Salvation - The Living Meaning

And Introduction to the theme of a living definition and meaning of Salvation.

"Assemble yourselves that I may tell you what will befall you in the days to come. Gather together and hear, O sons of Jacob; And listen to Israel your father." Gen 49:1.

This is the beginning in the Scripture that salvation by God is made direct reference to in His name.

The start is from verse (18).

The Hebrew says לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֖ קִוִּ֥יתִי יְהוָֽה׃ Gen 49:18
(v18) I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.

The word ישׁוּעָתְ is used in speaking of God's deliverance.
yeshu'sh (יְשׁוּעָה) or יְשׁוּעָה (yâshuwʿah) from yasha (יָשַׁע,)

This same deliverance of God is used in other passages of Scripture, but here in this verse, this is the first time the word is used. It is the same in meaning as God is my deliverer. The Hebrew word ישׁוּעָתְ, employed in Exodus 17:9 (וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ) is translated, Joshua. The Greek name Iesous (Ιησου̂ς) [Jesus] is a transliteration of the Hebrew name, Joshua, meaning, Jehovah is salvation. As it is written, "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21).

When Jacob spoke to his sons, he was just moments away from death. In his last words, Jacob talked about the Saviour. His hope is evidenced "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord". What is singularly profound about Jacob's words, is that he identifies in his faithful prophetic speech that salvation is the name of the Lord Himself. The Lord is salvation. This is precisely in keeping with the words of Simeon, who whilst under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, said 'for my eyes have seen your salvation' as he lifted Jesus in his arms (Luke 2:25-30).

In seeking to speak of and to understand the meaning of salvation, we can only begin and end with speaking about Jesus Himself. If we did no more than to seek to comprehend the Lord Jesus, we would have comprehended everything that could be comprehended about the meaning of salvation. Yet to many believers salvation is not the Lord Himself, but many things, such as being born again, or else a being saved from sins. Whilst these things are true, they do not reveal the whole meaning of salvation because these two things though wonderful do not speak fully of Christ Jesus, His birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension into heaven, a siting down at the right hand of the Father, and His coming again to establish His everlasting Kingdom as judge of the living and the dead. All of this speaks of salvation because all speaks of Christ. Therefore let us comprehend first and foremost that salvation is Christ and not many things.

Rhomphaeam

Thank you for your post. It would be fantastic if you could work into your teaching that the Purpose of Christ is to deliver us not just from our sins, but from the Curse of the Lord.

Galatians 3:13 NLT - "But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

For some odd reason, pastors simply refuse to teach this all-important issue, which is that Christ was sent to redeem of from the Curse that befell us through the unholy work of Adam and Eve. How can we have a True Romans 12:2 Transformation is we're not taught to seek the Circumcision of Christ? Circumcision of what? The Curse of the Lord!

Colossians 2:9-15 NLT - "For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross."

I agree that it essential to understand what the Father has accomplished in His Son and out of that to understand what part we play in our obedience.

This subject as a deep need arose in my own life back in the 1980's when I first heard the expression - Once Saved Always Saved. At the time I was in a real conviction of sin despite being saved radically just a few years prior to this teaching. My reaction in the youth meeting was to challenge the saying - not because I didn't understand that I had received an eternal salvation in Christ - but because I knew that my continued sin left me deficient in some profound way. The youth leader refused to receive my concern which I expressed as a general concern seeing as I could see that many in the youth group were living fleshy and somewhat worldly lives. I didn't judge anyone - but my challenge had the effect of the youth leader telling that I was causing them to stumble.

Out of that experience I first saw that somehow I didn't understand Salvation fully - and I felt very strongly that my brethren didn't either. So I began to write about the subject in my private time. After some months I realised that I couldn't write about Salvation if all I could do was cite doctrine that didn't have a living reality in my own life. Somehow between being born again and having a truly wonderful liberty and living faith I had gone to a place of being grieved inwardly knowing that I was missing the mark in my own walk. The Lord permitted me to be sifted to bring me to a place of having the grace to minister to others whilst not being perfect myself. Before that ministry began the Lord first restored my peace in a remarkable way - almost as life changing as my conversion. The difference really was that I began to realise that my utter dependance was always going to be on Him - despite that He required me to grow in knowledge and doctrine to share with others - but never as a dead teaching - always in the certainty that His word needed to be expressed prophetically and not simply as doctrine.

I will try to include the subject you mentioned. But first I want to be systematic and lay down a Greek and Hebrew parse of the text of Scripture and try to rationally draw out a linguistic basis to understand what being born again actually means biblically.

New Birth – Doctrine

"Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." John 3:5-8

"απεκριθη ιησους αμην αμην λεγω σοι εαν μη τις γεννηθη εξ υδατος και πνευματος ου δυναται εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων το γεγεννημενον εκ της σαρκος σαρξ εστιν και το γεγεννημενον εκ του πνευματος πνευμα εστιν μη θαυμασης οτι ειπον σοι δει υμας γεννηθηναι ανωθεν το πνευμα οπου θελει πνει και την φωνην αυτου ακουεις αλλ ουκ οιδας ποθεν ερχεται και που υπαγει ουτως εστιν πας ο γεγεννημενος εκ του πνευματος" John 3:5-8 Novum Testamentum Graece.

