Ho Bafilipi 2:12, Paul wrote to the saints at Philippi, Sebetsang poloko ea lōna ka tšabo le thothomelo. Maybe these words sound strange in your ears. But these words of Paul still apply to the saints in Christ Jesus. Although people are saved by Jesus Christ, it’s up to the people to stay saved. Every Christian should work out his own salvation. No one can do that for the other. But how do you work out your own salvation?
Does the church doctrine correspond with the truth of God?
People think so easily about salvation in the Christian faith. This is mainly because many churches mixed the words of God with the words of man. They created doctrines that deviate from the truth of God and His Word.
Because of wrong doctrines, many Christians have created a wrong image of the gospel and adhered to a false faith.
They think that by reciting a few words (confession) and by doing an act (Kolobetso), you will be saved once and for all, despite the way you live.
But does the Bible confirm this doctrine? (Bala hape: Na hang pholosoa kamehla pholosoa Bibele?)
If it was that easy and it wouldn’t matter how you live and what you do and you can’t fall from your faith and lose your salvation, then why did the apostles warn the saints in Christ Jesus for apostasy?
Why did they speak about running the race of life, holding fast to the faithful word and the faith, apostasy, preventing an evil heart of unbelief, working out your own salvation with fear and trembling, resisting sin, enduring temptation, and persevering and keeping the faith until the end? (Oh. 1 Korinthe 9:24-27; 10:12, Baheberu 6:4-6; 10:23-31, 2 Peterose 2:20-22)
Why did they speak about all these things, if it wouldn’t matter anyway?
God gave power to become the sons of God
O ne a le lefatšeng, mme lefatše le entsoe ke eena, Mme lefatše le mo se mo tsebe. A tla ho hae, mme wa hae ha a mo ananele. Empa tse ngata kamoo li ileng tsa mo amohela, O ba neile matla a ho ba bara ba Modimo, esita le ho bona e lumelang lebitsong la hae: E tsoetsoeng, eseng mali, Kapa ke thato ea nama, kapa ka thato ea motho, Empa ho Molimo (Johanne 1:10-13)
It is the grace of God, that God gave the ability to every human to be saved and become sons of God (sena se sebetsa ho banna le basali. (Bala hape: What does it mean the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ?)).
You are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. Ka tumelo, le amohetse Moya o Halalelang. God gave this freely to you, by faith and not by works.
You are not saved by following a set of rules, meetlo, Melawana, and laws (which are written in the law of Moses or are set in a church), or humanistic works. But you are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ, by His work.
If you are saved and born of God and are a son of God (sena se sebetsa ho banna le basali), you shall live as a son of God.
The life of a son of God
Empa joale e se e lokolotsoe sebeng, u be bahlanka ho Molimo, le na le tholoana ea hao ho ea khalalelo, le qetello e sa feleng. Bakeng sa moputso oa sebe ke lefu; empa mpho ea Molimo ke bophelo bo sa feleng ka Morena Morena oa rona (Baroma 6:22-23)
Joaloka Mora oa Molimo, you shall live in submission to God in obedience to His Word in the Light. Hona ho bolela, you shall no longer live as a son of the devil in rebellion towards God in disobedience to His Word in darkness. (Oh. Johanne 8:12).
You have been made righteous and made free from sin. Ka hona, ha o sa tla hlola o tsamaya sebeng, empa o tla tsamaya ka ho loka. (Bala hape: Na u lula u le moetsalibe kamehla?).
You are cleansed and sanctified in Jesus Christ; Lentswe. And by faith in Him and obedience to His words, you shall stay sanctified in the truth of the Word (Johanne 17:14-21).
Every person has been given the ability and the power of God to become a son of God and remain a son of God or to return to the world and pick up his old life.
Someone can leave Jesus and the faith in Him and return to the world and live like the world under the influence of worldly spirits at any time.
God doesn’t force anyone! God has given every person a free will and the freedom to make his own choices in life. But every choice has consequences (Bala hape: Seo u se jalang, o tla kotula)
Be holy, for God is holy
Ka baka leo, itlameng letheka la kelello ya lona, hlaphohelwa kelellong, mme le tshepe ho isa qetellong mohau oo le tla o tlisetswa ha Jesu Kreste a senolwa; Joaloka bana ba mamelang, le se ke la ipapisa le ditakatso tsa pele tsa ho se tsebe ha lona: But as he which hath called you is holy, jalo he, nnang boitshepo mo mekgweng yotlhe ya lona; Hobane e ngotsoe, Le be ba halalelang; hobane kea halalela (1 Peterose 1:13-16)
Many Christians have a carnal mind and created a god in their minds after their own image. They believe that God adjusts His will and words to the time we live in and to the will, takatso, le litakatso tsa nama.
Ka lebaka la sena, many churches have become world-like and have approved and accepted the works of the flesh.
Ba re, that you can keep walking after the flesh, living like the world in sin, le ho rua bophelo bo sa feleng.
Empa hape, the Bible doesn’t confirm this doctrine but says something else.
