OUTLINE:

“The Sword of the Spirit…the Word”
By grace, the Spirit uses the sword, which is the Word of God, to "cut" us, precisely, in all the right places and with perfect timing in our lives. And we are grateful for the healing it brings. (Heb 4:12, Eph 6:17)

Faith is an activity, not just a forensic fact.
Faith is actively upheld, not just established once. Being given saving/delivering faith is more like a “starting point” than an “end point”.

God is calling you out to LIVE OUT your salvation, as a reality in your daily living.

“work out”
from katergazomai - to effect by labor, achieve, work out, bring about; literally, "work down to the end-point," i.e. to an exact, definite conclusion

“is at work”
from energeo - to energize, working in a situation which brings it from one stage (point) to the next, like an electrical current energizing a wire, bringing it to a shining light bulb.

“the word of life”
is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the substance of our salvation, our reason for our “living hope” (1Pe 1:3), our reason for living!

Spiritual Tattoos
Don't rely on the outward appearance, rely on the inner imprint of the Spirit. What do you think "circumcision of the heart" is?

Ro 2:29
But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

The Word Is Alive. So Are We!
1Co 3:9 For we are God’s fellow workers. This means that we have an active role in His plan, in His sanctification of us.

Heaven On Earth - blog
Since we cannot produce peace or joy on our own, our occupation ought to be with that which produces righteousness, namely obedience.

String of Pearls
- Humility is the key to the spiritual life.
- Obedience is the evidence of it, ensuring righteousness.
- Devotion is the focus activity.
- Peace and joy are the results.

God’s “Ecosystem”
Must be thought of in just this way, as a collective; not as a bunch of discrete, unrelated particulars, but rather as something divinely unified that we have entree into when we are saved.

Ro 6:19b
…so now present [paristemi - “receive marching orders”] your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

Ro 5:5
and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.