Salvation is first and foremost a matter of a living relationship with God. Jesus has told us plainly; 'That which is of the flesh, is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit' (John 3:5). Having once been born of the flesh according to the will of the flesh, we express the life of the flesh. Likewise as having been once born again of the Spirit, according to the will of God, so we also possess eternal life. It is this fact alone that keeps us from eternal judgement and separation from God. We might say that new birth is simply a matter of being born of the will of God, even as our natural birth is a fact of being born according to the will of our parents.

Meaning – Lexical

The five keywords that we are seeking to understand are:

water – born – flesh – spirit – Spirit

The Greek says for water in John chapter 3: 5-8, υδατος, which comes from the root hudor (ὕδωρ). It is used in several ways, but it is always literally representative of the elemental substance, water. The English word hydro comes from the Greek root. Contextually it may be used to denote the fact that whilst still in the womb we were sustained by water. In a similar sense, the physical heart is surrounded by amniotic fluid, so we see that when the Lord was pierced, blood and water (John 19:34) flowed through the wound, speaking that His amniotic sack had been pierced to pierce His heart for our sakes. It is also used in the context of the Lord's baptism with water, by John. It is the same elemental water which was used when we were baptised with water after we believed.

There are five references to being born in this passage from John chapter 3: 5-8. The 1st (v5) γεννηθη, comes from the root gennao (γεννάω), and means is born. The 2nd (v6 i) γεγεννημενον, is what is born. The 3rd (v6 ii) is also γεγεννημενον. The 4th (v7) is γεννηθηναι and means to be born. Finally, the 5th (v8) is γεγεννημενος, translated, who is born. All of these usages are derived from the root with morphological variants, which being semantically implicit in English usage, are not necessarily carried in the English translation. The root, however, is gennao (γεννάω) and means to beget. In this passage, the semantic domain is carried in the term, genesis, and alludes to the beginning of something as well as something after the likeness of its beginning. This does, of course, apply to individuals, but its contextual and semantic emphasis means that we could say, all humanity is of the flesh of Adam, but to enter the kingdom of God a man also needs to be born of the Spirit of God.

There are two references to the word flesh in verse six. The first usage (v6 i) is σαρκος, which comes from the root word sarx (σάρξ). The second usage (v6 ii) is the root σάρξ itself. Although the word sarx (σάρξ) is used to denote the physical body, it is also used morphologically (v6 i) to denote the likeness of flesh. This is the first usage here and semantically carries not only implication of the substance or physiology of the body (v6 ii) but the very nature of a man (v6 i). So that a literal translation of this verse would be that which is of fleshy Adam is flesh after Adam's flesh.

Just as the word flesh is used flesh begotten of flesh, so the word spirit is used in this same way. There are four references to the word Spirit/spirit. The first is πνευματος and comes from the word pneuma (πνευμ̂α). This first reference (v6 i) speaks of the Holy Spirit. The second usage is πνευμα, which in English would simply read spirit (v6 ii). In a prepositional form, this would be written: to be spirit. The Greek says, πνευματος πνευμα εστιν and would be translated Spirit, spirit to be. To make rational sense of this one would have to give the literal transliteration as follows: το γεγεννημενον εκ της σαρκος σαρξ εστιν και το γεγεννημενον εκ του πνευματος πνευμα εστιν (v6) "what is born of the flesh, flesh is, and what is born of the Spirit, spirit is" (v6 i & ii). The third (v6 iii) reference, to spirit, is πνευματος. This is the same as (v6 i) in meaning and speaks of the Holy Spirit. The fourth usage is also πνευματος (v8), and that too speaks of the Holy Spirit.

Meaning - Linguistic

In examining John 3:5-8 in this way, one thing becomes immediately apparent. Nowhere in this passage is the Greek word psuche used (soul). What is being alluded to has to do with the condition of all mankind needing to be saved. At a personal level, it speaks of an individual needing to have their spirit made alive by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore when the Apostle Paul wrote, "And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ", he is expressing an irrefutable fact of salvation extending beyond that which Jesus Himself spoke to Nicodemus. This is not to say that Paul contradicted the Lord Jesus, it simply means that Jesus specifically highlighted the need for all men to be born again in spirit. Hence, the Greek says, το γεγεννημενον εκ της σαρκος σαρξ εστιν και το γεγεννημενον εκ του πνευματος πνευμα εστιν (v6) "what is born of the flesh, flesh is, and what is born of the Spirit, spirit is." Flesh and spirit are separated in meaning by the Lord. Therefore when we are speaking about the newness of life, we must hold that distinction in mind.

Jesus separated spiritual regeneration, from the personal experience of salvation, by the need for the believer to take up their cross and follow Him. In speaking to Nicodemus in terms of needing to be born again, Jesus is speaking to the condition of humanity, as well as Nicodemus himself. Though personal regeneration would need to become a personal experience in one's own life, essentially, new birth does not lay down the full meaning of personal salvation. We could say that being born again is the spiritual minimum for a man or else represents the beginning of salvation.

