Mark B. Thogmartin - April 23, 2022
On God's Leash
Paul, in Ephesians 2:1-3 asserts: “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” If we were "dead" prior to our salvation, then we really didn't have anything to do with it...dead people can't make choices! Thank you, Lord, for saving us and making us alive in Christ! But after our new birth, Paul admonishes us, in Philippians 2:12-13, to: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” So, even though our coming to Christ was all God's work, our walk from that point on is a partnership between God and us. What are the dynamics of this joint walking venture? Pastor Mark suggests it's similar to the dynamics at play when we take our dogs for a stroll in the neighborhood...