When the Bible tells us to work out our own salvation, to fully complete it, it is certainly not referring to the salvation of our spirits. The finished work of the cross was most certainly enough and complete for our spiritual salvation! The salvation this scripture is referring to is the salvation of our souls, which James 1:21 speaks about. It’s where the believer chooses to moment by moment remain in a place where he cultivates his intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, yielding to His leading in every area of his life. It’s where we choose to live according to the way of the spirit and not the flesh. Where we lay down every though process and desire that has the nature of the old, un-renewed man that was nailed to the cross at the point of our salvation. We lay it all down and surrender instead to God’s way of thinking, speaking and acting. Galatians 2:20 says that old way of living no longer exists for us because that nature was crucified with Christ! Now we have a completely new existence – Jesus inhabiting our bodies! Hallelujah! In the King James Version, this scripture says the life we now live, we live by the faith of Jesus Christ! In other words, this is something we are empowered to do! The very next verse after Philippians 2:12 which tells us to work out our own salvation, says we don’t do this in our own strength! It says, “[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” Glory to God! We have been empowered to live in a way that resembles the state of our reborn spirits, so we are beacons of light to the world around us!