The Scope of Salvation

Given that it is men who are saved, and that being saved means to be saved from sin as well as delivered from the power of sin, it is not only legitimate to seek to understand what constitutes a man, but it is necessary if we are to come to a comprehensive and biblical understanding of salvation itself. In Genesis we read, "And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7) καὶ ἔπλασεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον χοῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐνεφύσησεν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πνοὴν ζωῆς, καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν. (Genesis 2:7). LXX (Septuagint) וַיִּיצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ ֣אֲדָמָ֔הוַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃ (Genesis 2:7). Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia

The Apostle Paul, prayed for the Church at Thessalonica:

"And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

"αυτος δε ο θεος της ειρηνης αγιασαι υμας ολοτελεις και ολοκληρον υμων το πνευμα και η ψυχη και το σωμα αμεμπτως εν τη παρουσια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου τηρηθειη πιστος ο καλων υμας ος και ποιησει". (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

Spirit, Soul and Body - Lexical

Pneuma (πνοὴν) the spirit, refers to breath. This word from 1 Thessalonians 5:23 derives from the root word pnoe (πνοή), and signifies the breath of life. This same word is used in the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) and is the word πνοὴν in Genesis 2:7. (Above).

Psuche (ψυχή), the soul, or life, is translated heart in Ephesians (6:6). It is the same Greek word used in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 for the soul. It denotes the seat of the personality as well as the power of volition (choosing). It is the individual.

Soma (σωμα) is the physical body. The Greek word for body in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is different to the word dust in Genesis 2:7. This is because Genesis is dealing with the original material from which the body was formed. Whereas Thessalonians is a conception of the body as a living biological entity after God breathed into the form of man, the breath of life.

Genesis 2:7 (opening script in this post)) is a narrative of how the body came into existence as a biological entity, as well as an explanation of the original material used. Whereas, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 is a concern for the living body - in this instant - it is a concern for believers alive in their own bodies.

Another precept in Salvation -Volitional Choosing

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." Matthew 16:24-27

"εγερθησονται γαρ ψευδοχριστοι και ψευδοπροφηται και δωσουσιν σημεια μεγαλα και τερατα ωστε πλανασθαι ει δυνατον και τους εκλεκτους ιδου προειρηκα υμιν εαν ουν ειπωσιν υμιν ιδου εν τη ερημω εστιν μη εξελθητε ιδου εν τοις ταμειοις μη πιστευσητε ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη εξερχεται απο ανατολων και φαινεται εως δυσμων ουτως εσται η παρουσια του υιου του ανθρωπου" Matthew 16:24-27 Novum Testamentum Graece

In looking at this passage of Matthew 16:24-27 we see that the Lord does not regard the believer's cross as a compulsion on believers. Instead it is expressed as a matter of individual choice and so the precept incorporates a volitional meaning for the believer. We know this because the Lord uses the word wishes in coming after Him (v.24).

To come after the Lord is not a matter of compulsion, but a matter of choosing. Whereas repentance from sin is a commandment of God. Acts 17:30.

When we talk about choice, we must be careful not to confuse ability with authority. The fact that a man has the ability (lit…power) to choose a particular course of action does not mean that it is lawful for a man to choose so. For example, whether to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil or not. Adam had no authority to disobey God. He was commanded not to eat of the fruit (Gen 2:17), and therefore had no choice. What we mean when we say that Adam had a choice, is that Adam had the ability to choose, not the authority to choose a particular action. However, the Lord's use of the word wishes in respect of one 'coming after Him' (v24) and one 'saving his life' (v25) denote real choices and not simply ability – otherwise if mere ability, then one would always choose oneself.

The Greek says, thelo (θέλω), for wishes and means to will or to desire something. This primarily speaks about a reasonable desire to do something that is right. In context, it speaks about a proper response to the gospel itself, and qualifies or proves what follows on from saving faith. The godly desire to follow Christ, whilst sound in itself is conditional on denying oneself. This is not boulomai (βούλομαι), a determined will to follow Christ. Nor is it zeloo (ζηλόω), to have the zeal to follow Christ. Neither is it, speudo (σπεύδω), to earnestly desire to follow Christ. Nor yet, aiteo (αἰτέω), to ask to follow Christ. It is a simple injunction of the Lord to take account of the true cost of discipleship and the only basis for obedience.

Another precept in Salvation - Faith and Works.

“What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac, his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” James 2:14-26 (NASB)

This passage of Scripture by James requires us to accept that the Christian walk is a matter of faith and works. How are we to understand this claim?

Whilst we were children, we received a childish distinction. We were told that to please God was good, and to displease God was evil. So that as we came to those temptations to lie or steal we found ourselves halted momentarily by this knowledge of good and evil and we were at once faced with a sudden choice. Either obey God and be found good or else disobey God and be found evil. The choice is never to steal or not to steal, or else to lie or tell the truth. The choice is whether to obey God or disobey God. As we mature and come into our youth, we learned that there is actually no such choice, whether to obey God or disobey God, there is only the power to choose. When we come to a living faith in God, we are faced with this same reality.

