Work Hard To Show The Results Of Your Salvation

PHILIPPIANS 2:12-14
“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. Do all things without complaining and disputing,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/114/php.2.12-14.nkjv



Paul, writing to the church said, "Work out your own salvation," to rid themselves of division and discord. The Philippians needed to be especially careful to obey Christ now that Paul wasn't there to continually remind them about what was righ
We believers must be careful about what we believe and how we live, especially when we are on our own, or isolated from our church
We are responsible for our own salvation, and must stay focused and devoted to Christ so that we won't be side tracked.
God has not left us alone in our struggles; He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us, and never leaves us; He is our helper (JOHN 14:15-18). He teaches us everything and reminds us of everything Jesus told us, (JOHN 14:26), and He gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (PHILIPPIANS 2:13).
The secret to a changed life is to submit to God's control, doing everything without complaining, putting into practice everything you have learned from Christ, that you become more like Christ-living clean and innocent lives, that we shine bright for God.
To become more Christ like, we must allow God to do His work within us by cooperating with Him, allowing Him to transform us by the renewing of our minds (ROMANS 12:1-2).
Since we believers all receive the same Spirit to guide us and teach us and is the same source of all our spiritual gifts (1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-14), their are no excuses for arguing, complaining, and gossiping within the church; for we should all be united with one purpose in the body of Christ, for “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:4-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
Arguments and division in our churches not only scatterers the congregation, but gives the wrong impression to unbelievers; it shows a lack of the unifying power of Christ. Furthermore, we cannot expect to see the signs and wonders of God supernatural power in church while divided.
But however, Jesus said, ““Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:18-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
But we will at times have disagreements within the congregation because not everyone is at the same level in their walk with God. Particularly over what we should or shouldn’t eat, like pork that was forbidden in the Old Testament, or our beliefs regarding Christmas, Easter, and other situations and celebrations.
But Paul gave us good instruction over such things, saying, “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭14‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
We believers must refrain from all gossip and arguing with other Christians. We won’t always agree, but we can respectfully agree to disagree and pray and study more together peacefully into unity. And don’t do anything that may cause division or cause a brother to stumble. It wouldn’t be unwise to drink alcohol in the presence of an alcoholic or blatantly do anything that might cause division. If by faith you see it as clean, you are blessed, but refrain from it as far as you can in the presence of those who see it as unclean. Nor bring judgment or condemnation on those who operate in faith those things that you consider unclean. Give it to God and allow the Spirit to convict accordingly.
But the truth is, all things are clean by faith, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My beloved, at times, we need to work hard together to bring unity by taking a few steps back to a point that we come into agreement, for we all believe that Christ was raised from the dead, and then go forward together by the leading of the Holy Spirit, “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
My brethren, we believers must be seen as different, that those who are looking in see a better way; Jesus way, and the joy, contentment, and peace that comes from living in Christ. For it is those things that will cause non-believers to become inquisitive and hungry to know God, and lead them into life everlasting.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
t.