Day 50: Salvation Work Out

Read Philippians 2:13-14

What ever happened to “fear and trembling” among Christians? Scripture actually tells us to “work out” our salvation “with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). When was the last time your spiritual muscles “trembled” because of your salvation “work out”? Please don’t forget that we do NOT “work for” our salvation (just as we do not “work for” bodies, but we do give our bodies a “work out”). God saved us ALREADY. But our spiritual muscles are NOT YET as developed as God wants or we need (remember Already But Not Yet on Day 23?).

The Christian life involves a struggle against sin. This struggle is a good sign of life. For example, if you’re being mauled by a lion (cf. 1 Peter 5:8), struggling is a good indication that you’re still alive. The moment you stop fighting, it’s time to worry. Therefore, if you are tempted to do something wrong, hopefully you feel a struggle inside you to resist. Even if you fail, the desire not to give in to that sin again is a sign of life. But if you merely shrug about some ongoing sin in your life and say, “God will forgive me,” then you are gone already. Obviously, a lot is at stake! “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood” (Hebrews 12:4).

No spiritual life is too far gone for God. Jesus is in the business of raising the dead. He is faithful to forgive you over and over again and give you new life. God’s grace is what motivates us to undertake the battle against sin once more. Jesus’ unconditional love is what makes us want to make right whatever wrong is in our lives. Salvation is a free gift God “worked in” us at our baptism. The Christian life will always be about “working out” what God “worked in”.