That same comment has been made about Phil 2:12-13. Maybe so, but my gut says, "It's ALL personal."
I think if you read that through again and keep in mind that at the beginning of that chapter he’s talking about the “meat” and “milk” Christians. That follows through the entire chapter. It’s analogous to the seeds falling on different ground parable. Some begin to grow but when it begins to get hot or lack of rain or whatever there are no roots sufficient to sustain and they are “burned up” by heat.