God is not created by (thato ea) Monna (from his carnal mind) after the image of man. God is also not created for man, to submit to the will of man and obey and serve man.
But man is created by (thato ea) God after His image. Man is created for God, and to submit to God and obey and serve God.
It is not God, who must give account to man for His words and works on the Day of Judgment. But it is man, who must give account to God for his words and works on the Day of Judgment.
The restoration in Christ
The (ncha) man is restored (fodile) in Christ from his fallen state and reconciled with God. The new man should be renewed and changed into the image of God. This happens by the renewing of the mind with the Word, ka ho lahla monna-moholo, Ho beha monna e mocha, living in submission to Jesus Christ, and walking after the Spirit in obedience to God in the truth.
It is a lie, that the works of the flesh lead to eternal life. Hobane Lentswe le bolela, that the works of the flesh lead to death.
Therefore faith in Jesus Christ, ho tsoaloa bocha ho Eena, le ea process of sanctification are essential for every human being.
You are sanctified in Christ and through obedience to Him you stay sanctified
Christians should realize that Jesus has given His life for this! Motho e mong le e mong, who has been born again in Christ has been made free from sin and death. The person has been given power to become a son of God and live as a son of God.
You live as a son of God by living in obedience to the Father and His Word and doing what Jesus has said and commanded you to do.
You have been sanctified in Christ. Ka kutlo Lentsweng; nete, you remain sanctified.
Leha ho le joalo, obedience to the Truth of God’s Word has consequences for your life on earth. (Bala hape: Ho bolela'ng ho bala litšenyehelo?)
A son of God has become an enemy of the world
Ebile Jesu o re ho barutuoa ba hae, Haeba motho a tla tla ka mor'a ka, a ke a itele hae, mme o nke sefapano sa hae, 'me u ntekane. Bakeng sa mang ea tla boloka bophelo ba hae e tla lahleheloa ke eona: Mme mang kapa mang ea tla lahleheloa ke bophelo ba hae molemong oa ka o tla e fumana. For what is a man profited, Haeba a tla fumana lefatše lohle, mme a lahleheloa ke moea oa hae? kapa monna o tla fana ka eng bakeng sa moea oa hae? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man according to his works (Mattheu 16:24-27)
Lona bafebi le bafebi, Ha le tsebe hoba setswalle sa lefatshe ke bora ho Modimo? Mang le mang e tla ba motsoalle oa lefatše ke sera sa Molimo (James 4:4)
Another lie that is preached is, that a son of God is a friend of the world and that you be loved by the world.
Hobane Lentswe le bolela, that although you live in the world, ha o sa le wa lefatshe, Empa uena oa Molimo.
You belong to God and bear the Name of Jesus Christ. Ka hona, the world hates you. (Bala hape: Lebaka Leo Lefatše le Le Hloileng Bakreste?).
Ka ho nchafatsoa, ha o sa le wa lefatshe, but you become an enemy of the world.
Instead of saying and doing what the world says and does, and being led by your will, maikutlo, le maikutlo, you shall obey, bua, mme le etse mantswe a Modimo
“The world can’t hate, empa Nna e ntlhoile”
Lefatshe le ke ke la o hloya; empa Nna e ntlhoile, hobane ke pakela yona, hore mesebetsi ya teng e mebe (Johanne 7:7)
If the world hated and persecuted Jesus, because Jesus spoke the words of God; 'Nete ea Molimo, and did the works of God, then those, who are a new creation and belong to Christ and follow Him and speak His words and obey His commandments and do His works, shall also be hated and persecuted by the world.
E, who abides in you disapproves of the works of the flesh
E, who abides in you does not approve the works of the flesh. But He convicts the world of sin, of judgment, le ho loka (Johanne 16:8-12).
By walking after the Spirit in obedience to the Word, you shall no longer be loved by the world. You shall be hated, joalo ka Jesu. Because by your words and speaking the truth of God and doing righteous works, you testify that the words of the world are lies and the works of the flesh are evil and lead to (ea ka ho sa feleng) lefu.
Jesus spoke the words of the Father, whereby Jesus revealed the truth of God to the house of Israel. Leha ho le joalo, the truth was not always appreciated. Since the truth of God opposes the will of the flesh. The truth of God means death for the works of the flesh. (Bala hape: Bibele e reng ka monnamoholo?)
But Jesus was not intimidated or influenced by the people. Jesus held fast to the truth of God and kept speaking the truth of God, whereby Jesus was hated and experienced persecution, in His life, which eventually led to His death (Bala hape: Mahlomola le ho soma tsa Jesu Kreste).
