Curious:
I’m afraid this is something I’ll just have to figure out later or something. I don’t understand this whole, “No I’m not scared but I have fear and trembling” thing that seems to make up many of the responses here.
The Catholics are, of course, quoting Paul:Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Philippians 2:12-13Paul was quoting the Psalm 2 when he admonished the Christians to work out their salvation in “fear and trembling”:
Serve the LORD with fear,
with trembling
kiss his feet,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way;
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 2:11-12The exhortation to
obedience is the context of “fear and trembling” in Paul’s instructions to the Philippians. The Philippians were obedient to God in Paul’s presence, they now must be obedient to God in Paul’s absence. Obedience, and being faithful to God in the midst of a perverse and disobedient generation is the message of Paul, and if you read all of Psalm 2, you will see that this is the message of that Psalm also. Why do the nations conspire,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and his anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds asunder,
and cast their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the LORD has them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“I have set my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
Psalm 2:1-6The soteriology of antinomian OSAS completely contradicts Paul (and the whole of the Bible!). The hardcore antinomians teach that Christians need have no fear of being disobedient to God, since a “saved” man can, if he wishes, live life of depraved and unrepentant sinfulness without worry of being damned. Since the “saved” man can sin with impunity, there is no need for a “saved” man to work out his salvation in “fear and trembling”, because there is no level of disobedience to God that would cause the “saved” man to go to hell.
The Baptists and other fundamentalist Protestants that teach the heresy of antinomianism are deluded by the false doctrines of men.
There is nothing in scriptures that teach that Christians cannot be damned by becoming unrepentant sinners. And that is why Paul teaches that Christians must work out their salvation in fear and trembling. The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it.
Psalm 111:10
On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people who were in the camp
trembled.
Exod. 19:16
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come before him!
Worship the LORD in holy array;
tremble before him, all the earth;
yea, the world stands firm, never to be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
1Chronicles 16:29-30.
I am sure Scott Hahn has something out there that would help you to understand the Catholic thinking and seeming contradiction. I’ll look again, but did not see anything right off hand.
