“For it is God which works in you both to do His will and to do His good pleasure.”
The Apostle Paul looks at the obedience of the Christians at Philippi and he speaks to them with words of encouragement, saying: ‘You have always obeyed God when I was with you because as the church, you were established by God to strengthen the believers by showing them that true joy comes from Jesus Christ and Him only. On my second missionary journey you are the first church established for the gospel and the joy of the Lord. Now that I am in prison in Rome it is even more important that you obey God, now while I am from you. Keep on working to complete your God given salvation. Keep working on your deliverance, your preservation from sin, and its consequences. For this is given to you by having faith in Christ and in Him only. Salvation is God’s grace for it is the gift of freedom that is made by Christ who took on the punishment for our sins on the cross.’
Work on your salvation
1) Hearing the word is where faith comes from. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the word of God.
2) Believe the word. John 20:31 says this was written so that you may believe and you may have life in His name. You must believe that Jesus Christ is savior and the Son of God.
3) Repent of your sins. This is a change of mind and the change of action and ways. “I tell you unless you repent, you will perish,” Luke 13:5.
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will saved, you and your household,” Acts 16:31.
4) Be baptized, for this is an outward showing of an inward faith.
“Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in the newness of life,” Romans 6:4.
5) Confess Jesus to others. “Therefore everyone who confesses Me [Christ] before men, I will also confess them before My Father who is in heaven,” Matthew 10:32.
As you work on this process, do it with fear and trembling, being responsible, being reminded, remembering what is right, and doing what is right—especially when you are on your own, it will keep you connected to God. We must focus our attention and devotion on Christ so as faith walkers we won’t be sidetracked, because God is working in you. He has not left you alone as you do His great will. He will help you to do it and help you to be able to do what pleases Him with a changed life. You must have a ‘Christ consciousness.’ You must condition yourself to think like Christ—to have the desires of Christ, and to be like Christ. It’s the indwelling spirit of God that influences our faith in Him.
