Working out

[shepherdsgrace]

"This does not seem to have much to do with 'work out your faith'."

Perhaps not. But you asked when I last trembled and why. And I answered you.

[shepherdsgrace]

Then the phrase 'overwhelming Goodness' remains puzzling and unexplained.

That is amazing to me that you do not understand overwhelming goodness. God has been so good to me in answering prayer and simply bestowing his goodness into my life that I am often overwhelmed in my person when I consider it. Just the very thought of some of his interventions in my life and I am reduced to tears of thanksgiving. The whole idea of God is that He is far above man in all that He is. He easily overwhelms. Frequently in prayer I am overwhelmed by his extreme kindness and goodness.

But it is very hard for me to speak well of spiritual things so I probably do not express myself clearly.

As far as working out salvation is concerned when that is considered with depth it is enough to cause any thinking person to tremble within if not without.

[nebula]

Daniel fell out like a dead man in the presence of an angel.

The disciples did not even fall down when they were with Jesus.

True, while He walked on Earth.

But when Jesus appeared before John in Revelation, John did fall on his face as though dead.

[pointer]

Daniel fell out like a dead man in the presence of an angel.

The disciples did not even fall down when they were with Jesus.

True, while He walked on Earth.

But when Jesus appeared before John in Revelation, John did fall on his face as though dead.

Quite so. Then what happened?

[pointer]

Then the phrase 'overwhelming Goodness' remains puzzling and unexplained.

That is amazing to me that you do not understand overwhelming goodness. God has been so good to me in answering prayer and simply bestowing his goodness into my life that I am often overwhelmed in my person when I consider it.

Why would that make you tremble with fear? Every Christian I know thinks and feels exactly the opposite.

[pointer]

"This does not seem to have much to do with 'work out your faith'."

Perhaps not. But you asked when I last trembled and why. And I answered you.

Then I made comment on your answer.

[shepherdsgrace]

Then the phrase 'overwhelming Goodness' remains puzzling and unexplained.

That is amazing to me that you do not understand overwhelming goodness. God has been so good to me in answering prayer and simply bestowing his goodness into my life that I am often overwhelmed in my person when I consider it.

Why would that make you tremble with fear? Every Christian I know thinks and feels exactly the opposite.

Well now you know a different Christian. I also see that you do not know the type of "fear" that is meant here. It certainly is not the same thing as being fearful of being run over by a train or going to hell. Perhaps if you refer to Isaiah 6 that will clarify some.

However I do not find these types of discussions fruitful at all so I will cease my end of it. I thought that I would first simply answer a question with my response. I did not realize that it was to be probed. And I am not interested in such unless it is for fruitful reasons.

[pointer]

Then the phrase 'overwhelming Goodness' remains puzzling and unexplained.

That is amazing to me that you do not understand overwhelming goodness. God has been so good to me in answering prayer and simply bestowing his goodness into my life that I am often overwhelmed in my person when I consider it.

Why would that make you tremble with fear? Every Christian I know thinks and feels exactly the opposite.

Well now you know a different Christian.

It seems certain to me that you are not a Christian at all.

It certainly is not the same thing as being fearful of being run over by a train or going to hell.

Because?

Perhaps if you refer to Isaiah 6 that will clarify some.

That is the obvious connexion, and exactly what I have been waiting for. 'For I am a man of unclean lips' is just the sort of thing Paul meant, imv. Fear and trembling because of sin committed, yes, that's a different thing altogether from awe of God, which is indeed what precedes conversion. Fear of committing sin is the only way to grow in grace and the fruits of the Spirit. It is his own sin that makes the saint tremble, and those who do not tremble for this reason will not see God. It's certainly very different from a man at public prayer trying to give an impression of being the local holy man.

[O'Dannyboy]

I have not yet found myself trembling in fear but, as others have experienced, I do sometimes find myself trembling with excitement when I am in a deeply spritual conversation. When I think about the statement about working out your salvation with fear and trembling I am reminded of the many times my father caught me doing something naughty. There were times when I had plenty of time to think about what I had done on the trip home as I sat in the back of the car. I can tell you that there was plenty of fear and a noticable amount of trembling involved. I never doubted that my father loved me, no matter how harsh his reaction but I certainly found myself questioning whether he would ever forgive me. We are told that if we repent and ask forgiveness that we will be forgiven. We should also that the measure of our groveling and pleading will also play a role in how severe our punishment will be, and so it is with God. The measure of your pleading will likely be in proportion to the sin that you have commited. Thats just the way it seems to me, though I may be mistaken.

[nebula]

Daniel fell out like a dead man in the presence of an angel.

The disciples did not even fall down when they were with Jesus.

True, while He walked on Earth.

But when Jesus appeared before John in Revelation, John did fall on his face as though dead.

Quite so. Then what happened?

Sorry, I am not following your train of thought in this process.