No Spiritual Growth by Proxy

If you belong to organizations that send you a yearly ballot allowing you to nominate someone to vote in your place, don’t you wish you could do the same spiritually? Fortunately, God has not designed life to be lived by proxy. You must live your own life. But that means that, not only the suffering must be yours but also the resulting joy. Note the following verse that Dotttie and I have memorized and work on each day as we drive to any one of our weekly medical appointments:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13NIV)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NASB)
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NET)
Note the human responsibility and divine responsiblity side in each of these versions of Romans 15:13: “as you trust in Him (NIV); “in believing (NASB); “as you believe in Him” (NET) and then the abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (divine responsibility).

And then, one of my favorite verses that balances divine responsibility and human responsibility in the spiritual formation process:
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, 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 2:12-13NASB)

In this verse, Paul exhorts the Phillippians to work out what has already been worked in, and continues to work in them by the power of the god who is working for His good pleasure. Note the coconnection “for” that gives the explanation why the Philippians can work out their salvation, a salvation which has already been worked in them and continues to work within them.

How have you been doing on the “Faith Assignments” for the last few blogs? Don’t miss the opportunity to “work out your salvation.” Remember your salvation has three tenses: 1) you have been saved from the penalty of sin. 2) You are being saved from the power of sin. 3) You will be saved from the presence of sin.
If you were with us at Southwood on Sunday, July 26, Mark Crocco gave us three great applications from Psalm 118:24, This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (See current messages at the Southwood web site
1. We can increase the level of joy were share with one another by receiving each day as a sacred gift from God (Psalm 118:24a)
2. We can increase the level of joy we share with one another by choosing joyful attitudes at all times (Psalm 118:24b)
3. We can increase the level of joy we share with one another by challenging each other to measure spirituality internally (Psalm 118:24c)

Application from Psalm 118
1. We must discipline ourselves to receive every day of the week as a sacred gift from the loving and purposeful hands of our God.

2. We must view our struggles as opportunities to encourage others spiritually as they consistently choosing joyful attitudes regardless of our circumstances.
Keep working out that great salvation that God is working in you.

3. We must always remember that God is always more concerned about what is occurring in our lives internally than what is occurring externally when measuring spirituality.