Approach Question:
What do you work out?

Observations:
I asked myself why does the apostle Paul say, “Continue to work out your Salvation with fear and trembling”?

Once we have our Salvation, we cannot keep it on the backburner but it has to be lived out. When a person is saved by the Lord Jesus, they are rescued from what they were: Prisoners to the flesh. It does not make sense to live life the old way gratifying the desires of the flesh anymore. Since the new has come in Christ, 'Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling' means to persist acting on your Salvation with fear and trembling.

^"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, NIV)

The fear and trembling in v.13 is an awe kind of reverence towards the Lord for what He has done in our lives and will continue to do. Work out your Salvation means asking the Lord to make it a daily sanctification process of how life can become with the Lord on our side because He has saved us. That is exciting to know! Thank you Jesus! Praise the Lord!

This is evidenced by the next verse, 'for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose'.

I asked myself what are the implications for my life?
Salvation is guaranteed in the Lord and I need to exercise my Salvation. When we exercise as an work out, there is a continual action going on inside the body to fine tune the muscles and shedding any unnecessary pounds that should not be there. But for that to happen, we have to take deliberate action. We cannot remain silent and expect our body to get a workout. Once we workout, the body will do it's part.

In the same way, when we work out our Salvation, we are actually asking Christ to continually sanctify us daily, so the action going on inside of our body and outside of our body fine tunes the spiritual muscles and sheds any desires of the flesh that should not be there. But for that to happen, we have to take deliberate action depending on the Lord. We cannot remain silent in our Salvation and expect spiritual maturity. Once we start working out our Salvation, the Lord Jesus will do His part. Thank you Jesus.

I ask you now dear friend, how do you W.O.R.K out your Salvation?
Working out our Salvation can be done by exercising our faith in the Word of God daily by having a Quiet Time where we open the Scriptures to speak to us and meditate on those Scriptures through prayer to the Lord Jesus. I usually read a Psalm, a Proverb for the day, a reading from the Gospels, and a passage from the Epistles. Then, I try to study a verse or two from the Epistle in detail like a Bible study. I also usually make time to read Christian books to help me grow in my faith.

Exercising our faith on our own is important. There is an added benefit to that when we exercise in a community for accountability, support, etc. But, that should only be an add on and should never take place of our own solitary time with the Lord. When we exercise in a community spiritually, it will help us move to a deeper faith, stronger community, and greater impact as is the vision of Oakland International Fellowship led by Pastor Josh.  This can be done by being involved in a small group fellowship and gathering together with believers on Sunday to worship the Lord together in Spirit and in Truth. Praise the Lord!

It can be exciting to have a daily workout where the Lord Jesus is our trainer. That is so awesome to know! Thank you Jesus. When we work out depending on the Lord, He will take care of the rest. Thank you Jesus!

Lest I be misunderstood, I am not learning about works based Salvation. For me v.13 does not emphasize “Works based Salvation” but still “Salvation by Grace”

The evidence for that is in verses 6-11 and verse 13 for me. In the previous devotional times I learned about what Jesus did for us to be saved. It is by His grace we are saved! The previous devotional times A.T.T.I.T.U.D.E, C.R.O.S.S, N.A.M.E, and S.A.L.V.A.T.I.O.N are the ones that help me to take this verse in its context. Now based on the passage, I know it is not ‘works based Salvation but Salvation by grace’.

May you know the work out you do for your Salvation will bring you closer and closer to the Lord. May you also know always that you are saved by His grace and not of any works you do on your own. The workout as a sanctification process is because of the justification process that has happened in your life if you have accepted what Jesus Christ has done for you at the Cross of Calvary! Praise the Lord!
 
In closing dear friend, I am so excited for all that I learned in today’s devotional time as I sought the Lord. You know verse 13 always seemed to trouble me but after praying and studying it in its context I am excited. I am excited because I know no amount of good works I do will save me but it is because of receiving Jesus Christ as my Lord and Personal Savior that I am saved by His grace.

If that were not the case then what all religions preach will give people access to the Lord. In all religions except in Christianity, people try to reach God by the good works they feel they are doing but in Christianity, God reached out to man to save man.

May you know that you can receive the Lord’s Salvation as you seek after Him for the Word of the Lord says that if we seek the Lord and search for Him with our whole heart, He will be found. In that same chapter of Jeremiah 29 we are reminded that the Lord knows the plans He has for us and they are plans for good and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope!

It is the Holy Spirit that will have a marked seal on us assuring our Salvation as He produces the work in us! Praise the Lord!

"Work Out Redeemer's Kindness!" (W.O.R.K)/"How do you W.O.R.K out your Salvation?"

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you so much for reminding us to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling for it is you Oh Lord that works in us to do and act according to your will. Thank you so much Jesus. This would not have been possible without your work in our lives when you chose to save us by Your grace to give us Salvation. Thanks Jesus so much. Please help us Lord as we work out depending on you by exercising our faith in your Word in our solitary time with you and in a community of believers. Thanks so much Lord. And I pray right now for the one who does not know you or are struggling in their faith. Please bring a breakthrough in their life, delivering them and bringing them closer to have a knowledge of you and experience your presence in their lives. Please put the right people in their lives Oh Lord. Thanks so much Jesus. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!