When we repent and believe the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Every day of our life we are to repent and believe. Every day of our life we are to be cleansed from all sin. This is how we work out the first realm of Divine grace. We do so with fear and trembling because it is so easy to get trapped in the sin, malice, and striving that are part of the world system.

The continuing Presence of the Holy Spirit in our personality. There is much spiritual darkness in the world and it seems to be increasing every day. The Holy Spirit also is present in the world and He is light. He shows us the path of eternal life, love, joy, peace, and every other desirable attribute and state of being.

Each day we choose to walk in the light of the Holy Spirit. The light of the Holy Spirit is the incorruptible, resurrection life of the Lord Jesus. In Him is Life, the Life of the Holy Spirit, and the Life of Christ is the light by which we are to live. Otherwise we are trying to survive, find joy, and accomplish something while groping in the darkness.

Choosing to walk in the light of the Holy Spirit is difficult because of the pressure of darkness and death on us. We have to keep on praying and obeying the Spirit each moment of each day. Otherwise the spiritual darkness deceives us into taking wrong turns in the road.

This is how we work out the continuing Presence of the Holy Spirit in our personality. We do so with fear and trembling because it is so very easy to miss the way and spend years paddling around in a swamp that leads nowhere.

Obedience to the commandments of Christ and His Apostles. The New Testament is filled with commandments:

Take up your cross and follow Christ.

Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Forgive those who harm you.

Covet fervently the best gifts.

Neglect not the assembling of yourselves.

Set your affection on things above.

Purify yourselves as He is pure.

On and on they go—hundreds of them. We cannot attain the goal of our salvation, change into the image of Christ and rest in the Father's Person, unless we keep God's commandments.

We cannot keep these hundreds of commandments in our own wisdom and strength. We have to pray continually over each one so the Spirit of God can show us what applies at any given moment. The Spirit enables us to keep God's commandments, and God's commandments are not grievous.

We work out our own salvation by doing what we have been commanded in the New Testament. We do so with fear and trembling because the world, the lusts of our flesh and soul, the pride of our spirit, and Satan conspire to prevent us from keeping God's commandments. Our enemies tell us that keeping God's commandments is too difficult, or impossible, or not necessary, or anything and everything else that will discourage or sidetrack us.

To be continued.