As far as eternity is concerned, we were able to obey God and perceived no choice when faced with the knowledge of eternal consequences set against God’s provision. The conviction of sin is sufficient to press any man into obedience if we also see that Christ died to take our sin away. Consequently, the conviction of sin produces obedience. That is the moment of grace which saves for eternity. James then tells us that there are works that prove our faith. In short, if we say that we have faith, and have no works, we have made God to be a liar. There is also another crisis which we must face as disciples of Christ. How will we come to the truth of God and Christ? How will we walk by faith if we are uncertain about the detail? There can be no issue about stealing or lying, but what of knowing how to judge ourselves?

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrew 4:12-16 (NASB)

The writer of Hebrews tells us that it is the word of God that is able to separate the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. He also tells us that the instrument that makes that possible is grace. It must be clear therefore that whilst reading and studying the word of God is both necessary and desirable, a division has to be made. This division is first, spirit and soul, then joints and marrow and finally thoughts and intentions. It is by reading the word of God and desiring its effect in the renewing of the mind that we will prove that perfect and acceptable will of God in our own lives.

The Salvation of the Soul

Many believers rightly emphasise that God is justified in giving eternal life based on Christ's sacrifice. Though we are sinners deserving of God's judgement, nevertheless God is justified in giving us the gift of eternal life by faith in Christ. That has been historically grounded in sayings, such as Sola Fide (By Faith Alone), as well as Sola Gratia (By Grace Alone). These sayings, are based on Sola Scriptura (Scriptures Alone). Therefore our confidence in the righteous salvation of God in Christ Jesus is justified by the Scriptures.

The difficulty with these sayings is not their simple meaning, but rather, their application to one's own life. It is precisely at this point that many believers simply divorce themselves from any further understanding of salvation. If all is of God, and nothing is of man, then why ought any to labour towards that which is unmerited and freely given?

If the entirety of the Scripture rested on these reformed doctrines, then there would be no need to write anything. As it is, the Scripture sets before us a very clear reality of Salvation that exceeds these doctrines. That presentation requires us to choose to take up our cross and follow Christ, as a basis for future judgement and reward.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then shall he render unto every man according to his deeds" (Matthew 16:24-27).

In this teaching of the Lord, the thing that is being spoken of is the gaining or else the forfeiting of life. We know this because the teaching specifically tells us that, "whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." What we need to ask ourselves, is what life is lost? And what life is found?

If we take the view that this passage is identifying a need to be born again, then we are saying that Jesus has taught us that we must yield up newness of life, to gain newness of life. That is an irrational and meaningless thing to say. When we come to the Lord, we are dead in sin. How can we be other than in a condition of needing to be born again? The only thing that we can yield up when we first come to the Lord is our confession and praise. We also know that it is the "spirit that is born of the Spirit." And we know that the Apostle Paul prayed for the Thessalonians that God would sanctify them, whole and blameless, spirit, soul and body, until the day of the Lord.

Taking A Different Route

"There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:6-13).

In this passage from John, being saved is expressed as, "the right to become the children of God," and it is the same in meaning as that which we all agree with when we speak of being born again. The word right in this passage is exousia (ἐξουσία). The English word, excused, from excūsare (Latin: Meaning to be removed from an accusation) [and] carries a similar meaning. We could say, "I needed to be excused in order to believe."It could also in the context of the passage itself, be expressed as, "I needed a reason to believe."Or it could be said, "I needed the power to believe." Or else it could be, "I needed light to believe". Finally, it could be said, "I needed faith to believe." In literal translation, the word exousia (ἐξουσία) means being given the right, ability and power to become something else. This something else is, to become "children of God". Becoming the children of God is by faith. And this means, "born of God." Lastly, the qualifying condition to receive this power is to receive Christ Himself.

There is no doubt therefore, that becoming the children of God means to be born from on high, or else to be born again of the Spirit of God. There is also no doubt that the thing that makes this possible is receiving Jesus. Receiving Jesus results in being given power, and that power is faith to believe in Jesus name, resulting in being born of God. In all of this no one could reasonably deny that we are "justified by faith" and "saved by grace." So by the Scriptures alone we can establish that the ground for salvation is receiving Christ Himself. And if we receive Christ, we must also receive all that which proceeds from Him.

What then the Soul?

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." Matthew 16:24-27

"εγερθησονται γαρ ψευδοχριστοι και ψευδοπροφηται και δωσουσιν σημεια μεγαλα και τερατα ωστε πλανασθαι ει δυνατον και τους εκλεκτους ιδου προειρηκα υμιν εαν ουν ειπωσιν υμιν ιδου εν τη ερημω εστιν μη εξελθητε ιδου εν τοις ταμειοις μη πιστευσητε
ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη εξερχεται απο ανατολων και φαινεται εως δυσμων ουτως εσται η παρουσια του υιου του ανθρωπου."
Matthew 16:24-27 Novum Testamentum Graece

The word life in verse 25 is the Greek ψυχην, transliterated psychén, and translated life. The word soul in verse 26 are the Greek words ψυχην and ψυχης, as in, "τι γαρ ωφελειται ανθρωπος εαν τον κοσμον ολον κερδηση την δε ψυχην αυτου ζημιωθη η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου." (Transliterated psychén and psychés respectively.) They are both translated soul.

