Confidence in Jesus — Weekly Encouragement – May 24, 2020

…………………………………………………………………………Beware of the dogs!………………………………………………………………………..

Greetings Friend,

       “…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.” (Philippians 2:12-13)

       Maybe you’ve heard the sermons of the “dogs” and “evil workers” who teach doctrine like, “You had better try hard to be good [work out your salvation] and don’t take it lightly [with fear and trembling] because if you’re not careful you could lose your salvation.” We know that’s false doctrine because the very next verse tells us, “It is GOD who works His will in us [as we let Him] for His own good pleasure.”

       There are many who would say, “Then what does Philippians 2:12 mean – and by the way, are you calling me a dog?” The Greek translation for “fear and trembling” says that we need to continually appreciate our salvation with a sense of awe toward God and with no confidence in ourselves but with complete Trust and Confidence in the Lord.

       If you’re having a hard time with this, I’m not calling you a dog, but Paul did. “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the True circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and Glory in Christ Jesus and put NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH.” (Philippians 3:2-3)

       So, here’s the Encouragement: Eyes on Jesus! Worship and Glory in Jesus! All confidence in Jesus!!! “For by Grace you have been saved through Faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God; NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS…” (Ephesians 2:8-9) “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Colossians 2:6)

God bless,

Dave