The sons of God are hated and persecuted by the world
Ha lefatshe le le hloile, le a tseba hobane e Ntlhoile pele ho lona. Haeba le ne le e-ba le lefatše, Lefatše le ka rata ea hae: Empa ha e sa le lefatše, Empa ke u khethile lefatšeng, ka hona lefatše le u hloile. Hopola lentsoe leo ke le boleletseng lona, Mohlanka ha a moholo ho morena oa hae. Haeba ba ntlhobelletse, Le bona ba tla u hlorisa; Haeba ba bolokile polelo ea ka, Ba tla boloka le uena hape. Empa tsena tsohle ba tla le etsa tsona ka baka la Lebitso la Ka, hobane ha ba tsebe Ea Nthomileng (Johanne 15:18-21)
I have given them Thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, jwalokaha le nna ke se wa lefatshe. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Ha se ba lefatshe, jwalokaha le nna ke se wa lefatshe (Johanne 17:14-16)
The people hated the disciples of Jesus and persecuted them, due to their obedience to Jesus; Lentswe.
The disciples obeyed the words of God. They preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of God and stood in the faith, ho sa tsotellehe liphello.
They knew they had become an enemy of the world and they hated them. Because they testified of their evil works. Just like their Saviour, Monghadi, le Morena. Leha ho le joalo, they were not intimidated or influenced by the people.
They remained faithful to Jesus and the Father and His words and commandments and were led by the Holy Spirit.
The disciples were spiritually awake and watchful. The apostles and shepherds of the churches didn’t allow anything or anyone to come in their way.
The disciples stayed awake and watchful and worked out their salvation with fear and trembling
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Ke ba lefatshe: ke ka baka leo ba buang tsa lefatshe, and the world heareth them. Re ba Modimo: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Ka hona re tseba moea oa ’nete, le moya wa phoso (1 Johanne 4:4-6)
They protected the gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of God and warned each other of false teachers.
As soon as a false teacher arose from among the believers in the church or a false teacher entered from outside and became a threat to the church, they warned the churches.
If there was a spiritual danger and someone went in the wrong direction, which led to apostasy, and the behavior of the person defiled the holiness of the church, they confronted, kotloetsoe, and corrected the person, and called the person to repentance.
And so they warned each other and kept each other awake. They remained spiritually watchful and worked out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Because they knew, what the new life as a son of God contained.
They knew their adversary and the spiritual dangers, empa bona guarded the gates of the church.
Their love for Jesus and the fear of God was so big that it overwhelmed their earthly life. Ba ne ba sa rate bophelo ba bona, they loved Jesus and lived for Him.
This attitude must return to the Body of Christ; Kereke. So that the Church of Christ becomes a power of God again instead of a social institution. (Bala hape: Na kereke ke mokhatlo oa sechaba kapa ke matla a Molimo?)
Sebetsang poloko ea lōna ka tšabo le thothomelo
Ka nako eo, moratuwa wa ka, as ye have always obeyed, e seng jwaloka pela ka feela, empa jwale haholo ke le siyo, sebeletsang poloko ya lona ka tshabo le thothomelo. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, bara ba Modimo, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain (Bafilipi 2:12-16)
The faith has become your new life instead of an addition to your old life.
Some Christians talk and act piously when they go to church and/or when they are in the presence of fellow Christians, but as soon as they are home, alone or in the company of unbelievers, they speak and act like the world and do things that oppose the will of God. Ka maphelo a bona, they deny the Word and live in rebellion and disobedience to the Word.
Many Christians don’t resist sin and don’t endure temptation. But they give in to the temptation.
They believe that by that one choice they made, they are saved forever. No matter what they do. They believe that sin won’t harm them. (Bala hape: Na u ka sebelisa lefatše le robehileng joalo ka lebaka?)
But it does matter, if you know His will and you know that something isn’t good to do and you do it anyway.
“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering“
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hobane haeba re etsa sebe ka mor'a moo re fumane tsebo ea 'nete, ha ho sa na sehlabelo sa libe, Empa ho batla ka tšabo le khalefo ea mollo, e tla harola bahanyetsi (Baheberu 10:23-27).
If the Holy Spirit, Whom you have received from the Father, dwells in you and you obey Him and do what He says, you will be led by the Holy Spirit.
You shall no longer live, as you lived before in ignorance of the truth in disobedience to God and His word. You shall no longer do the works of the flesh and give into sin. But you shall resist sin and endure in temptation. (Bala hape: Na o ka hanela moleko?)
You shall obey Him and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God, Who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.
The sons of God are blameless, harmless, without rebuke, holding forth the word of life
You shall do all things without murmurings and disputings. Because following Jesus is not always easy. You shall experience setbacks, khanyetso, and persecution from the people around you. Leha ho le joalo, if you love Him you stay obedient to Him and keep His commandment.
You do everything while being grateful to Him. So that you shall be blameless and harmless, bara ba Modimo, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life.
Therefore put your trust in God and hold forth His words and don’t let them slip. Let not (the words and works of) tseo, who are the popo ya kgale and belong to the crooked and perverse generation and the ruler of this world and serve him, influence you.
You are responsible for your own salvation. Ka hona, sebeletsang poloko ya lona ka tshabo le thothomelo. Standfast in the faith and obey the words of God, and walk in His truth, until the end.
‘E be letsoai la lefatše’
