It is time to work out your salvation!

Have you truly accepted Jesus as your savior?  Is your life really all that He wants it to be? What are you doing with all of the gifts and talents God gave you? Are you sitting around letting them gather dust and become useless?

Philippians 2: 12-13 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

What does Paul mean to work out your salvation?  Is he trying to tell us that we need to do works to earn or keep our salvation?

I think if we look at it in the following way it will be a little clearer.  When you want to get in better physical shape you make a plan and to achieve that plan you have to work it out.  Unless you follow that plan and take action you will not reach the goal you set.

The same is true about salvation.  God has set out a plan for your salvation and unless we follow it and take action you will not reach the goal.  Let me be very clear YOU CANNOT EARN your salvation.  Jesus is our key to salvation but He has also gave us some instructions on what we needed to do after we accepted His plan.  Let's take a look at some of those instructions.

In Matthew 25: 14-30 Jesus told the story about the men who were given talents and what they did with them.  Some invested but one hide it away out of fear.

This story to me talks about we are to take the talents and gifts that God has given us and pour them into the lives of others there by investing them.

Later in Matthew 25: verses 31-46 Jesus tells us that when He comes back people will be divided into sheep and goats.

To me the ones who follow Jesus are the ones who fed the hungry, gave water to the thirsty, clothed those who were naked, visited those in prison and invited in the stranger.  The others went their own way thinking they were Christians.

In Matthew 6: 19-21 Do not lay up for yourself treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

From all of these words I can guarantee you that I can take one look at your calendar and your checkbook and tell where your heart is.  From where your money goes I can tell where your treasure is and from your calendar I can tell what you are doing with your talents and gifts.

So let me ask you again. Have you truly accepted Jesus as your Savior and Lord?  Is your life really all that He wants it to be? Are you using all of the gifts and talents God gave you? Are you investing in the lives of others?

I hope the Holy Spirit is convicting you if no was an answer to any of those questions.  When we do not use our spiritual gifts we cheat others of what God intended to give them through us.  I encourage you to dust off your talents and open up your gifts and work out of your salvation to bring glory to God.