The Salvation Of The Soul

“... receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” 1 Pet. 1:9-12.

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being [soul].’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second man is the Lord from heaven.” 1 Cor. 15:45-47.

We can ask: “What is the salvation of the soul?” It is the salvation we partake of through Jesus who became a life-giving spirit. Then we too become heavenly instead of being earthly like the first Adam. “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” 1 Cor. 15:48-49.

From these verses we see the difference between those who partake of the salvation of the soul (who partake of the grace that came with Jesus, which those under the old covenant did not have), and those who only partake of the forgiveness of sins. The former become heavenly, as Jesus is heavenly, and receive a body which is the same as His glorified body. (See Phil. 3:20-21.)

God shall create a new heaven and a new earth, and in Rev. 21:2 we read: “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’”

The difference between those who partake of the salvation of the soul and those who merely receive the forgiveness of sins is as great as the difference between those who descended from the new heavens and those who were on the new earth. Adam did not know the difference between good and evil, but he was not a sinner. It was only after he was disobedient that he became a sinner and paradise was disturbed. Then cherubim and a flaming sword were placed to guard the way to the tree of life.

After Peter wrote about our calling to proclaim the virtues of Christ, he gives us the following exhortation: “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles.” 1 Pet. 2:11-12.

The fleshly lusts came with the fall, and the first person born after the fall became a murderer. Every person has a soul which finds the fleshly lusts repulsive. Those who live according to these lusts are on an animal level and are driven by their instincts. They know that what they are doing is sin. No one can call himself a Christian and at the same time live according to his fleshly lusts. Paul lists many of the works of the flesh and says that they are manifest, and that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal. 5:19-21. Even the Gentiles know that these things are sins and that a Christian should not do them.

When people are converted and receive the forgiveness of sins, they are lifted up from this animal level to a human level. Then they can live a good life; indeed, we can call it a “paradise life.” The Jews were lifted onto this level by the law. If they were obedient to the law, they were lifted above the animal level that the Gentiles were on, and through their sacrifices they received the forgiveness of sins. There was, however, never any question of spiritual growth. That possibility came only through the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

The Hebrews began very well, but they did not continue on the new and living way that Jesus consecrated for us. The reason was that they had become dull of hearing about obedience, and therefore the apostle writes, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food ... but solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” CH 5:12 and 14.

Our senses are in our soul, and they need to be exercised by being used. We exercise our senses in those things we are interested in, and since everyone is earthly to begin with, our senses become exercised in earthly things. This is not sin; it is merely what is natural for a human being. It is only when the fleshly lusts, such as honor-seeking, covetousness, and so forth come into the picture that sin appears. No one comes to the paradise they had envisaged through their senses, but we can be born again to a living hope by the resurrection from the dead and become interested in what is heavenly. We must then walk on the way Jesus walked, He who became a life-giving spirit. “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being made alive in the spirit.” 1 Pet. 3:18. Of course, this cost Him sufferings in the flesh; and if we are to be made alive in the spirit, then we, too, must arm ourselves with the mind to suffer in the flesh and cease from sin. 1 Pet. 4:1 and 13.

The first thing one thinks of when a child is born is whether its five senses function and are developing. If they are functioning properly, then even if something is wrong with the body, one’s sorrow is not as great. That is why the apostle was so concerned when the Hebrews had not developed their senses to discern between good and evil. This development could not take place in paradise.

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.” CH 3:1. “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out his soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isa. 53:12.

When a person has exercised his senses in the earthly things, he becomes a personality; many even become world famous. Anyone who wants to become a disciple of Jesus, however, must give up everything in order to enter through the narrow gate and learn of Him. He must pour out his soul, give up his human reasoning and surrender himself to the Lord. Prov. 3:5-6. This is a life of faith. The senses are then exercised and he becomes a spiritual man. Spiritual growth comes through the obedience of faith. People could not partake of this salvation under the law, because the promises of the law were of an earthly glory. Naturally, the people were interested in those promises, and through obedience they became rich and successful. Deut. 28. We, on the other hand, have heavenly promises and a heavenly calling. Through the knowledge of Him we have been given these precious promises, that through them we might be partakers of the divine nature. 2 Pet. 1:3-11.

Jesus says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matt. 16:26.

Luke quotes it like this: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” Luke 9:25.

