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As always, I like to put my ideas through the crucible by bringing it to you guys to find out where the holes in my position might be. The topic is profound! This is something the evangelical church almost never deals with the difference between our salvation and the Kingdom of God. One is freely given and the other is earned, one is purely by grace and the other is acquired only if we overcome and conform to the image of Christ. This is where the charismatic church and the conservative evangelical church just talk past each other. The charismatic church expresses the importance of being filled with the Spirit, but doesnt really teach about, or have an end in mind, other than something obtuse like God loves us and wants to fill us with his glory as if the Kingdom of God was merely all about us. This is where the apostate prosperity gospel comes from. Evangelicals mistakenly believe they are already filled with the spirit, not really understanding the difference between the indwelling of the Spirit and the personal daily endeavour to be filled with the Spirit, but they do often focus on the transformation of the mind what I will call The Salvation of the Soul. However, when either group does deal with the issue of the transformation of our minds, its as though this is our own efforts. Im saying that our effort to overcome lifes challenges should be focused on being filled with the spirit with the purpose of having our minds transformed, so that we can earn the right to participate in the Kingdom of God. Here is the first past of my article let me know what you think.
Taking our Inheritance
During the Church Age, poor interpretation of the scriptures has divided the Church into many factions and theologies. One main group, the Calvinists claim you can't lose your salvation, while another significant group called the Arminians in the opposite camp insists you can. Both groups have many members who deeply love God, and both factions earnestly desire to teach Biblical truth. So which theology is correct? One of the reasons many people misunderstand this doctrine of Salvation is the simple fact that the English language only has one word for the concept; where as the Greek language uses at least three terms to explain the scriptures teaching on salvation.
1) (sozo). Means Eternal Salvation, and is found 110 times in the New Testament. This is the Salvation that we receive the moment we believe in Jesus Christ. We are delivered from God's judgment and saved from the punishment of eternal damnation. We are, under the terms of this salvation, forgiven and reconciled to God. The work the Lord Jesus Christ finished on the cross is eternal, and therefore our salvation through him is eternal.
2) (soteria) The noun soteria is used 45 times, and implies the deliverance of individuals from the bondage to sin, and speaks of both our physically & morally rescue or safety. Using this term, Paul writes, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12), so how is it that we need to work out our own salvation if salvation is from the Lord? It works like this! The eternal salvation we receive through the grace of God does not morally rescue us or bring us into physical safety; so we must put in practice, or work out our salvation to be saved from the evil in this present world. Such works of salvation perfect the saint, conforming believers into the very image of the one who saved us, and they have nothing to do with our eternal salvation.
3) (soterios) Speaks of the salvation of our soul. Human beings are made up of three parts: Spirit, soul and body (1 Thess. 5:23) and salvation, therefore, reaches into all three of these facets of our being. The Spirit is the Spirit of Life that God breathed into the nostrils of man, and when He did so man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). Adam's soul was filled with the breath of God, but when he sinned his soul became dead in sin and only his body would temporarily live on. At the point of regeneration, the soul once again would benefit from this Living Spirit of God, never to be separated again. Paul tell us "He that is joined unto the Lord, becomes one Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17). The Greek word here for joined is KALLAOM, which communicates a joining as in a sexual union, where a married couple become one flesh.
The Soul is made up of the two parts, the will and the heart Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul, and might" (Deut. 6:5). David also makes this distinction when he prays and asks God to create within him a new heart a right spirit (Psalms 51:10). The will refers to our desires and freedom of choice, where as the heart is the seat of personality, knowledge and emotions. Jesus said "Whosoever would save his life (Soul) shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life (Soul) for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:25). The word "save" here does not point to our eternal salvation, since the salvation spoken of here is not something freely given to a believer according to their faith. This is the salvation that requires a cost, for the soul can only be saved by sacrificing onesself. A saved person in this sense is one who is willing to deny himself, to take up his cross and follow the Lord (Matt 25:21-23). This believer will inherit all things, and receive their "Birthright", covered later in this study.
The salvation of the Soul is different than the salvation of the spirit. The salvation of the spirit requires nothing of us except to believe and to receive. In the former case, however, the salvation of the soul is a prerequisite for every believer to SEE and ENTER into the kingdom of God. "We are not of them that shrink back unto perdition, but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul" (Heb 10:39). The "faith mentioned here is the faith we exercise after we have believed in the Lord Jesus. Its not just the faith for seeing the Kingdom of God, but the faith to enter into it. "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9). The word faith here is again the faith we exercise after we are saved; James speaking about the faith by which we are to live. Without works we have not faith. Such faith will preserve us through difficulties and trials, and will prepare our souls to receive the salvation, which shall appear at the second coming of the Lord. "Putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).
