SALVATION, REVERENCE AND SELF-DISTRUST – Part 2
Last month we looked at the reality of our salvation as being defined in the person of Jesus. When we make it about anything else we miss the real point. If we are in Christ we are spiritually whole and complete, we lack nothing. It is key to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and demonstrate through us the life of Christ that now defines our identity as a believer.
According to Philippians 2:12-13, we are to demonstrate (work out) our salvation with reverence and self-distrust; for it is God at work in us both to will (desire) and to work (do) for His good pleasure. Here we can see our view and attitude towards God and toward our own natural abilities.
First of all our hearts must be captured with a genuine holy fear. This is not a fear in the sense that God is going to harm or mistreat us if we don’t toe the line perfect. It is not a fear of pending judgment or wrath because that was satisfied at the cross – TOTALLY SATISFIED! It is a true sense of awe and respect, a reverence of who God is and what He has done in Christ. With a proper heart of humility to the awesomeness of God, the second part will fall in place … self-distrust.
Paul wrote in Philippians 3:3 that we are to glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. We demonstrate or work out the reality of Christ within not by our efforts, but by yielding to Him who is at work in us both to will and work for His good pleasure. It is by the Holy Spirit this is accomplished. When we believe it is by our natural works and efforts that we show the character and nature of Christ we are simply reverting back to trying to accomplish it according to an old covenant of works. Jesus freed us from sin and gave us His life, He freed us from natural works of the flesh and graced us to live by His life and the fruit of the Spirit.
We must choose. If we try to demonstrate His nature in us through our works we will find ourselves just “sweatin’ to the oldies” (covenant that is) with no results. But if we choose reverence, awe and humility with no confidence in our ability then the Holy Spirit can turn us inside out and show off the true nature of our salvation – Jesus!
Love in Christ,
Pastor David Hughes