"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Paul in Philippians 2:12
One of the groups I try to attend regularly is KIROS, a group of business people who meet for breakfast once a month in various locations in the Greater Seattle area. I attend the Bellevue meeting. KIROS consists of mostly Christians who seek to do business in such a way that it demonstrates their faith in Jesus and brings honor and glory to God. Don't worry, they don't go around preaching and being "weird," but they work in such a way that demonstrates their faith in action.
One of my friends, Darrell, owns his own business and is passionate about living out his faith at work - both in the way he treats his employees and in the way he runs his business. He's known for saying, "do what you say you will do." Darrell has trusted his business to God. At times, he's referred potential customers to another business rather than compromising his principles. Good for you, Darrell!
The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that we need to "work out our salvation in fear and trembling." This applies to all people who believe in Jesus. It's nice to do this on a Sunday morning as part of a Christian clique, but it is far more important to do this visibly, every day as we live and work in our business, volunteer in the community, attend school and live in the neighborhood.
Fear and trembling is not about being so scared of God that we are terrified to do something wrong lest he'd slap us. It also does not mean we are trying to earn our way into heaven or into God's favor.
Working out our salvation means to finish it through spiritual growth and development. It's a process that needs to be worked out daily, especially in our every day life. It's easy to look good for an hour a week on Sunday morning. Working out your salvation or faith refers to living our faith and growing in our relationship with God. It's a process of humility, service, perseverance, and spiritual growth.
Only through faith in Jesus can any of us have right standing before God. As a result of that right relationship, we continue to work out how to live our faith in a way that brings honor and glory to God. Salvation and faith in this context is all about our relationship with God. And, just like any relationship, it requires work! We have to work out our faith because a life of faith is very different from our regular, everyday-without-God life. To most of us who have jumped into this life with Jesus, it all feels, well, upside down. It's not about power, money, beauty or fame - but about respect, servanthood, gentleness, love, peace and hope. It's the life Jesus lived while he was on earth.
In order for people to rediscover the real Jesus, his people need to live in such a way that those who do not yet know him can see him in our lives, as we live out our faith in action.
That's our goal - living our faith through acts of volunteering in a way that shows Jesus. Are you living your faith in action? Looking for a way to connect with others living this way? Please join the movement of volunteers and partners...so we can do more good together.
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