Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

 

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye 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. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Phil. 2:11-13

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23New King James Version (NKJV)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10King James Version (KJV)

In my book Saints Made Merchandise: An Analysis of Tithes, Alms & Offerings I write, “When Paul points out in Ephesians 2 verses 8 to 10 that although works did not save us but that we are saved by grace through faith, that we were elected before the creation of the world to do good works for which we are called, the message becomes clearer. So when we walk by this faith we will naturally perform good works of which alms are a part. Interestingly, Ephesians 2 verses 8 to 10 makes a thought-provoking strong link between salvation by faith and God ordained works. John the Baptist once said to people who had just repented, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit worthy of repentance.  9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  10The ax lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

These scriptures pass an interesting message. There is a serious misconception within the Christian community that since salvation is by grace through faith, actions or any form of deeds are of no consequence in the equation of salvation. What we seem not to realise is that everyone who sins is a slave to sin. (John 8:34) Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost. Paul once wrote, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[a] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 7:18-25.

Christ came to deliver us from the bondage of sin which is responsible for our failure to do that which pleases God. It is not true that God is not interested in our deeds. God is actually interested in our works. The apostle John once wrote, "The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil. 9Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.  10By this the children of God and the children of the devil can be distinguished: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God" (1 John 3:8-10) Many fool ourselves by claiming that all you need is to believe in Christ and once you do so you remain saved. We call it once saved always saved; all our sins, past present and future are forgiven. This assumption is blatantly incorrect and an absolute abomination to the Lord.

Paul, the man who never believed in salvation through works once wrote, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-22) To buttress this the Lord said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

 when we talk of salvation not being of works all we mean is that our works do not in any way bring to us salvation all have sinned and since we are all under the bondage of we can not do that which is good no matter how much we try. We will only be able to do good when we get delivered from sin and Christ begins to live in us. therefore one evidence that we have been saved when we start to live righteously in this present life.

 
On the other hand the Old Testament, prophet Ezekiel, addresses the subject in this manner. “When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: In his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. . . . When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die” (Ezekiel 18:24, 26). As if he was addressing the same topic, the apostle Paul wrote, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and
envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-22).
The writer of the book of Hebrews weighs in by saying, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4:1-11) This is the same thought that Paul brings in the epistle to the Philipians when he writes, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." (Phil. 2:11-13) When we go back to the Old Testament, Ezekiel repeats his teaching by saying, "When I [the Lord] shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and committeth iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it...... “When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby” (Ezekiel 33:13,18).

What comes out clear here is that when one abandons his rigteusness he also loses the benefits thereon. This is the very reason Paul wrote, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Whilst warning about worldly lusts, Paul says, " But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.  I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim 6:11-19 

 

 

Dangers of sleeping in church

SIDE EFFECTS OF SLEEPING IN CHURCH.
A lady dozed off when the pastor was preaching. when she woke up, she head the pastor saying,
"stand up!". She stood up and the pastor said, "thank you mama, God bless you, remain standing..". The pastor continued," any one else who has been unfaithful to her husband? Pliz don't be shy, be like this sister, stand up!

By C Mugairi

GRACE WHICH BRINGS SALVATION

This post was originally posted on Monday, 16 May 2016. It is repeated here with some additions to explain Jeremiah 31..

 

   Titus 2:11 to 14, ‘For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous unto good works.’

Salvation comes from grace and not faith. Many a time we have taught or been taught that we are saved by faith yet that is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that we are saved BY GRACE through faith. In Eph 2:8 Paul writes, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” you see it is not faith that saves but it is the grace of God that saves us. Faith is just the tool or means we use to appropriate this salvation.

The Bible says that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all mankind. This grace has not been sent to some but to all people. In other words grace has brought salvation to everyone. It is not any form of grace that brings salvation. It is the grace of God which brings salvation to everyone and not the grace of man. When this grace has brought salvation man must then use faith to appropriate the salvation.

Upon appearing to all and sundry with salvation the grace of God teaches the whole world to:

1.      deny ungodliness and worldly lusts,

2.      live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world;

3.      look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ

4.      be eager to do good works

There is an abnormality in many Christian circles that once under grace there is nothing that we are expected to do. It is taught that unlike people who are under the law, people who are under grace are free and nothing more is expected from them. Surprisingly in Paul’s epistle to Titus we are told that grace in point of fact teaches us to do something. In writing to the Ephesians after elaborating that salvation is of grace and not works so no one has a reason for boasting, Paul goes on to write in Eph. 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” In other words God has ordained good works which must be performed by people who are under grace.