In genesis 2:7 we read, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul." If we refer to the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) we can say, the word πνει (to blow) is from the same root as the word pnoe (πνοή) of which the word πνοὴν used in Genesis 2:7, is translated blew. As the English translation is breath of life, and makes reference to "and man became a living soul"(Genesis 2:7), so in John 3:8 the word wind, which "blows where it will" is the Greek πνευμα, denoting spiritual life, or the giving of spiritual life. When Jesus tells men that they must lose their lives to find their lives, He is speaking of the soul, and not the spirit. The word save in verse 25 is σωσαι from the root word sozo (σώζω). This word means to preserve one's soul.

The word lose in verse 25 is απολεση and comes from the root apollumi (ἀπόλλυμι). The term is a simple expressive form that speaks of the soul's suffering when it sets itself to serving Christ fully because obedience is predicated on a willingness to deny oneself. It also alludes to the fact that the soul takes its comfort from the physical body, being in such an ordinary condition of imprisonment to the lusts of the flesh, and therefore to go the same way that Christ chose to go, is to go the way of personal suffering for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. In short, it means, deny yourself and choose the way of the Cross as Christ did.

The word find in verse 25 is εὑρίσκω and is transliterated heuriskó. In the simplest sense, finding something can either mean, to come upon a thing, by looking for it and in context means, "seek first the Kingdom of Heaven." Or it may mean to indulge in something desired. In this instance, of the Lord's' words, find, carries both of these meanings. On the one hand, it means coming upon the pearl of great price, as a coming upon the kingdom. This is both now, inwardly, and in the future, when Christ returns. On the other hand, finding yourself now means fulfilling your fleshy desires and refusing the cross.

The Walk we have walked!

The walk we have walked in life - be that one that we had no say in because it was given us by our father and mother - or else a teacher or a policeman - or even a lawyer or a judge - or what we ourselves has done of our own volition - is the measure of how we determine in our own hearts who we are. And there are few who do not understand that we may often sin as a response to what we have endured. Yet what we have personally experienced in life - consequential to the wrong doing of others or else consequential to our own mistakes - cannot remain the measure of who we are if we have believed into Christ. For myself the gravest sin of my own life was becoming an occult theosophist and pressing into a satanic ambition to direct my life from my childhood to a severe rejection of God and to a truly appalling ambition to make of others a fact of commodity. I was just seven years of age when I finally yielded to the hand of Satan working through my generations and in particular through my mother.

When I was seven years old just before I finally yielded to the ambition of Satan working through my mother, I was sitting in a cinema with my classmates from the school I attended. All 40 of them. We were watching a film that was released in 1965 just 10 months later in 1966, called THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. Right at the very end of this film I saw the hammer of the Roman soldier coming down to strike the nails into the Lord's hands. Then I realised that tears were running down my face. And not a few of them but rather too many to make sense of it. And I was suddenly gripped with a thought about my class mates. I asked myself if they were crying also. So I looked around as best as I could and could not see any tears.

Many years later when I was in my mid 50's - After one particular difficult time of ministry with a young man who was so traumatised that he could not find any peace and lived a debauched life and filled up his lusts to excess I wrote the following prayer for him and did not explain that I was writing my own testimony. So I asked him to pray himself in like manner because he also knew the Lord and yet he had fallen away badly.

O Lord my God when I first knew of you Lord in the recess of my heart, I was yet a child. Though I could not understand the magnitude of your throne and the breadth of your canopies, I knew that you were true God. In my childish manner I was received into your courts, and as a child I believed that all my friends were good. So as I looked at them in the quiet place of needing to understand why Christ died, I saw that none were weeping Lord. In my consternation I asked myself why? Yet I cannot say O Lord that they despised you or that they did not have their thoughts and neither can I say that they did not have their burdens and their pains also. In that instant Lord, I knew only that you were my Lord and that you had given your life on the cross. And I knew that I wept and my friends were dry. Selah

Now O Lord these many years later I come before you a child, no longer innocent of offending your glory and no longer innocent of the breadth and depth of your great love with which you have loved all men. It is as though I am ruined, Lord. It is as if I have thrown all your tables down and scattered your plates. Hear my cry O Lord. Restore unto me O Lord the joy of your salvation and renew a right spirit within me. Forgive me, Father, that I no longer look through eyes that are sanctified by tears, which when as a child I knew in my childish innocence. Forgive me O Lord that now through the trials of life by which I have come to know that though my friends were dry, their pain was real and their consternation was no less than my own. You knew them all O Lord and yet you gave me tears. Selah

