Philippians 2:12-13 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.
There are those who think that they can balance the wrong they've done against the right they do. This is not what it means to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling". Our ambition ought to be to allow God to correct us, rather than occupying our lives with “good works” to please our conscience. Acts 8:20 says, “But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”
When we examine these 2 verses together, we see that it is only God leads us to the good He assigned us – we need not lead ourselves; and it's imperative for us to know that God cannot be bought!
The
Bible says in Job 31:6 “Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know
mine integrity.”
Having an even balance means having no pressure on our consciences from the wrongs we’ve committed; we are free from them by the blood of Jesus as we strive to abide in Him. We can never “tip” the scales in our favor by busying ourselves with “works”. (Isaiah 57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.) The only gift God accepts is our hearts when we are in right standing with Him (obedience). Luke 18:9 in the Amplified Bible, Classic Edition says, “He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves and were confident that they were righteous [that they were upright and in right standing with God] and scorned and made nothing of all the rest of men:” the Bible also says in 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Apart from obedience, all of our efforts are fallible...
One of
my quotes is “Why does God tell us to love one another? Because that is where
we sin the most!”
When we
sin against one another, we break the Body of Christ - which is a greater sin from our menial offenses against one another. Breaking the Body of Christ (division) is the main
reason many Christians are weak and suffering amongst us. This ought not be!
Philippians 2:2 says “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”
There are many benefits to having strong bonds within the Body of Christ; the devil knows what they are so he will strive to keep the body of Christ broken (division). He knows that as long as there is division, we cannot possible be of that One Mind!
The devil has many tools to operate with; all of them are wrought with emotion. The emotions he targets are envy, anger, arrogance – which all mostly stem from insecurity... but the devil doesn't always attack us in our weakness; he also attacks us through our strong areas!
When the devil attacks us in our strong areas, we are less likely to recognize them. This is because we are puffed-up with confidence - but it is not of God; it's a false confidence because it's in the flesh! This leads us to operate independently from the Body of Christ; I'm not talking about fellowshipping of lending a helping hand; I'm talking about true Christian fellowship by Abiding in Christ and striving to be like Jesus (character). The devil goes through great lengths to keep the Body of Christ apart. This is why Paul wrote Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
When we are feeling confident in ourselves, we need to take caution because this is how the world operates; this is also how the devil uses our strengths against the Body of Christ. Our strengths effectively create further division (Broken Body of Christ) because they cause us to become independent of the Body of Christ (self-reliant). This is why it's so important as Christians to circumcise or cut-off the desires of the flesh (what pleases us).
Jesus
says in John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have
loved you.”
The hymn further says “This is my commandment, That you love one another, That your Joy may be Full;” this strengthens the Body and allows us to be of that one mind of that one body which is Christ Jesus!
Those who walk in love, know joy and know peace and enjoy true fellowship with Christđź’—
God Bless,
Maria
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