Salvation of the Soul (Part 1)

I must start off by asking for your patience, dear reader, as I struggle to find the right words to summarize important truths that can be understood by anyone who has received salvation of the spirit and is devoted to studying God's Word.  If you are here because you are seeking a deeper understanding of Scripture I implore you to go back to your Bible after reading this, trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide you, and you will find all your answers there. 

⁷Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: ⁸For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 
(Matthew 7:7-8)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

On the heels of yesterday’s post, I want to discuss another Scripture verse that once perplexed me.

Hebrews 9:28: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

I believe that this verse is referring to salvation of the soul, which is different from spirit salvation.^1-3  Man is made up of three parts: spirit, soul, and body.^1-4  There is a great deal that can be written about this, but in its simplest form, the part of us that is spirit cannot be seen and it is the part of us that God communicates with through His Word.  Our soul is the part of us that influences our emotions, our personalities, our will, and ultimately our choices.  Our body is the flesh, the outward part of us that can be seen.^1-4  

1 Thessalonians 5:23 leads me to believe that the full scope of salvation involves all three of these parts: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

When man fell in the Garden of Eden, he experienced spiritual death.  When we believe in Jesus, we receive salvation of the spirit.  Even as believers, however, there is often a battle that wages between our spirit and our soul.^1-3  Scripture talks about the saving of our soul in James 1:21:  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 

While spirit salvation is present for believers, salvation of the soul appears to be a future salvation^1,2— the end of our faith that Peter talks about in 1 Peter 1:9.   

After the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:17), we know that we will appear before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ.   

Romans 14:10: But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 
  
2 Corinthians 5:10: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Scripture tells us that the Lord will determine if our works as believers are gold, silver, and precious stones, or wood, hay, stubble. 
 

1 Corinthians 3:10-15: ¹⁰According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. ¹¹For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; ¹³Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

If our works survive the fiery test, I believe we will then receive salvation of our soul and the reward that is spoken of above and in Matthew 16:27:   

For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 

Next time: What happens to those who shall suffer loss? 

References:  
1.  Chitwood A. Salvation of the Soul.

2.  Herbert J. "The Full Scope of Salvation."

3.  Powell R.  "Salvation of Spirit, Soul, and Body."

4.  Larkin C.  Dispensational Truth, or God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages.  Originally published in 1918.