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

Resurrection and Transformation

Nostra autem conversatio in coelis est; unde et Salvatorem exspectamus Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum, qui transfigurabit corpus humilitatis nostrae conforme corpori gloriae suae, secundum operatione suam, qua possit etiam subjicere sibi omnia. Spiritalia curantes in coelis agere dicuntur, cum ipsi adhuc sint in terris; quomodo mali Principes et Potestates, cum sint adhuc ipsi in firmamento, conversatione tamen in terris sunt. Christianorum ergo actus in coelis sunt, ubi et spes salutis eorum est, qui est Christus, quem omnis fidus exspectat ad transfigurationem corporis carnis; ut quod ex humo est, indutum spiritali veste, conforme efficiat adventu majestatis suae corpori gloriae suae, juxta operationem suam, id est secundum virtutem suam, qua possit subjicere sibi omnia: hoc est, quia per resurrectionem mortuorum et immutationem in gloria apparebit virtus Domini manifestata, comprimens omnes Principes et Potestates; ut manifestetur ipse Deus et Dominus esse omnium Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Philippenses, Caput III Source: Migne PL 17.417c-418a

Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we should expect our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall transfigure the body of our humility to conform to the body of His glory, according to his own work, which can subject everything to Him. 1 Those who care for spiritual things are said to conduct themselves as if in heaven while they are yet on the earth, and the wicked princes and powers while yet in the firmament are on the earth because of their cares. Therefore the conduct of Christians is in heaven, where is the hope of their salvation, who is Christ, whom the whole faith expects for the transfiguration of the body of flesh, so that what is from the earth may be endowed with spiritual vestments and be fashioned in conformance with the body of His glory in the coming of His majesty, by his own work, that is according to his power, which can subject everything to Him, and this is because in the resurrection and transformation of the dead the power of the Lord will appear in manifest glory, casting down all princes and powers, thus to reveal Him as God and Lord of all things. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To Philippians, Chapter 3 1 Phil 3.20-21

Enriching Works

Modestia vestra nota sit omnibus hominibus... Nunc exemplo eorum alios vult lucrari; cum enim modestia eorum manifestata fuerit, id est, rationabilis conversatio, lucebunt opera eorum, et non deerunt, qui imitentur bonum illorum; ut non solum propriorum gestorum, sed et aliorum augmentum consequantur; ut sicut dictum est, labores fructuum suorum edant. Quando enim fructus operum suorum alios acquirit ad opus bonum, labores eorum qui acquisiti sunt, proficient eis, quorum exemplo bona opera imitari coeperunt. Ambrosiaster, In Epistolam Beati Pauli Ad Philippenses Source: Migne PL 17.418c

May your modesty be known to all men... 1 Now he wishes others to be enriched with their example. When their modesty shall have been made manifest, that is, their reasonable way of living, their works shall enrich, and they shall not lack who shall imitate their goods, so that their own deeds shall not only give increase to themselves but even to others, as it is said: 'They shall eat the fruit of their labours.' 2 For when the fruit of their works gains others for good work, the labours of those gained are profitable to them, who began by their example to imitate good works. Ambrosiaster, Commentary On The Epistle of Saint Paul To Philippians 1 Phil 4.5-7 2 Ps 127.2