Usually when we talk about not being under the law we make the wrong assumption that the law is no longer of any effect yet Jesus himself said in Matt 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.” Some claim that Jesus spoke in such a manner because he was still in the Old Testament yet that is not entirely true. Jesus never operated in the Old Testament whilst on earth and that is why he was an enemy of the Pharisees, Seduces and the then priesthood. He was on record of having said, “ye have heard of old …. but I say …” In fact Jesus tells us when the Old Testament ended by saying in Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it.” The Old Testament was until John and the New Testament was ushered by our Lord and savior Jesus Christ because, “the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

Paul writes, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” Rom 7:7. Again in Gal 3:24 Paul writes, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” From these quotations it is clear that the law does not in any way provide salvation. The law merely shows that one is a sinner who is in need of a savior.

The law condemns a sinner and brings no salvation with it. Moses brought the law and through it by means of figures and symbols he prophesied about the coming of a savior who would wipe out the scourge of sin. Through the symbol of the brazen serpent he pointed out that the savior would become sin in the same manner that brass became a serpent but through that process bring salvation to slaves of sin. John 3:14-15; 2 Cor.5:21. Christ was aware of man’s predicament and the fact that apart from a savior man could not extricate himself from the bondage of sin. Christ therefore by grace brought salvation to man. Salvation is therefore entirely depended on the grace of Christ and not the works of the law. In any case Paul says that the law is our tutor, who brings us to Christ so that by the grace of Christ we may be justified by faith.

The apostle John once said in 1 John 3:4, "sin is the transgression of the law." . Had there been no law there would have been no sin because without the transgression of the law there is no sin. Adam transgressed God's law not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil hence he sinned. Since the days of Adam no human has been able to fully observe and keep God's law because that law was not part of the human nature. When Moses wrote the law on tables of stone it still did not improve matters because then the law was still outside man. This was the main reason why God had to substitute the Old Testament with the New Testament.

Through the prophet Jeremiah the Lord said, "Behold, the days come ... that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jer. 31:31-34. commenting on that scripture, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote, "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." Heb. 8:8-13.

The major difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is that in the Old Testament the law was written outside man whilst in the New Testament the same law is written in man's heart and it thus becomes part of the nature of that person. It is for this reason that John says, "And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3:4-10.

 

So you see that a person in whose heart the law of God is written does not struggle to keep that law because that law has become part their nature and personality. The statement is clear that "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." Therefore those who call for the disregard of God's law under the pretext of not being under the law but are under grace greatly err because the grace of God teaches us to live godly lives as dictated by the law of God. Such living is not outlawed by the law of God hence people who live such lives cannot be said to be under the law.
 

A person who breaks the law is under the law but a person who does not break the law is not under the law. It is only thieves who are affected by laws which outlaw theft. They are the ones who are under such laws. People who respect the sanctity of other people’s property are not under antitheft laws because those law do not regulate the way they live because whatever such laws outlaw does not affect them in any way. In the same vein people who live righteous and godly lives are not under the law because they already live lives that are not outlawed by the law. This is the reason why the grace of God teaches us to:

1.      deny ungodliness and worldly lusts,

2.      live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world;

3.      look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our saviour Jesus Christ

4.      be eager to do good works

When we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts we will start to live lives that are not controlled by anti-covetous laws. “Thou shalt not covet” applies to lustful persons. Prostitution, greediness, selfishness, corruption and all worldly vices stem out of ungodliness and lust hence all people who practice them are still under the law. In my book Saints Made Merchandise I point out that the apostle Paul says, ‘the good that I would do I do not: but the evil I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.’ Sin can therefore render our desire and ability to do good works powerless. When we get rid of sin, good must flow out of us freely and abundantly. That is precisely why Paul said the grace of God that brings salvation causes in us a passion for good works. Has Christ delivered us from the law of sin and death? If he has then we have no justification for not doing good acts. He thus has every reason to either commend us or upbraid us for not sharing with others that which we possess. It is thus imperative that we deliberately deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and because of that the grace of teaches us to precisely do that.

