LIBRARY OF HISTORY: DIODORUS SICULUS (Book V, continued) Books 1‑32

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Phil 2:12 (NKJV)
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.

Strabo, an ancient Roman scholar (lived in the first century), recorded that the land of held the richest young minds of precious metals such as silver, gold, copper. The process the process of mining out these materials is the main economic resource for these people.
DIODORUS SICULUS: LIBRARY OF HISTORY, (Book V, continued),
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/5B*.html

He used the Greek work “working out” (same Greek word used in Phil 2:12) to show the diligent see and care that the workers put into uncovering these treasures from the mines, they were getting the most value out of them.

They already owned the mines, but now they were working out of them, i.e. making the most of them. That is the idea here in

Philippians 2:12.
If you are born again, you already have salvation. But we must work it out “with fear and trembling.” We must diligently labor to get the most out of our life in Christ.

Just a few verses before, Apostle Paul was addressing Discord between two female leadership. Apostle Paul shows that this disagreement, and Discord should not be.

This “work out”, is not a directive from the Apostle Paul for us to make our own choices, and do our own thing. Rather, be careful usage of this word, “work out”, shows that we are to diligently, continually, work together without the disagreements that are so common among Christians.

Let’s pray and work for unity in the Church.

Part of an English translation of Diodorus. Books 1‑32 are complete on this site, which contains many classical texts and related material.