The Ultimate Work-Out

Philippians 2:12-13 
 "Therefore, my beloved, as you 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 who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."
 I'm so grateful to my God for saving me. In the verses prior to these we can see how Jesus literally left His throne in Heaven. He became poor for us. He then gave Himself up to be crucified for us! To be crucified! The most excruciating way to die in those days! The most shameful way to die! To be hung up for everyone to see. A public display of guilt and shame. The son of God subject to humanities'  torture and execution for humanities' sin. This passage goes on to describe how Our Lord Jesus has now risen and is exalted above all. His name is above all names and every knee will bow to Him. Every tongue will confess that He is Lord.
 Our knowledge of this fact should encourage us to strive to be more like Him. To work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This does not mean "work on!" How could we ever presume to try to add to what Jesus did for us on the cross. How could we ever dare to say it was not enough! Our own arm can not save. We are sinners through and through. It is a mockery to try and add to what Jesus did for us on the cross. To think that our works can save us or even keep us saved is to make ourselves to be savior. Salvation is of God. All of salvation, past, present and future! He is the only one who is mighty to save. I heard it best described like this, "It's not my ability to hold on to Jesus but His ability to hold on to me." To work out our salvation is to do so with reverence, love and gratitude,  because of what Jesus accomplished for us. He gave us the gift of a love relationship with Him. We have been connected to "Father God", through the Son,"Jesus Christ" and given the promised,"Holy Spirit," to teach us how to live for Him. Wow, now that's a relationship! Father, Son, Holy spirit and us! But what about the fear and trembling part?.... He is God! He has saved us from our sin! He has such a distain for sin that He refuses to even allow sin in His presence. But, He loves us so much that He Gave His life on that cross. Our sin murdered the son of God! Not only that but He became sin. Second Corinthians 5vs21 says,"For He made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." We should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Not for fear that we might lose it but that we will give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12). We should live with a reverence for the awesome accomplishment of God's salvation. The bible tells us to be Holy for God is Holy (1Peter 1:16). We should live to please our God. He hates sin and so should we. We bear the resemblance of the one who saved us. We are clothed in His righteousness......Doesn't it stand to reason since we are clothed in His righteousness that we should walk in righteousness! God does not laugh off our sin and say,"humans will be humans." He takes it seriously and so should we. In Philippians 1:6 we read,"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. I will close with some very good news for us. We can rest assured in this fact. The work that we are to do was began by God. He started this whole thing about working out our salvation. This work will also be completed by God. It is His working in us! To will and to do for His good pleasure. So what's our part? Our part is to simply surrender, be obedient and trust the Author of our salvation.