Serious, Deliberate, Wholehearted

When we become Christians, we're no longer condemned, but we have important responsibilities (Romans 8). 

Paul rejoiced in his salvation, but he never stopped "straining ahead" to know Christ better.(1)  He knew he hadn’t arrived at his goal. He hadn’t yet won the prize. There was kingdom work to do (Philippians 3:10-14). 

Paul never doubted that God was doing the work and even giving him the right desires, but he realized he had a responsibility to actively yield and engage with God. He pursued God with “fear and trembling” – i.e. seriously, deliberately, wholeheartedly (Philippians 2:12-13).(2)

Paul knew this involved inconvenience, difficulty, and suffering because “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). But that didn’t stop him.

Do you realize, dear Christians, that we have a serious, important, wonderful, life-changing mission to know Christ and share Him with others?

We can relax in Christ’s love, but we must never relax from that mission.
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(1) The Greek word translated "straining toward what is ahead" (NIV) means "strain after, stretch forward" (source).
(2) The phrase "with fear and trembling" is defined in Thayer's Greek Lexicon as "the anxiety of one who distrusts his ability completely to meet all requirements, but religiously does his utmost to fulfill his duty" (source).
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