Last week we discussed how a spiritual love is different from our family and emotional loves. This week we took a look at how to draw strength from the well of godly love.

We had a lively discussion about “working out our salvation with fear and trembling.” We realized that the word “fear” in this context is better translated “reverence.” When we are in the presence of someone with a lot of authority, even if we are innocent, we respect that person. So should we also revere God.

Regarding “working out our salvation,” we discussed the idea of “expressing Christ.” In other words, it is not doing a good work that earns our way into heaven. God loves that we do good works, but He knows the motives of our hearts. It is when we do our good works to honor Him or to bless others with His love that His Holy Spirit moves through us. We “express Christ” this way, and His Holy Spirit cleanses us and does work through our salvation in Him.

Paul did this in a strong and beautiful fashion. He wrote to his beloved Philippian friends while in a Roman jail. We discussed how there was no TV or exercise court. To obtain food, one had to depend on loved ones to bring it. While stuck in this jail, Paul writes an uplifting letter telling his friends that he knows he is there in order to preach Christ to those around him. Furthermore, he encourages us all to be lights of Christ in the midst of a world filled with darkness. We marveled at what kind of witness Paul must’ve been to the other prisoners and to the guards near his cell.