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An objection often thought, but not often spoken, to the victory over sin concerns the verse which reads: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12)

What the Church teaches is that when we are born again, by nature we do what is right, for as it is written, “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” (James 3:12) It is written, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Cor 5:17) Those who are really “born again” have a new heart, and a right spirit, and so they “have always obeyed” as Paul recounts, from the day of their conversion. Peter calls those who cannot cease from sin (by rejecting of the Gospel and accepting false prophets and teachers) “cursed children,” (2Pet 2:14) and John declares that “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” (1John 3:9)

The objection raised by some that we are “born in sin, and with a sinful nature,” is meaningless to the Christian, for the Master Himself said to those who have not yet had this experience, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3) When this occurs, we are truly born again, and made new. The old man passes away completely, with all its tendencies to actually commit evil (though not to be tempted), and we therefore enter into the spirit of the Sabbath day. “For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:10) This was Christ’s experience, who was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) and this is the experience to which we are invited, and indeed must have, if we are to walk with Him in White. (Rev 3:4)

We no longer work to be justified, or “try” to do what is right. The Christians rest in the promise that they DO what is right, and they overcome “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” (Rev 12:11) This is the testimony of Yahshua (Rev 12:17) which states, “the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” (John 8:29) If we then, having claimed the promises here mentioned and “being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever,” (1Peter 1:23) and having entered into that spiritual Sabbath, why are we told to work out our own salvation with “fear and trembling?”

There is an understanding of balance needed. There is a knowledge greatly called for in the children of Yah concerning the terms Justification and Sanctification.

The statement by John that the redeemed “cannot sin, because they are born of Yah” (1John 3:9) is a most precious promise, but it must never be taken as a cause for pride or indifference in the Christian. Committing a sin, for one who has been freed from sin, is not an absolute impossibility but a moral one; and a moral impossibility is only an impossibility as long as that morality is in place. In other words, freedom from sin is only possible as long as we abide in Christ, and His righteousness and moral purity are what motivate us. For a true convert, one who is justified and continually walking always along the path of sanctification, abiding this way in Christ is our natural moment-by-moment state.

As Job said, “Yahweh gave, and Yahweh hath taken away; blessed be the name of Yahweh.” (Job 1:21) If the heart is not fully justified AND walking the path of sanctification, daily dwelling upon the standard that is the life of Christ, darkness soon follows. If we, tasting the blessings of Heaven and seeing the goodness of Christ’s seed within us, (Hebrews 6:4-6) should turn away due to that creeping death that is the love of the world, we have made Lucifer’s choice.

Justification is not enough. Justification (being made just) is the instant gift of Creation in the heart made new. Nevertheless, it is our sacred privilege to maintain that state, and the walk of Sanctification is something that will naturally proceed from the Justified heart. As Paul says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb 12:14) The word “holiness” there (hagiasmos) is the same word as “sanctification.” Justification keeps us from all known sins, yet if it is not followed by a sanctified life, we become as Israel of old. They were separate from the world, and receiving the blessings of the very Presence of Yahweh; yet due to their neglect of a continual walk with Him, they lost that Presence and His Holy Spirit departed from them. “For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” (Mat 25:29) If the faith given to us by undeserved grace is not consciously and continuously exercised, it is buried in the ground, and will not increase. In the day of Yah’s return, even that little which it has become will be taken from us.

This is the Creeping Death: it is a gradual drawing-away from the truth, a slowing-down and stopping in the walk of sanctification. It is this process which corrupted even mighty Lucifer, until it exploded full-blown in him as deadly pride. “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High,” he said. (Isaiah 14:14) Had the archangel truly desired to “be like the most High,” he would have been like Christ who said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father,” (John 14:9) and also, “ Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) But so long had Satan dwelt upon a wrong concept of who the Father was, that his mental picture of what it was like to be similar to Him was all about power, and nothing at all about love.

The Creeping Death is an imperceptible giving-in to little, often undetected, temptations. The chief of these is a neglect of the study of the life of Christ and the Scriptures (both before and after) which point to it. Had Lucifer given himself to a contemplation of the character of Yah, that which came upon him could never have been. His stated desire to be like the most High would have been a holy, blessed desire, rather than great curse to all the universe. While Justification will keep us from known, willful sins, we are told, “learn to do well.” (Isaiah 1:17) Because this lesson is not clearly and continuously taught, the neglect of meditation on the Word of Yah is not seen as a sin, and as such “my people” may be “destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6) If the religious leaders (pastors, husbands, even friends) hold this knowledge before the people, they who are converts already will by nature arise to the standard, for they will not knowingly sin. Those who are not yet converted may (by Yah’s grace) see their great spiritual need, and turn to the Savior for healing.

