Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good evening, special ones.

I’m sure hearing a lot of crying and fussing from the kitty box. Taffy is back in there feeding her gang—but the competition is intense—always someone being deprived of the flow. All ten kittens seem to be doing reasonably well.

Crazy day. I thought I was about to finish up a sign job this afternoon, only to run out of a particular material when I had thought I had plenty. I made a dash into Portland to get more—a specialty reflective film. But it was so late in the afternoon, I couldn’t avoid getting tangled up in some of the rush hour traffic.

It’s just about time to turn out the lights. Good night.

Love, Dad/Ray.

A few years ago, I took the initiative to look up an old friend who served as my main inspiration and tutor for developing my sign-painting skills in the early 70s. I located him, called, and we had a lengthy conversation. Besides being an incredible artist, he’s a very interesting person—very analytical and critical about almost everything, including God. At this point he claims he isn’t sure there is a God. (Obviously, someone in his past who claimed to represent God did him dirty. That seems to be the standard excuse for disbelief.) And if there is a God, he’d like to tell Him a thing or two—and straighten Him out! To be sure, he had no inclination toward bowing his knee or confessing that “Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (vv. 10-11). At least, not yet—but according to this passage, a day is coming when he will bow, and he will confess. At that point, however, if my understanding is correct, his recognition of WHO Jesus is will have come too late to benefit him.

In view of the shear gravity of this recognition (that Jesus is Lord), Paul urges the Philippian believers, “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling…” In other words, don’t take this matter lightly. It is immensely important. Make Him your personal LORD—NOW!—not THEN! The benefits are so out of proportion with the alternatives that Paul exclaims, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). Then, later in this letter, he affirms, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Philippians 3:8-9).

Let me again venture to make a statement of my faith and conviction: WE ARE SAVED BY WORKS!—BUT IT’S NOT OUR WORKS ALONE—NONE OF US ARE EQUAL TO THE TASK—IT IS ONLY HIS WORK WITHIN US THAT ALLOWS US TO SUCCEED IN OUR INDIVIDUAL WORK ASSIGNMENT—WHICH IS ENTIRELY HIS WORK WHEN HE IS TRULY OUR PERSONAL LORD! Does that make sense? If it does, I think you’re on the right course. If not—well, I’m nervous.

Listen one more time to verses 12 and 13: “Therefore, my dear friends…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”