“So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12 HCSB
How do you work out your salvation? The clue is in the verse – obedience. As Christians we think about our salvation and being able to escape death. However, our walk is to be marked by obedience. Jesus told us that if we loved Him, we would keep His commandments. When making disciples we are to teach them the commands of Jesus to obey. The evidence of our salvation in obedience. How can you call on the name of the Lord to be saved and then decide to continue to walk contrary to His teachings.
Salvation is a regeneration process. We are born again, we are being sanctified. We cannot continue to be children of disobedience. So, when we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, we are supposed to walk in obedience. Obedience is the work we are supposed to do in our process of being saved.