The grace of God does not only teach us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts but it also teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present world. Grace does not teach us to live soberly, righteously and godly in the world to come but in this present world. Righteous living is for now and not for the future. Jesus Christ became sin for our sakes so that we may become the righteousness of God in Christ. It therefore means that in order to live righteously we must allow Christ to live his life through us. When this happens good will naturally flow from our innermost beings according to the Lord’s plan for us. Again in my book Saints Made Merchandise I write, “Good works do not in themselves bring righteousness to a person but they are in reality a product of righteousness. Therefore it is not good works that produce righteousness but it is righteousness, which produces good works, and the good works are the evidence of that righteousness. Since alms are a by-product of good works it follows that alms deeds are acts of righteousness. In his doctrine our saviour and Lord said, ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness … Sell that you have, and give alms, provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not…. And you yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord…. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching.’ Matthew 6:33; Luke 12:33-37…. Good works do not save and cannot produce righteousness, as has already been said, but arise from righteousness and the grace, which saves us through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore anyone who is unrighteous has no fellowship with the Lord. Even the righteousness that is by human standards is insufficient to please God. One prophet and writer of ancient years once said that all our righteousness is like filthy rags before the Lord. Even the righteousness which is by the observance of the law is inadequate on its own as was shown in the story of the rich young man who asked the Lord what he had to do in order for him to inherit everlasting life. It is said that the young man had observed and obeyed the law of God, given through Moses, since his childhood but Jesus indicated that perfection could only come after repentance. A teacher of the Law of Moses who was righteous according to the standards of the Sanhedrin was told that he had to be born again so that he could inherit the kingdom of God. In both cases Jesus was hinting that the righteousness of God is not the righteousness of men.

The righteousness that pleases God is the one, which is by godly standards. When God therefore noticed the shortcomings of men as far as righteousness is concerned he decided to impart his own righteousness to men. Jesus, the Word that became flesh, lived on earth for thirty-three solid years as human and with all human limitations. Of the thirty-three years he devoted three and a half to teaching the word of God doing good and healing all those who were sick. One Passover week he became sin, by bearing all our iniquities in his own body, so that we would become the righteousness of God through him. Since then all those who believe on him automatically become the righteousness of God through Christ. It is not of works but of faith.

The righteousness of human standards is of works while the righteousness, which is of godly standards, is of faith. Good works brings about human righteousness whereas Jesus Christ the righteous king himself brings godly righteousness and it produces the good works. Good works do not produce it. Instead of good works giving birth to righteousness, it is righteousness that must give birth to good works. God’s order is righteousness first and good works later. When we reverse the order we mostly end up in hypocrisy. According to Ephesians chapter 2 grace brings salvation through faith first, which salvation brings the righteousness of Christ, and then good works are expected later, an indication that genuine good works are a product of righteousness. Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-10 read, ‘for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’

It is clear here that if our salvation was a result of our own good works, we would have something to boast about but that is not the case because our salvation and righteousness is dependent on God himself through Christ. It is further without controversy that verse 10 states that God predetermined us to do good works and walk in them. It follows then that all who believe in Christ must walk in good works. It therefore means that when God imparts his righteousness on us, the righteousness will lead us into good works which is the reason why James says that pure and undefiled religion before God will cause us to do good. I trust that is why the tenth verse of the second chapter of the apostle Paul’s epistle to the Galatians makes it a requirement of every Christian to do good works. I also suppose that is the reason why Paul claims, in his epistle to Titus that the grace of God, which brings salvation, teaches us to do good works. The righteousness of God will make us zealous of good works.

Those who claim that good works have no place in a Christian’s life greatly err because God expects us do good. Revelation 22:32 makes it clear that our rewards shall be according to works. Since alms deeds are part of good works it consequently means that they are a product of the righteousness of God. Alms giving was natural in the early Christian church because the righteousness of God had first place in the believers’ lives. Those who have the righteousness of God find out that giving is normal. It was because of this righteousness that early Christian believers gave each other in such a way that no one amongst them lacked. We do alms out of righteousness and not to attain righteousness which reason makes this form of giving a pleasure and a delight to the saint.” For more details concerning this book visit http://www.amazon.com/Saints-Made-Merchandise-Analysis-Offerings/dp/0797469141 or

Grace does not only bring salvation as it also brings us hope teaching us to look forward to the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of the great God and our savior Jesus Christ. The good news is that Jesus Christ is coming back again to judge both the living and the dead. We look forward to that great day when the last enemy, death, will be vanquished. That will be a great day when the dead in Christ will rise again and we who will be alive will be caught up to be with the Lord forever. The apostle wrote, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore comfort one another with these words. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”