Working Out My Salvation
My life does not effect just me. When people see me, they are influenced by who I am and by what I do. This is especially true for believers. Our lives speak louder than our words.
What does it say to a person, when they have known us for several years, but they did not know we were Christians? I believe it is a hindrance to them. They probably come to the conclusion that Christ is not very important to us, or else, we would have said something about our relationship with Him. They don't need our kind of relationship with Christ, in that case.
What does it say when we fail to live out our salvation in front of others?(Philippians 2:12b-13) I believe it tells people that our God is not powerful. They think He can't help us with all of our needs. This leads them to believe that Christ is not Lord, when He is Lord of all.
The problem is that Jesus saves us, and He gives us the power to work out our salvation in front of everyone around us, but we have to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We have to allow Him to lead us and to use us. He will not violate our will. If we want to live it out, and we surrender to the Spirit to give Him authority to fill us and to use us, He will do just that. It is only then that we give the right picture to the people around us who don't know Christ.
Today I read Ecclesiastes 9-12.
What does it say to a person, when they have known us for several years, but they did not know we were Christians? I believe it is a hindrance to them. They probably come to the conclusion that Christ is not very important to us, or else, we would have said something about our relationship with Him. They don't need our kind of relationship with Christ, in that case.
What does it say when we fail to live out our salvation in front of others?(Philippians 2:12b-13) I believe it tells people that our God is not powerful. They think He can't help us with all of our needs. This leads them to believe that Christ is not Lord, when He is Lord of all.
The problem is that Jesus saves us, and He gives us the power to work out our salvation in front of everyone around us, but we have to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We have to allow Him to lead us and to use us. He will not violate our will. If we want to live it out, and we surrender to the Spirit to give Him authority to fill us and to use us, He will do just that. It is only then that we give the right picture to the people around us who don't know Christ.
Today I read Ecclesiastes 9-12.