The new heart will of its nature battle against this slow lethargy, yet even the saints are encouraged to band together lest Satan should take them in his subtle deception. Unity is needed in the Church. (1Cor 1:10) Fellowship is essential, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Heb 10:24,25) And why is it important? The next two verses tell us: “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” (verses 26,27) Even the holy angels were allowed their freedom, and because Satan’s deceptions were so subtle, destruction crept upon them unawares. He is not less practiced now, after more than 6000 years of damnation, and if it were possible, he would deceive the very elect. (Mat 24:24)

We are told often, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mat 26:41) Those who are converts verily walk in the Spirit, denying always that flesh, yet they must be instructed as to what the right way is as they “learn to do well.” Our “fear and trembling” therefore consists of this: it is a solemn and earnest desire to be “without fault before the throne of God.” (Revelation 14:5) It is our sincere searching of the Scriptures in order to learn what the will of the Father is for our lives, what the standard of Christ’s character is for our souls, and how we may set the best example for those who see us, and know that we claim to be representatives of the Messiah. It is our continually ascending prayer that we be kept from deception and temptation (Mat 6:13), that we may stand in all the light available. As Paul puts it, “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.” (Hebrews 4:1) Our “fear and trembling” is that knowledge which leads us to cling always to the promises of Christ, and to exercise that perfect trust, for “without faith (i.e. trust) it is impossible to please Him.” (Heb 11:6)

While “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear,” (1John 4:18) the warnings are not to be ignored either. They are not to inspire terror, as the word “fear” implies in English; they are there to keep us humble, and ever aware of our dependence on the Sacrifice of Christ. We are born again, and we are made new, yet this does not eliminate the need for the Savior, as some would believe. This is not to inspire a self-confidence, but rather a Christ-confidence. We are never perfect of ourselves, as if our merits could earn Heaven, but perfection is found only in continual unity with the Son who gave Himself for us. We are involved in a sure covenant with Him, and our justification is accomplished only through a second-by-second dependence upon His righteousness which lives within us according to His precious promises and Holy Spirit. (Galatians 2:20)

The price of our salvation was given at infinite cost. Just as Abraham was willing to offer up his son, so the Father was willing to give up His for our sakes. But there was no voice from Heaven that stilled the knife, or that broke the Cross on that day. It is written that Yahweh called to Abraham and said to him, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” (Gen 22:2) The phrase translated as “only son” however, is not quite the meaning given from the Hebrew words. We remember that Ishmael was born before Isaac, and therefore neither was the “only” son – some have heralded this as a “contradiction” in the Scriptures due to ignorance of the term used in the verse. Some translations have used the word “favored” there instead, however this is still not true to the original meaning.

In Biblical Hebrew the term “yachid,” used there for “only,” does not have the meaning “only one,” but rather “one with whom one has unity.” In other words, Yahweh said to Abraham, “Take now thy son, he with whom thou art one; Isaac whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” What a picture we have of the sacrifice given on the Cross! As John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. “ (John 1:1) The Son, with whom the Father was one, came to earth to die for us, and for this reason, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” (2Cor 5:19) He gave us all that He had, all that He was, in the incalculable gift of the life of the Son with whom He was one.

Those who neglect this great sacrifice have cause indeed to fear and tremble! And we who are on that strait and narrow path have a solemn knowledge that while our faith is invincible, we are yet warned to watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation, (Luke 22:46) and be drawn away from our appreciation of that Gift. Within that balance, within that apparent paradox, the Sealing is found (Rev 7:1-3); and this is why the way is a narrow one. Lucifer fell by believing he was righteous of himself, and could not fall. Many will fall into the opposite ditch, believing that we cannot be truly made righteous through the sacrifice of Christ. The language with which the Bible was written does not often convey the full meaning into English. Fear is often given a poor connotation. Pride may easily follow from the reading of a promise, and if we give into that undetected temptation we make the error of gnosticism rebuked by John: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth.” (1John 1:6) Let us therefore pray that we walk always in the light, and that even the clouds of ignorance will be dispelled by our continual dependence on the Savior, and our child-like trust in the leadings of His Holy Spirit.

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” (2Peter 1:10) Let us have genuine faith in His promises to us, and that His Spirit will guide us into ALL truth (John 16:13); as we maintain this faith we will never fall away. “And this is His commandment, That we should believe (i.e., trust) on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment.” (1John 3:23) We make our election sure with our trust, and we earnestly, solemnly, tremblingly put our weak and frail hand into the Right Hand of the One who will guide us through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and into the meadows of Salvation.

David.

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