Yes, what profit is it if one exercises one’s senses in what is earthly and vain so that one becomes a great personality, when one day it must all be left behind? Then the soul—the personality—has actually been lost, even if the spirit is saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 1 Cor. 5:5.

To begin with, our interests are earthly and our senses are exercised in the earthly things. Jesus explains to us the way of salvation for our souls—our personalities: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:25 and 1 Cor. 15:50.

It is written that the Word of God divides between soul and spirit and that it discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. (See CH 4:12.) As human beings, we rely on what the soul feels, sees and hears. That is to say, we rely on our reasoning. Many thoughts come into our hearts from this reasoning, and they are human thoughts. We cannot rely on this reasoning; instead, we have the Word of God, which is able to give us light. The Word of God divides between soul and spirit so that we can be freed from our human reasoning and entrust ourselves to the Word of God which discerns [judges] our human thoughts. If I love this judgment and receive the light the Word gives, I will grow into a spiritual person with senses exercised to discern between good and evil. This is written in connection with Him who has eyes like flames of fire and knows all things. In this way I live a hidden life with Christ in God. Then it is not difficult to bear the scrutiny of the ungodly. If I depend on the testimony of people, I am not living before God’s face.

In Isa. 53, where it is written of Jesus who poured out His soul, it is also written that He was counted among the transgressors, though He bore the sins of many and made intercession for them. That was a divine life, not a human one. We also have this heavenly calling, and Jesus teaches us in this way: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matt. 5:44.

In situations like those, many thoughts arise in one’s soul, and people around us volunteer “reasonable” (but soulish) advice and counsel. The Word of God, on the other hand, teaches us about the narrow way that leads to life. In these situations we must pour out our earthly senses and let the Word of God fill us so that we can be exercised in overcoming evil with good, exercised in putting on the virtues of Christ, and in this way forgive one another and become one as the Father and the Son are one. Jesus was the first one to go this way, of course, and we love because He first loved us. We, too, are to get spiritual senses so that we can love first in order that others can also come to love. We cannot partake of this salvation if we do not forsake everything.

“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” 1 Pet. 4:19.

It is when we must suffer that the human senses begin to work. The soul becomes agitated. To commit one’s soul to a faithful Creator means that all that I understand and think, I am to leave in God’s hands so that He can take care of it. My calling and my responsibility is to do good. By the obedience of faith I experience God’s wisdom—He takes care of the matter. Then my senses develop and I grow in spiritual understanding.

“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” 1 Pet. 1:22.

Brotherly love is only sincere when it is not mixed with self-interest. Trials put this to the test. When the Word of God judges the thoughts and intents of the heart, it is vital to love the truth. One gets light over what is human, and it is important to cleanse oneself in obedience to that truth. Then love becomes godly and is undefiled by human reasoning.

“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” 1 Pet. 4:17-18.

It is truly difficult to lead those who seek God into a spiritual development. It is not possible to come to the salvation of the soul without loving God with all one’s heart. We read how Paul rejoiced over such people: “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess. 2:13-14.

We do not receive the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ as a gift. No, we see from these verses that it is by belief in the truth that we partake of sanctification, and without sanctification no one shall see God. (See CH 12:14.)

The rich young ruler who came to Jesus had become very rich by keeping the law, but he felt that the paradise life he had was not enough, and he asked what he should do. Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matt. 19:21. This young man did not have enlightened eyes of the heart so that he could see the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the saints. (See Eph. 1:18.) Therefore he went away sorrowful. If he had believed and been obedient, he would have come to that glory.

Many believers are in the same situation. They do not live according to the lusts of the flesh, which war against their souls, and they see God’s blessing as an earthly glory. When they speak about the blessing of God that is over them, they only tell about how God has helped them with the earthly things. They see things just as Job’s friends did. But it is clear that since they have so many earthly goods to take care of, their thoughts must also be occupied with the earthly things. Paul teaches us in 1 Cor. 7:29-31 how we are to make use of the earthly things. The whole chapter teaches about this matter in order, he writes, that we should understand what is proper, namely, “... that you may serve the Lord without distraction.” Verse 35.

The salvation of the soul consists of emptying one’s senses of all earthly interests and filling them with heavenly glory. Then one will be a personality together with Jesus in the resurrection.