Conduct And Salvation

Itaque carissimi mei, sicut semper obedistis, non ut in praesentia mei tantum, sed multo magis nunc in absentia mea, cum metu et tremore vestram salutem operamini. Deus est enim, qui operatur in vobis et velle, et perficere pro bona voluntate. Deum bonos conatus adjuvare testatur; omnem enim gratiam semper reportat ad Deum; ut nostrum sit velle, perficere vero Dei. Nam quis vinceret Principes ac Potestates, rectores tenebrarum harum, spiritlia nequitiae in coelstibus, nisi solus Deus, quos causa invidiae inimicos habemus? Indignantur enim nos dici filios Dei. Non ergo novem est, quod hortatur: sed ut more solito subditi Evangelio, curam propiae conversationis habentes; bona enim conversatio salutem operatur. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Philippenses, Caput II Source: Migne PL 17.411d-412a

Therefore, my most beloved ones, since you have always been obedient, and not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to achieve, according to His good will. 1 He gives witness that God helps the good in their trials, for he attributes every grace to God, that it may be our wish to be perfected only in God. For who would conquer princes and power, rulers of this darkness, and spirits of wickedness in the heavens, 2 unless God alone? For which reason we have the envy of those enemies, for they are indignant that we should be called sons of God. Therefore he does not exhort anything new here, only that they be anxious to cleave to the Gospel, having care for their own conduct, for it is good conduct that works salvation. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To Philippians, Chapter 2 1 Phil 2.12-13 2 Ephes 6.12