Its a balancing act

Psalm 2:11 Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling

One of the great things about the global church is the diversity of its expression. If the church really is the body of Christ then its a very broad, mixed and imperfect bunch. I think some of best examples of Churches expressing Christ are those who have acheived 'balance'. This balance is where the whole council of scripture is considered. These churches do not focus purely on one aspect of God's character or one part of the story of the Bible. This doesn't mean the watering down or ommission of difficult doctrines. It means the rightful positioning of all parts within the overarching context of the gospel.

Psalm 2:11 gives a verse where seamingly opposing perspectives are placed together. It says "Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.".

Service is normally willing. You would associate slavery with fear. Servants have usualy elected to serve. Rejoicing is often associated with happiness and joy not trembling fear. Nonetheless these are together. The reality is I am a servant of Christ, but I am bound to Him much as a slave is bound. I am joyful in Him but must never forget His awesome might and power.

A blog is simply too short to adequately balance and contextualise many of these together. However, God is my friend while He is also my King. Jesus has compassion and forgives whilst He will also judge and condemn. The Holy Spirit both comforts and convicts.

Our best place to know God as fully as we can is where we can hold a number of these contending views in one context much as the Psalmist has in 2:11.

• I will live a life bound to Christ, free in His grace.
• I will rejoice in my suffering.
• I will subject my flesh to a spirit led life.
• I will come just as I am and never be the same again.
• God's will is at work in my choices.
• The Holy Spirit convicts hearts through the words of men and women.

It's a balancing act to not over-emphasise only one half of these statements!

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