Working Out Your Salvation
“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)
What are you here told to do? Work out your salvation. How are you told to do it? With fear and trembling. Are you doing it? You are burdened down with the cares of this life and are not much alarmed over it.
Do you not know that it is the cares of this life that choke out the Word of God? Then just a little of the cares of this life ought to alarm you. You thought salvation was by faith and not works. But faith and works go together. There is a work for you to do to keep saved. You must have faith, but if your faith is real it will be attended with works in fear and trembling.
A little girl comes home from school with a fever. The fond mother says to the father, “I fear it is a contagion.”
He replies, “I fear it is, and we must do something.”
They get in earnest and call mightily on God and the little girl is well in the morning. Thank God.
A few evenings later some trouble comes up in the home. The husband speaks in a harsh, cutting tone to the wife. She replies in the same manner. There is a contagion in that home, a terrible contagion. Now is the time to fear and tremble, and to call mightily to God in deep repentance and not to cease until the heavenly winds are wafted down and that contagion is swept out of the heart and out of the home and a sweet peace is shed over all. That is works in fear and trembling.
A man buys a home. He pays cash, all he has. The contract is made out and signed, and now he goes to working out the monthly payments. He moves in, takes possession and goes to work. One day the final payment is made and the warranty deed is given.
A man gives all he has to Christ and gets saved. The contract is signed. He takes possession and goes to work in fear and trembling. Some day he will have it all worked out and his heavenly home is forever secured. When the “little foxes” get in, get them out at once. That is part of your work. Another part is to go about helping others all you can. Another work is to do much praying and keep the heart full of blooming flowers for the Master.