Christ at His Word, He is the Truth; not to believe Him is to make Him out to be a liar, let’s not do that!

       

To understand what the Apostle Paul was saying let’s go back into the Scriptures and let them interpret themselves. Where else do we see similar language? Well…what do we have here:

³ I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. – 1 Corinthians 2:3 NIV

Interestingly, Paul’s preaching and teaching in that Corinthian church wasn't marked by his “fear and trembling” but by the demonstration of the Spirit and the power of God. So what did he mean when he said, he came with great fear and trembling? May I humbly submit to you that the phrase “fear and trembling” simply conveyed a sense of humility.

Paul’s trust and confidence wasn’t in himself. He was totally dependent on the Holy Spirit. No wonder right after instructing the Philippians to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, he adds these very telling words in his letter to them and they would’ve read them without a pause (chapters and verses were added later, remember?!):

¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. – Philippians 2:13 NKJV

You see beloved, it is God, by His Spirit, who enables us to work out our salvation with "fear and trembling”aka humility by instilling in us the desire and the ability to obey Him, that’s New Covenant 101 right there. He removes the stony hearts and gives us new hearts of flesh upon which Christ writes His Laws by His Spirit and enables us to walk in the good works that He has already prepared for us Ephesians 2:10 comes to mind. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit will result in us walking in the good works which God has already prepared for us to walk in.

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It all starts and ends with God. He works in us giving us the will and the ability to do His bidding.

So beloved – not having any confidence in the flesh, acknowledging that without Christ we can do nothing but with Him we can do all things; not leaning on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledging Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith – is “working out our salvation with fear and trembling”. Blessings!