Forgive me Father, that I have walked only in the remembrance of my childish tears seeing that Christ died, and grant me the burden to remember that it was my sins that brought your Son to the cross. Cause me to know Father, that the remembrance of my innocence when I wept of your Son, and my childish tears will not now deliver my wretched friends for who's sake He also died. Forgive me, Father, that I have taken confidence in childish tears which by now are a ruined house, and ought to have come into your dominion wherein it is no longer possible to see only my pain and my grief in life, but must now also see the great love with which you have loved all men through your beloved Son. Forgive me Lord my God, that I have thrown down your tables and scattered your plates so that my friends who were dry when I wept, are now scattered also. Have mercy O Lord, and gather them into your fold. Amen

Unless we can see others it may not be possible to truly see oneself fully alive in Christ - because unless we see others we may not truly understand what Christ has done for us - because we have not been moved with compassion to find an answer to the pain others endure. Yes we may have a living faith - but that it entirely a gift of God. How will we become a gift to others if we are always faltering in self interest - be that the walk we have walked in our lives with all the stumbling caused by those who had authority over us as children? Or the regret we hold for the things we have done against others? If we are always pressed into inner turmoil of the flesh how will we find peace? If we always dig into our own flesh to understand our pain - how will we discover anything other than the flesh of pain and fear, distrust and anger and a sense of overwhelming hopelessness = when our lives have often been filled with hopeless outcomes?

The only answer the Father has given us for this condition - is the CROSS of Christ. Both the death of Christ and His shed blood - for eternal life - And the rough hewn timber of the grave through being crucified in Him - so that we can be buried in Him and with Him raised up from the dead - so that we can exclaim not I, but Christ. And only then to take up our own cross and please the Father.

Rhomphaeam

Narrative of Salvation

Men and women cannot be more benefitted in life than to be born again unto a living hope, and sure faith. This benefit is chiefly unto eternal life and is a spiritual possession The soul however, is the thing that benefits chiefly through false teachings that express a supposed purpose of God in personal gratification as a basis for serving Christ, by whatsoever means; and it is clear that to take such a view of God's will, is to take a wholly contrary opinion to Christ. As Christ cannot contradict the Father, then we can say that those who press such teachings are turning men from following Christ, unto their selves.

It needs to be said that we do not have the natural ability in ourselves, either to believe into Jesus or to follow after Him and go the way of the cross. Even if we catch sight of how precious these things are, we do not want to be found having fabricated our walk in the Lord. The heart is wicked and more deceitful than we can know or comprehend (Jeremiah 17:9).

Our only hope lies in yielding ourselves in obedience to Christ Himself and allowing Him to work in us according to His perfect will and good pleasure. In this, we will become rich participants with Christ beyond our present comprehension, and in that, we will find ample satisfaction for our souls when we find ourselves with Christ in His kingdom where He is King of kings, and we have finally become the manifest sons of the living God. To be manifest means to be found in the manifest scroll of the Lamb's Book of Life. It is to know the full measure of your obedience and service to Christ Who died for us that we may live. If we do not comprehend that apart from what Christ has done to bring us eternal life, a gift of the Father through His Son, we will be found to have lived for ourselves and in that we will be found to have served ourselves and refused the full meaning of the cross.

We need to be born again to enter the Kingdom of Heaven when Christ returns. We know from Revelation that this kingdom of the nations, of our God and Saviour, will be for a thousand years. That's a long time to wait until you finally get to comprehend if your name is written in the Book of Life if you find yourself rejected and in distress of your soul when Christ returns.

There are two types of gain in Matthew 16:24-27. They are gaining the whole world or gaining the kingdom. Choose now. Your present prosperity, comfort, pleasure and satisfaction of the soul; an easy life of self-interest. Or else choose the way of the Cross, deny yourself and gain the kingdom. If you are offended by this then ask yourself a very simple question. Why is Christ given the Kingdom? If you can fathom that in sight of knowing that the entire cosmos is His possession you will be going someway to understanding why a self serving life is going to be a worthless confidence in the day of His Kingdom come.

Another precept in Salvation - Kingdom Worth

Jesus has shown us by His own example that a person cannot take up his cross unless he first chooses to deny himself. The soul will not lightly suffer, yet a loving son delights in obedience (John 14:15). Therefore Jesus says, "Father if thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). The cross means obedience (Philippians 2:8), in a willingness to suffer in the flesh (1 Peter 4:1). It means, "Not my will, but Thine be done." The cross is the place where Christ laid down His life for the sin of the world. Therefore it is a place of death and an end to life."If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, follow Me".

We cannot live for ourselves and live for God. We cannot serve two masters. We will love the one and hate the other, or cling to the one and despise the other (Luke 16:13). We cannot store treasure in heaven and on earth. "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal." (John 12:25). The Greek says, ο φιλων την ψυχην (soul) αυτου απολλυει αυτην και ο μισων την ψυχην αυτου εν τω κοσμω τουτω εις ζωην αιωνιον (life eternal) φυλαξει αυτην. It is only when the Lord returns that eternal life becomes visible. Therefore it is at this time that the obedient soul enters into the joy of the Lord. This is the first resurrection and the time when all the Lord's servants are judged. The first outworking of that judgement is the issue of the kingdom itself.

