Are We Willing to “work out” our salvation?
Years ago, like some twenty-six years back, my earthly dad walked the face of the earth, living and breathing, before the Lord Jesus walked him home. While he lived, one of his passions was found atop a horse. We chuckle when we recall all the many mono-syllable names he attached to his plethora of horses owned during his lifetime. Dad taught my sisters and brothers to ride, and he even tried to teach me, but I am not a horsewoman; it is just not in my bones.
During dad’s days, he rode daily, much like we (instructors of English) encourage our students to write daily. Whenever a horseshoe needed repairs made, dad pulled out his blacksmith tools, leaning over the horse hoof, filing down the hoof, preparing the place where a horseshoe would be nailed. Dad was in that moment a blacksmith, willing to “work out” the horse’s hoof, cleaning, scraping, preparing, and nailing on a new horseshoe that would keep the horse from injury.
Today’s calendar date falls on Monday, October 20, and while this particular day is not always a Monday, still the importance of the day is never lost to the lowly English teacher. Welcome to National Day of Writing. I bet you are glad to be here. Today, we are reminded to encourage our students and our community to understand the importance of wordsmithing within our world.
In considering the enormity of creating thoughts, of crafting words and sentences, paragraphs and essays, drafts and dissertations, I find myself immersed in the depth of God’s desire to have fellowship with His creation. The amazing part is that God has already done EVERYTHING to make this possible. He forgave your sins, and it cost Him the life of His Only Son—JESUS!
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
(The Psalms 8: 3-4 NASB)
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?”
Is this not also how we writers work. We lean over our papers and computer screens, filling (not filing) the white space with words, preparing the place where a topic would be nailed (down). We are in that moment a wordsmith, willing to “work out” the syntax, revising, editing, proofreading, and finally nailing down a new draft that would share our thoughts with the world.
It makes me wonder, are we willing to “work out” our salvation, to be like Christ?
“So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed,
(The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 2: 12-13 NASB)
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who is at work in you,
both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
We know from Bible theologians how the apostle Paul was confined inside a Roman prison when he wrote this particular letter. Even though it was only time before Paul would be executed for his faith, the man of God was not fearful of his future. His earthly life was not assured; however, Paul’s eternal life rested in Christ Jesus. So, he could write with boldness, with authority of the Scriptures. The apostle of Jesus could proclaim—
Be Willing to “work out” your salvation!
The apostle was NOT telling us to ‘work for’ our salvation, for Christ did all that was necessary on the cross. Rather, Paul was telling us to: Be conformed to Christ’s image.
To do so, we must be willing to know Jesus Christ’s full measure of grace, sufficient for every life detail.
- Are we willing to “work out” our salvation?
- Are we willing to live holy lives as God’s Holy Spirit transforms us?
- Are willing to put to death sinful thoughts and actions?
- Are we willing to walk in the spirit and truth, trusting fully in His Holy Word?
- Are we strategically setting aside time daily to engage in Bible study, learning to live completely dependent on HIM?
When difficulties and struggles come into our lives, are we willing to “work them out” in HIS Power?
- Are we Willing to tell our story (our personal testimony), sharing with another how Jesus saved us?
- Are we Willing to write to a friend, explaining how Jesus led us through a difficult time?
- Are we Willing to go across the street, to witness in our community, helping them to better understand the love of Jesus?
- Are we Willing to walk away from distractions, from deterrents, from sinful actions, and from anything that keeps us from living holy?
- Are we Willing to live holy, as Jesus calls us to live?
- Are we Willing to live for the Lord Jesus Christ?
- Are we Willing to be conformed to His image, to BE LIKE CHRIST?
The psalmist David reminds us how God cares deeply about us, so much that His love placed His Only Begotten Son on Calvary’s cross. He demonstrated His love by sending Jesus, the Son of God, to save us.
- God knows our names, the hairs on our head, and our thoughts right at this moment.
- God is focused on us, personal with us, unwavering in His faithfulness to us, and lovingly active with us.
Today: Are You Willing to “work out your salvation with fear [reverence to Him] and trembling;” fully cognizant of ALL HE HAS ALREADY DONE FOR YOU ON CALVARY’S CROSS?