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Holy Trinity Anglican Orthodox Church
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Philippians
2:12 Twelfth
Sunday after Trinity August
30, 2009 I have often been amazed at the way a seemingly strong organization can disintegrate rapidly when it looses its leader. It doesn’t have to be a formal organization. Europe, for example, during the later part of the 1800s was about as united as Europe has ever been, and that was due largely to the influence of Victoria, Queen of England. The heads of state in most European countries were related to her by blood or by marriage, and they sought her advice in matters of state and in matters of the family. Her death in 1901 was the beginning of the end of that unity. Of course there were other factors. The rise of fascism and socialism, and the movement away from a biblical view of life to humanism and materialism were certainly contributing factors. And it is true that the Victorian era was no Eden, and many things needed to be changed. Terrible injustices plagued England and Europe throughout the era, and by the time of Victoria’s death the common people were rising up against the whole idea of royalty and aristocracy. Yet, at the death of Victoria the various kings and queens of Europe became increasingly self oriented instead of family oriented through her, and the unity of Europe quickly waned. I have seen the same thing happen in other families. I have seen seemingly loving and united families gradually drift apart or, even become bitter enemies at the death of a parent or grand parent. I have seen families that were faithful church goers and seemingly pious believers, gradually fade into non-attendance and unbelief, because the one who inspired and encouraged them to piety and faith was taken to be with God. This can happen on the personal level as well. I have noticed that some people seem to be strong in the faith when they have someone or something around to keep them excited and interested, but let that person be removed from their lives and their faith goes with him. Many times I have seen people drift away because they are no longer in direct contact with the old props on which they depended to keep their excitement and their “faith” alive. This is a special danger to people entering new phases of life. Young adults find themselves facing new freedom and new challenges to their faith through school and work. It is easy to drift away at this time. Middle age adults find that with children grown they have new freedoms and options open to them, and it is easy drift away from the church and use the weekends for personal recreation rather than the worship of God. Retirees also face new freedom as they hand the pressures and responsibilities of the job over to someone else. They often find it easy to hand the church, and the faith, over to someone else as well. The people of Philippi could have used Paul as a prop. Others did, as we know, for many drifted away almost as soon as he left their cities to found another church. Paul commended the Philippians for being faithful to God more in his absence than when he was with them in Philippi. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence...” he wrote in Philippians 2:12. Then he wrote something we may find odd, even out of accord with other teachings of the Bible. He wrote, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” I could spend much time on this idea of fear and trembling. Most people today find the whole idea of fear and trembling before God odd, preferring more of a “good buddy” attitude toward worship and faith. The idea of reverence before God is practically gone from the contemporary church. But the idea of working out your own salvation appears to contradict the entire biblical teaching of salvation by grace through faith. It appears to tell us we must earn our salvation rather than receive it as the free gift of God’s grace. This is one of those verses the skeptics use to try to convince us that the Bible is full of contradictions and errors, therefore it is untrustworthy and cannot be from God. But Paul is not contradicting salvation by grace through faith. Paul is telling the people that Paul is not responsible for their relationship with God, they are. I am going to say something with which you will probably be able to identify. I have often wished I could give a person faith. I have seen people run from the Church, reject the Bible, and plunge into worldliness, and I have wished I could impart repentance and faith to them. I have known people who are lukewarm about their faith and about Christ’s church, and I have wished I could “heat them up.” I have known people who are fearful and doubtful and I have yearned to be able to give them peace and contentment in Christ. I have seen people ruining their lives and wished I could make them turn to Christ and find peace. But I cannot. I am a mere human being. I have no powers or knowledge that are not available to you. I don’t have some magic prayer that I can say that will fix the lives and the problems of these people. I can’t live their lives for them or impart faith to them any more than I can “leap tall buildings with a single bound.” I am neither super Christian nor Superman. With all people, as with you and me and even Paul, each is responsible for his own life and faith before God. No one else can do it for us. There is an old Gospel song that says, “It’s me, it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” In other words, no one can do my praying for me. No one can do my Bible reading for me. No one can live my life for me, or seek God for me, or have faith for me. These are things I must do for myself. That is what Paul is saying to the Philippians, and to us. I could put it this way; being a Christian is not a destination as much as it is a journey. When our Lord called the original disciples He said “follow Me,” suggesting that He was going somewhere and they should go with Him. Likewise, we are to follow our Saviour in the journey of faith. He is going somewhere and we must follow. He is leading us on to greater obedience and deeper faith, and we won’t get there unless we follow Him. Paul is telling us to keep on walking. Keep on following Christ. Get to work and keep on working on your faith and obedience. After all it is your salvation. Almighty Father, grant us grace that we may work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen. The Rev. Dr. R. Dennis Campbell, Vicar, Holy Trinity Anglican Church,
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