Phil 2:12 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.
Now this verse is often quoted and used, but what does it truly mean. The next verse really gives us more info than this one does.
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
For it is God which works in you, it is Him that gives you the will to work out your Salvation.
You see, here is the picture. You were lost, just like Adam and Eve we all ate of the forbidden fruit. It is our nature to do this and we are all born with this nature.
But once we are saved, a new nature is put in us. And this new nature is the nature of Christ, the new man. And this new nature (Christ) works in us both to will and do of his good pleasure.
Therefore this new nature wars against the old nature. The seed pushes up against the ground which contains it. The seed wants to grow and produce fruit, but the ground holds it back. The seed is Christ.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
And this is being "born again", the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ, has been planted into you (you are the soil).
And then this "seed" pushes against the soil ( which is you) that restrains it.
Now I offer this. The "seed" can only grow if the soil is broken up and made soft. Therefore working out your Salvation is an act of the soil(you) being made soft and being broken up.
Trembling, what happens when a plow is used in your garden? The soil trembles and shakes as it is broken up. Same thing with us, we tremble and shake when our soil is being broken up through trials and struggles.
In those trials and struggles the seed "Christ" is growing.
The "seed" is pushing aside the ground so it can grow and produce fruit, that is what a seed does. It grows into what it is. We have the seed of Christ and this seed wants to grow to be Christ.
The fear spoken of in these verses is this fear. Grow or die. That is what every physical seed "knows".
A seed can sit in the ground for years dormant, but once the spark comes it must grow or die. And it pushes forth in this "mindset" grow or die, it gives all it's effort to grow.
And this seed"Christ" pushes against your soil, He is determined to grow and produce fruit.
Therfore sometimes this seed needs rain, rain from God, sometimes this seed needs the soil to be broken up and trials come to you, sometimes this seed needs nourishment from the soil( you). This nourishment comes from prayer, reading of the Scriptures, and Repentance.
Then one day the seed comes forth from the ground and a new struggle develops. The struggle against the forces of this world.
I probably didnt do a good job of explaining this, but I think there are some good points here.
Now this verse is often quoted and used, but what does it truly mean. The next verse really gives us more info than this one does.
Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
For it is God which works in you, it is Him that gives you the will to work out your Salvation.
You see, here is the picture. You were lost, just like Adam and Eve we all ate of the forbidden fruit. It is our nature to do this and we are all born with this nature.
But once we are saved, a new nature is put in us. And this new nature is the nature of Christ, the new man. And this new nature (Christ) works in us both to will and do of his good pleasure.
Therefore this new nature wars against the old nature. The seed pushes up against the ground which contains it. The seed wants to grow and produce fruit, but the ground holds it back. The seed is Christ.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
And this is being "born again", the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ, has been planted into you (you are the soil).
And then this "seed" pushes against the soil ( which is you) that restrains it.
Now I offer this. The "seed" can only grow if the soil is broken up and made soft. Therefore working out your Salvation is an act of the soil(you) being made soft and being broken up.
Trembling, what happens when a plow is used in your garden? The soil trembles and shakes as it is broken up. Same thing with us, we tremble and shake when our soil is being broken up through trials and struggles.
In those trials and struggles the seed "Christ" is growing.
The "seed" is pushing aside the ground so it can grow and produce fruit, that is what a seed does. It grows into what it is. We have the seed of Christ and this seed wants to grow to be Christ.
The fear spoken of in these verses is this fear. Grow or die. That is what every physical seed "knows".
A seed can sit in the ground for years dormant, but once the spark comes it must grow or die. And it pushes forth in this "mindset" grow or die, it gives all it's effort to grow.
And this seed"Christ" pushes against your soil, He is determined to grow and produce fruit.
Therfore sometimes this seed needs rain, rain from God, sometimes this seed needs the soil to be broken up and trials come to you, sometimes this seed needs nourishment from the soil( you). This nourishment comes from prayer, reading of the Scriptures, and Repentance.
Then one day the seed comes forth from the ground and a new struggle develops. The struggle against the forces of this world.
I probably didnt do a good job of explaining this, but I think there are some good points here.
