This is a theological discussion, not an argument, that I get into every now and then. So I have decided to write (type) down my understand of this.
It was not God who said, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling", as many will say, rather it was Paul in his 2nd letter to the Philippians where in Chapter 2:10-14 he wrote, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings:”
Let us take verse 12 out of context, as many do: "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" Many believe this to be that Paul is saying that your salvation is up to you, and that you must work it out. We know that Paul does not mean “work so as to earn your own salvation.” Such a statement would contradict the whole of Paul’s gospel which that our salvation is by the grace of God. This is his theme through his message, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:"
So what does he mean by, "Work out your own salvation"? Does it not mean that he calls the Philippians to put forth real effort into their Christians lives. This is not to work their salvation in the sense of accomplishing it, or earning it, but to work out their salvation, that is to see it evident in every area of their lives, to activate this salvation God freely gave them, and for them to understand it. It can be liken to what you do when you work out a math problem, the answer is in the problem, you just have to work through it to the end, you did not crate the answer, you just put it in a form you can understand.
As Muller said, “The believer must finish, must carry to conclusion, must apply to its fullest consequences what is already given by God in principle . . . He must work out what God in His grace has worked in.”, and Robertson, "He exhorts as if he were an Arminian in addressing men. He prays as if he were a Calvinist in addressing God and feels no inconsistency in the two attitudes. Paul makes no attempt to reconcile divine sovereignty and human free agency, but boldly proclaims both.”. Now much more in my absence: In context, Paul asks for this Christian work ethic he demonstrated while among them, not a work ethic, and to be promoted all the more because of his absence.
Now to the "With fear and trembling" part, Paul’s idea is not that we should live our Christian lives with a constant sense of fear and terror, but that we should live with a fear of failing to work out our own salvation. Again the 'work' is not the price of your salvation, rather it is what brings your understanding to you of your salvation.
John
15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:
2 Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
Luke
18:6,7 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God
avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him...
Eph
1:11-12 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his
own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in
Christ.
1 Cor 1:27-29 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are
mighty; And base things of the world,
and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not,
to bring to nothing things that are: That no flesh should glory in his
presence.
1 Pet 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification
of the spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
