Unbound: Freedom in a Digital WorldSample

It is so easy in reading this passage to get caught up in the language of working out your salvation with fear and trembling. So many pages of ink have been spilled trying to decipher and understand what Paul is saying. How could we still be working out our salvation if salvation is a gift delivered from God alone? Why would we have fear and trembling when working out our salvation? Doesn't love drive out fear and trembling? Are we the ones ever responsible for working out our salvation?

These are all legitimate questions and, yet, they miss in their minuteness the grandeur of what Paul is trying to say. The primary motivation of Paul's writing and encouragement is not for them to work out their salvation but for them to remain obedient! This is the same kind of obedience to God that Jesus demonstrated perfectly. Paul has already referenced this obedience in verse 8, "he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!"

The gospels provide the account of Jesus working out this obedience, this salvation, through his own fear and trembling. He prayed that the cup be taken from him with the intensity that brought blood to his tears. He mourned over Jerusalem. He writhed in pain upon the cross.

Though there are times in life when obedience comes easily, there are also many other times when obedience is costly and hard. It requires fear and trembling. It requires that we remember God is working in us and through us for his good purpose.

It is easy to completely ignore the impact that our phones have had on our day-to-day lives. We could just pretend like we're living in the same world as 50 years ago and nothing has changed. It’s just not true. Obedience to God in our time means honestly and openly assessing how our phones are affecting us and our relationships. Do they keep us from grumbling or arguing? Do they help us become blameless and pure? Do we shine like stars in the sky when we hold firmly to the word of life? Does the persona we display on social media resemble a child of God without fault and a warped, crooked generation?

For some people, in some circumstances, I believe it does. There are people who recognized the impact and purpose of this technology very early and have worked tirelessly to continually promote the goodness of the kingdom with modern technology. But in many other circumstances, we have unintentionally gone in the opposite direction. We might need a little fear and trembling to help us return to faithfulness.

Practice fear and trembling. Take a Sabbath from your phone today. The whole day. After you finish reading this, put the ringer on so if someone really needs to get a hold of you, they can. Put it somewhere out of the way. Do not check it all day until tomorrow. Can you do it?

Pour this day up as an offering to God to give you a healthy approach to interacting with your phone and social media in the days, weeks, and months to come, so that someday we can all rejoice and boast that we did not run or labor in vain!