Theme: WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING
Text: “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.” – Galatians 6:4
Comment: The ability to detect one’s own fault, weakness or shortcoming as to make amends, and to distinguish between what one is and what one ought to be are indices of growth or maturity. Stressing on the importance of self-judgment or self-examination in the service of God, St. Paul in the above admonition in his epistles to the Christians at Galatia, re-echoed what he had earlier written to the Corinthians, to wit: “For if we will judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world”. – 1 Corinthians 11:31, 32.
A man may think that he is doing well and may be unaware of some of his bad behaviours by which he offends people, it is by self-examination he can discover his faults and amend his ways. If in the course of pondering our actions or utterances we found out that our heart condemns us, we should realize that we are already guilty before God Almighty. (1 John 3:20, 21) It is because worshipping the Almighty God “with fear and trembling” helps in no small way in avoiding sinful conduct that King David admonished: “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” (Psalm 4:4. See also Exodus 20:20). Worshippers of God should constantly examine themselves in regard to keeping the laws of God and doing works of righteousness to avoid deceiving oneself. – 2 Corinthians 13:5.