Theme: WORKING OUT OUR SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING
Text: “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live, if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it” – Ezekiel 33:13.
Comment: Anyone who has the opportunity to do the righteousness of God, but does it only for a while and then relapses into sin shall have himself to blame at the end. (Luke 9:61,62) The need for continuity in the practice of righteousness lies more in the fact that it is the end that matters. “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastics 7:8) Those who are already blessed with the knowledge that the Almighty God should be feared but fail to do so, would be punished by Him. “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for your iniquities.” (Amos 3:2) The Holy Scriptures say further: “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required”. – Luke 12:47, 48.
The grace of salvation is not granted to the recipients merely on the basis of the duration one had worked or the much one was able to do in this world but on whether one was steadfast in the practice of righteousness till the end. (Matthew 20:1-16; 24:12,13; 1 Peter 1:9). A serious effort to cultivate the fear of God which makes one to depart from evil at all times. should continue to be our guide as we go about to work out our own salvation with trembling by the grace of God. – Psalm 106:3; Exodus 20:20; Proverbs 16:6; 8:13.