Proverbs 9:10 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
The fear of God is not something we hear preached about much these days. We hear more about the love of God. The love of God is truly an inexhaustible message. We can never preach to much about it. Just one glimpse at the cross of Calvary will tell us that. Yet equally important is the fear or earnest respect for God's authority.
Philippians 2: 12 tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Many would quote only the first part of this verse and tell us that our salvation is solely a private affair. You've heard the story. "I do what is best for me and you do what is best for you." Yet this doesn't actually fit with the theme of the book of Philippians. The major theme found in Philippians chapter two is obedience. Paul is not saying that I can work out my own salvation by doing as I please. Rather he is saying that I must make obedience to Christ a personal matter.
The phrase fear and trembling can be taken to mean "self-distrust." This simply means that I must understand that I am capable of doing wrong even when I have the motivation and desire to do right. I must be careful not to allow myself to get to comfortable and let down my guard against temptation. I must be always on guard against iniquity. Remember that our enemy the devil is going around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (I Peter 5:8).
Sometimes believers are so concerned about being "happy in Jesus" that the trust and obey element is not taken very seriously. How does a careless, over-relaxed attitude affect a true life of obedience? Christians should be the most joyful people in the world. Salvation is something to be joyful about. Yet we must also remember that God's word warns us many times to be sober and practice self control. We must all one day answer to God for the deeds done in the body (II Corinthians 5: 10.) On that day I want to hear my Lord say, "Well Done." Don't you?
Yours in Christ,
Sullivan Jones
The fear of God is not something we hear preached about much these days. We hear more about the love of God. The love of God is truly an inexhaustible message. We can never preach to much about it. Just one glimpse at the cross of Calvary will tell us that. Yet equally important is the fear or earnest respect for God's authority.
Philippians 2: 12 tells us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. Many would quote only the first part of this verse and tell us that our salvation is solely a private affair. You've heard the story. "I do what is best for me and you do what is best for you." Yet this doesn't actually fit with the theme of the book of Philippians. The major theme found in Philippians chapter two is obedience. Paul is not saying that I can work out my own salvation by doing as I please. Rather he is saying that I must make obedience to Christ a personal matter.
The phrase fear and trembling can be taken to mean "self-distrust." This simply means that I must understand that I am capable of doing wrong even when I have the motivation and desire to do right. I must be careful not to allow myself to get to comfortable and let down my guard against temptation. I must be always on guard against iniquity. Remember that our enemy the devil is going around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (I Peter 5:8).
Sometimes believers are so concerned about being "happy in Jesus" that the trust and obey element is not taken very seriously. How does a careless, over-relaxed attitude affect a true life of obedience? Christians should be the most joyful people in the world. Salvation is something to be joyful about. Yet we must also remember that God's word warns us many times to be sober and practice self control. We must all one day answer to God for the deeds done in the body (II Corinthians 5: 10.) On that day I want to hear my Lord say, "Well Done." Don't you?
Yours in Christ,
Sullivan Jones
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