1 Thessalonians 5:23 Soul Salvation

There is one last concept to discuss related to Eternal Security, 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

²³And 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 Yeshua Messiah.

From the beginning, man was created in God’s image that included being a triune being.  Man is spirit, soul and body.  James tells us in James 1:3-4:

³Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

We are to be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  Entire is the Greek word holokleros {hol’-ok’-lay-ros}(G3648).  It means complete in all its parts.  It means that in no part wanting or unsound, complete, entire, whole.  It is to be complete in all respects, consummate.  If we are spirit, soul and body then it would stand to reason that salvation goes beyond our spirit.  Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:10:

¹⁰Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

This speaks of 3 salvations.  Note the words delivered, doth deliver and yet deliver.  Delivered us from so great a death, refers to the salvation of our spirit.  This occurs when one is born again, when one believes on Yeshua Messiah.  Doth deliver is the salvation of the soul.  Finally, in whom we trust that he will yet deliver, this is the salvation of the body.  This will occur sometime after Messiah’s return.

Most understand the basics of salvation of the flesh, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54.

⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Depending on ones perspective, when Yeshua returns the believer receive a glorified body.

Now the thing that confuses most people is soul salvation.  It is often confused or mistaken for Spiritual Salvation.  When the believer is born again that is salvation of the spirit.  Soul salvation is the walk of the believer.  It is occurring for believers now on earth.  It is the believer’s sanctification.  Paul refers to it in Philippians 2:12-13:

¹²Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Salvation is a free gift of God.  If one has to work it out that would be of works.  Works are salvation of one’s soul.  This is where most people’s confusion comes related to eternal security.  Salvation of the soul is the intellect, will and emotions.  It starts when one becomes a believer and is a continuous process.

When one is saved it is absolutely for time and eternity.  Salvation is never to be used as a license to sin.  Paul answers the accusation in Romans 3:8.

⁸And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,)  Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

Paul was accused of once saved the believer could do anything and still be saved.  Paul’s answer, as the believer’s should be, is Romans 6:1-2a:

¹What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ²God forbid.

If Paul did not teach Eternal Security, he would not have received such an accusation.

Finally, think about this, if our salvation is not secure and one could possibly lose salvation; then either one has mixed works with grace or God’s love is no different than the love of the world.

For many of us, grace is an elusive concept.  Or possibly, we still want to be masters of our own destiny and forget we were brought for a price.  We are not our own, we are His.

We cannot lose salvation, it is not up to us to secure it.  We are secure because of God and God only.

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