The gift of eternal life is freely given to those who put their faith in Jesus and receive Him as their Saviour. Eternal life can never be merited. If we are able to believe by faith that eternal life is a gift given by God without repentance on His part, then the question we must ask ourselves is not shall we perish, but are we worthy of the Lord of Glory? No man who ever lived can be considered worthy of the Lord in respect to being worthy of the Lord's death. Nevertheless worth is an important issue.

For example, there is the worth of the saints, (Romans 16:2) as well as a saint being counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ's name (Acts 5:41). Paul entreats the Ephesians to walk in a manner worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1), and to the Thessalonians, Paul says, "to this end we pray that God may count you worthy of your calling." Paul identifies the persecution of the Thessalonian saints as a "plain indication of God's righteous judgement so that they might be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God", (2 Thess 1:4,11). And in Revelation 3:4 the Lord Jesus says of the overcomer in the church at Sardis that they will walk with Him in white because they are worthy.

We see in these few verses a clear call for God's people to deny themselves so that they may be counted worthy of the Lord at His coming (Matthew 10;37-38). We also see that to be counted worthy of the Kingdom or to walk with Christ in white in the Kingdom, corresponds to a believer's walk here and now and not simply to the fact of believing in the Lord Himself. Suffering for the sake of the Kingdom to the Thessalonian saints was obedience. For the Ephesian saints, to walk in a manner worthy of their calling was a command to love one another.

One may well ask how loving one another can be reckoned as worthy. The answer is truly heartbreaking. There is no more a harmful man than the one who says 'brother' and then sets about to devour you. There is no more a hypocrite than the one who says, 'be blessed' and then curses you. Such is the work of many who take the name of the Lord. By the hands of the brethren are the brethren more injured than by the hands of evil unbelieving men. In that circumstance to love your brother is indeed a worthy attitude because it requires a willingness to suffer for the sake of the Lord. Which pastor does not know its meaning?

Lost and Found In Suffering

It is abundantly evident from the Scripture that to be found worthy of the Lord, or His coming Kingdom is ordinarily more than obedience in the doing of that which we ought to do. If a servant obeys his master in all things commanded of him, then he cannot reckon that as deserving a reward. "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done'" (Luke 17:10).

Being counted worthy of the Lord or His Kingdom is not even a matter of doing what men have commanded us to do. It is not a matter of walking one mile, but of walking the extra mile also. It is not a matter of being struck on the right cheek, but of turning the other. It is not a matter of giving our shirt but giving our coat as well. We are not at all surprised when men make us walk one mile, but to choose to walk the second mile is to glorify Christ. We are not even surprised when men strike us on the cheek because they hated Christ also; yet to turn the other cheek is to show them that Christ forgives. When a man has the authority to demand our coat then we are to give him our shirt as well to demonstrate that we will not vainly resist evil. Paul casts light on what it means to be counted worthy of the Lord or His Kingdom in his second letter to the Thessalonians (1:4-5). "We ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgement so that you may be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering" (See also Philippians 1:29).

The Thessalonians were suffering persecutions and trials of their faith for the sake of the Kingdom, and Paul understood this to be a plain indication of God's righteous judgement so that the Thessalonians might be considered worthy of the Kingdom for which they were suffering.

The natural mind cannot understand suffering because it does not understand God's righteous judgement, in order that men made righteous by the blood of Christ may also be found worthy of the Kingdom of God. Yet Jesus said, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets before you" Matthew 5:10-12

Who then is worthy of the Lord? It is the one who arms himself with a mind to suffer, denies himself, takes his cross and follows the Lord. It is the one who suffers persecutions and insults for the sake of righteousness.

To follow the Lord means to become a servant, and to go the way of the cross means to obey God in all things. "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honour him."(John 12:26) "There is one who scatters yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want" (Proverbs 11:24).

To save one's soul today means that one will lose it in the future. Whereas to lose one's life in this age is to save it in the age to come. The soul is the mind, the will and the emotions. It is the life of the man. Therefore to save one's soul today means to please one's mind, or do one's own will, or gratify one's emotions in this age. It means to live to please oneself. Losing one's soul in this age means to deny oneself. It is for the age of the Kingdom come that we are looking, and during the Kingdom age that those who have denied themselves and taken their cross according to God's will for the sake of the Kingdom, who will receive a reward. This means that their souls will be satisfied in the Kingdom because they will reign with Christ. But those who have lived to please themselves and have thereby preserved their souls in this age will be ashamed during the time of the Kingdom (Revelations 16:15). Though such a one has eternal life he may even be excluded from the Kingdom (age) (Matthew 7:21 and 25:1-13), because that one may not be found to be worthy of the Lord of Glory at His coming (John 2:28).

"For this reason", Paul said, "I endure all things for the sake for those who are chosen, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and with it eternal glory. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him: If we deny him, He also will deny us. Remind them of these things" (2 Timothy 2:11-14).

A Restatement

As far as the sons of Adam are concerned salvation begins with the new birth, and will be complete when Jesus comes again to judge the living and the dead when He will recompense every man according to his deeds (Matt 16:27, Rev 22:12 and Proverbs 11:1). We understand that there is nothing pertaining to salvation that is without significance for the future Kingdom of God which Christ will establish on earth at His return. Being born again of water and the spirit, is fundamental, in that one cannot enter the Kingdom unless one is born again.

