When the Cat’s Away…

“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.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13

In his letter to the church members in Philippi, Macedonia (modern-day Greece), Paul praised the believers because of their diligence in obeying Christ not just when he was present with them, but when he was traveling throughout other cities and countries and even now as he was jailed in Rome.  That old saying about the mice playing when the cat was away did not ring true for these folks.  They were genuinely concerned about living righteous lives and honoring Christ even when no one was watching.  Of course, Christ was watching, and He is the only one whose opinion really counts.  That should be on every Christian’s mind.  Even if no one is around, Christ is there ministering through the Holy Spirit.

Paul then urged the believers to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.  Paul did not say to work “for” salvation, but rather to be diligent in those deeds that show forth the evidence that one has been saved.  God’s grace is to be depended on to “work out” the salvation experience.  Salvation is a “state of being”.  When a person is born again in Christ, he or she enters this state of being, this salvation.  A simple earthly example would be when a woman becomes a mother by giving birth or by adopting a child, she is a mother for life.  She has entered the state of motherhood, and nothing can change that.  She begins to grow as a mother, learning all about rearing children mostly through experience.  When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is a Christian for life and even throughout eternity and grows in grace as he or she studies God’s word, prays, and gets involved in serving others in the name of Christ.

When a woman becomes a mother, her focus changes from herself to her children, and likewise, a Christian changes focus from self to Christ.  It is imperative to regard every word spoken and every action taken as contributing to the overall health and growth of the salvation experience.  Since the born-again experience and the resulting state of salvation come by God’s grace through faith in Christ, we must depend on His grace in our endeavors to live, work, and grow as His children.  Just as a loving mother desires for her children to grown strong, healthy, intelligent, and moral in order to become good citizens, contributors, and parents, God desires for His children to grow in faith, good works, righteousness, service, and in the knowledge of Him and His word.

Paul then admonished the Philippians believers to not only “work out” their own salvation, but also to do it with fear and trembling.  Don’t get cocky and think that you’re doing God a favor by doing some good deeds in His name.  In Romans 12:1, Paul wrote pleading with the believers in Rome, because of God’s mercy that had been extended to them, to present their bodies as “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is (their) reasonable service”.  When a believer strives to do everything right and lives a life in denial of one’s own desires and instead focuses on helping others, giving sacrificially of time, talents, and treasures, and focuses on pleasing God, then he or she has only done what is expected of him or her as a child of God–their reasonable service.  To serve with fear and trembling doesn’t mean to be afraid that if one doesn’t do everything exactly right, then severe punishment will come upon him or her.  It is rather to take care that what we do is in obedience to the Lord.  If the Holy Spirit warns against a certain action, then don’t do it.  Drifting from the straight and narrow can bring a reproach against Christ.  If we need to fear anything, it is to fear doing something that could damage one’s witness and/or cause one to distance himself or herself from Christ.  Strive for excellence in one’s walk with Christ.  Later, in Paul’s letter, he would write that he certainly wasn’t perfect, but he kept working toward the goal of being all for which Jesus saved him (Philippians 3:12).  No one becomes a mature Christian the moment he or she receives Christ.  It takes a lifetime.  As in all other subjects of life, we never stop learning.

Believers are to do good because God’s grace gives them the ability to do good because that is what pleases Him.  A true born-again believer desires to please God.  If the relationship becomes strained between God and a believer, it is not God’s fault.  He can never be blamed for anything because He always acts in a righteous manner and in the best interest of His children.  If we become less fearful of Him as the sovereign Lord over all the earth, then we are left vulnerable to the whims of Satan.  However, if we fear God as the Maker of heaven and earth who has all power in His hands to protect, provide, and lead us in the way of righteousness and obedience, then we do not have to fear Satan.  Eventually Satan will be “toast”, and we will reign with Christ.  So, hang in there!