Philippians 2:12-13. 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.

James 2:18-20. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?

2 Corinthians 5:9-10. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Hebrews 11:6. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

The instant anyone turns to the Lord in repentance and faith the Holy Spirit will enter that individual’s human spirit and the two will be joined as one forever. John 3:6. The Holy Spirit thereafter must be allowed complete control if He is to perform His work. The apostle Paul reminds us of what the Lord expects of every one of us. He states, ‘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’.

The third member of the Holy Trinity. the Spirit, has become resident in us to perform this perfecting work of God. Every believer must assent to the work of the Holy Spirit to transform the soul into the likeness of Jesus. This is accomplished through a day by day and hour by hour conscious yielding of our will to the will of God. “Thy will be done!” must be our constant watchword. It is for God’s ‘good pleasure’ that we work out our salvation ‘with fear and trembling’.

The apostle James stresses that ‘faith without works is useless’. Yet, we must understand that the works spoken of are the works of God, according to the will of God and performed in the mighty power of God in us and through us. These, and only these, are the works that have value to God.

‘Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him’. It is not only His works that God desires us to perform but it is the motivation of our heart that makes them so precious to Him. If our greatest ambition is to please the Lord Jesus, wherever we are and whatever we do, we shall live in His presence, we shall learn of Him who is meek and lowly of heart and we shall truly find rest for our souls.

‘For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body….’ Following His return as King of kings and Lord of lords all who love the Lord Jesus must appear before Him. The works we have performed in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit will be shown The fire of God will approve these works but all else will be consumed in the flames. Only the works that were performed ‘for His good pleasure’ will remain. Those who are found worthy will reign with Jesus on the earth for a thousand years.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Those who constantly seek to please the Lord Jesus and have been found doing His perfect will on earth, will surely know that He Himself is their eternal great reward.

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