There is also the matter of the redemption of the body, which expressly concerns the coming Kingdom for those who are counted worthy of being included in the first resurrection. It is also clear that a third area of salvation exists, which is expressed in the Scriptures as, "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it unto eternal life" (John 12:25) and relates to the Kingdom of God during the millennial reign of Christ. Salvation relates to the whole man, spirit, soul and body (1 The 5:23). Therefore we see these three areas in which salvation is being worked out in the believer.

The first and the third; that of being born again, and the resurrection of the body, are particular acts of God, whereas the second, the saving of the soul, involves the cooperative activity of the believer. Being born again is an act of God because "the wind blows where it wishes" (John 3:8 & Genesis 2:7), and resurrection from the dead is an act of God because Jesus Himself will raise up those whom the Father has given Him on the last day (John 6:40). God has also done a work concerning sanctification, through the life and death of Christ, and relates to the saving of the soul. Christ is both our righteousness, sanctification and redemption before God. 1 Corinthians 1:28. Whereas, The Lord says, "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame." Revelation 16:15

It is written, "Remember Lot's wife. "Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Matthew 17:32-33 Lot's wife lost her life because she tried to keep it by looking back. Therefore Lot's wife stands as an example to those who seek to save their lives, by looking back. Keeping one's life in this passage of Scripture is the same in meaning as saving one's life in Matthew 16:24-27. We would do well to have a clear understanding of what it meant for Lot's wife to have lost her life, despite having been saved out of the city, because it serves as a picture of a believer losing his soul in the Kingdom, despite having been saved out of the world.

Lot's wife was saved out of the city, yet she was carried away in the punishment of the city (v.15). Despite this, however, Lot's wife was not turned to ashes as were those who were inside the city, but a pillar instead. What this signifies for the church today is that despite having been saved from the destruction that is coming upon the world, some saints might still lose their lives because in choosing to save their lives they have gained the world. To become a pillar of salt demonstrates that Lot's wife had the Lord's favour yet she was unable to benefit from having been rescued from the city.

Today we speak of being chosen – and so we are chosen. Though it seems that we cannot take our eyes off the world, out from which we have been saved. The love of the world is enmity with God. Our love of the world cannot be reconciled with the Father in heaven. Therefore if we endlessly persist in looking back with affection, in the end, we will suffer loss, as Lot's wife suffered a loss. Losing one's life in this sense does not mean to perish as those who remained in the city perished, but it does mean to suffer real loss. It is one thing to lose one's life and another to perish.

We may say that from the time that Jesus commissioned the first disciples to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, for a person to be saved out of the world, yet not to separate from the world, will result in loss. Such loss may even mean exclusion from the Kingdom age. Let him who has an ear, hear what the Spirit says to the church. Unless we deny ourselves and forsake the world and all that is in it, and choose the cross, we, like Lot's wife, having been saved out of the city, will nevertheless lose our lives at the coming Kingdom, and will walk around naked and ashamed (Revelation 16:15). Lot's wife had been saved out of the city v17, but she had already been swept away in the punishment (Lit…Iniquity.) of the city v.15. Thus she lost her life. This is like being saved, yet as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:15). The Lord Jesus has said, "Beware and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." (Luke 12:15) From this, we can see the very practical and selfish nature that gaining one's life consists of in this age, and the very practical and personal loss that such a present attitude will mean in the Kingdom.

The Cross - The only remedy of the Father to sin, the flesh and the devil.

Once saved always saved - a precept in doctrine

Salvation must be the whole man and not simply parts. It must be spirit, soul and body. If we comprehend the spiritual reality of being born again and no more, then we would have missed its fullest meaning. In this mind we would neglect to realise that the faithless soul suffers also. If we do not comprehend a true biblical account of salvation, and what this represents for men and women we will come to an unbalanced view of salvation. In the end, we will declare ‘once saved always saved’ of ourselves and others no matter how we live or others live. The effect will be to lay at other men’s feet the power to live as they please; taking no account of the coming Kingdom of Heaven and in the end to put Christ to an open shame. Similarly, If we emphatically deny that salvation is an eternal gift of God we will create the opposite effect. We will cause others to endlessly struggle to please God by their own effort in the hope of being justified into eternity.

No doubt the words, ‘once saved always saved’ seem reasonable to the one who has comprehended that everlasting life is everlasting. Yet if we press a partite view of salvation and speak of a renewed spirit, and the obedient soul; yet neglected the body, how could we say we are fully saved? It would be to shrink back from the risen Christ, as the disciples did, not yet comprehending that Christ was raised from the dead in His body, in which concern they thought they were seeing a ghost. Similarly, if we speak of the spirit, and the body, but did not speak of the soul, we may find that when the Lord Jesus comes in the glory of the Father, we will be rejected from His kingdom (2 Timothy 2:11-14). To speak of salvation, and to fail to lay hold of a fuller meaning, to the preserving of spirit, soul and body, is to speak of a partial salvation, and not its fullness.

Lord save us from those who imagine God is the Devil.

LORD! Makes my stomach ache.

Who is imagining that?