Salvation and the Kingdom of God
Jesus said, But seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), and suggests the first requirement for finding this kingdom is to be Born Again, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Notice here how Jesus clearly states that a person is only capable of observing or SEEING the Kingdom of God once theyve gone through their second birth. This would imply that the Kingdom of God is something separate from a persons eternal salvation, and this principle is affirmed by numerous verses such as (Matthew 7:21) - "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven". It would appear as though the people in this passage that are claiming to belong to Jesus seem to be rather devout Christians, as theyre prophesizing, casting out devils, and performing many wonderful works. Yet, when it comes to qualifying for the Kingdom of God, theyre dismissed.
This is a difficult teaching and many Bible scholars resist it! Yet, so many verses forward this hard line and would only add confusion to ones understanding of the doctrine of salvation, unless we come to an understanding that the Kingdom of God is in a separate realm from the believers eternal salvation. For instance, when Jesus states that , "no one having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62), and when Paul states, "to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, ENTER the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22) they are defining a persons determination and perseverance thats not reflected in the scriptures teaching on an individuals eternal salvation, like: (Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
To identify with this class of believers who have earned the right to participate in the Kingdom of God, we could use the illustration of English Royalty. Two people may be both born in England and considered English citizens, but only the one of them may be considered to be part of the Royal Family, and can therefore live within the palace grounds. In the case of English royalty, you must be born or married into the royal blood line in order to participate in the privileged life of the royal family. In the case of the Kingdom of God, Paul likens these citizens to Olympic athletes, who are competing for a rare and elusive prize. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1Corinthans 9:24-27)
Being born again, qualifies us to see the Kingdom, but we must become over-comers in order to become participants in the Kingdome of God. The Lord says, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on His throne." Notice how the reward is to actually sit on His throne. That is authority, my friends, above all authorities, men and angels. How does one overcome the world? Well the flesh certainly won't overcome it, nor will any religious works qualify, but only that new life that is born of God. That means that no one can overcome in his own capacity, in his own human goodness, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit. The only gauge by which we can judge ourselves is by the fruit of the Spirit. If love is absent from our motives, our actions, then it's all flesh and that is not accepted before the Lord. The Church at Ephesus had all the good works, but it lacked the one basic ingredient, love(Rev 2:4).
Taking our Inheritance
During the Church Age, poor interpretation of the scriptures has divided the Church into many factions and theologies. One main group, the Calvinists claim you can't lose your salvation, while another significant group called the Arminians in the opposite camp insists you can. Both groups have many members who deeply love God, and both factions earnestly desire to teach Biblical truth. So which theology is correct? One of the reasons many people misunderstand this doctrine of Salvation is the simple fact that the English language only has one word for the concept; where as the Greek language uses at least three terms to explain the scriptures teaching on salvation.
1) (sozo). Means Eternal Salvation, and is found 110 times in the New Testament. This is the Salvation that we receive the moment we believe in Jesus Christ. We are delivered from God's judgment and saved from the punishment of eternal damnation. We are, under the terms of this salvation, forgiven and reconciled to God. The work the Lord Jesus Christ finished on the cross is eternal, and therefore our salvation through him is eternal.
2) (soteria) The noun soteria is used 45 times, and implies the deliverance of individuals from the bondage to sin, and speaks of both our physically & morally rescue or safety. Using this term, Paul writes, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil 2:12), so how is it that we need to work out our own salvation if salvation is from the Lord? It works like this! The eternal salvation we receive through the grace of God does not morally rescue us or bring us into physical safety; so we must put in practice, or work out our salvation to be saved from the evil in this present world. Such works of salvation perfect the saint, conforming believers into the very image of the one who saved us, and they have nothing to do with our eternal salvation.
3) (soterios) Speaks of the salvation of our soul. Human beings are made up of three parts: Spirit, soul and body (1 Thess. 5:23) and salvation, therefore, reaches into all three of these facets of our being. The Spirit is the Spirit of Life that God breathed into the nostrils of man, and when He did so man became a living soul (Gen. 2:7). Adam's soul was filled with the breath of God, but when he sinned his soul became dead in sin and only his body would temporarily live on. At the point of regeneration, the soul once again would benefit from this Living Spirit of God, never to be separated again. Paul tell us "He that is joined unto the Lord, becomes one Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17). The Greek word here for joined is KALLAOM, which communicates a joining as in a sexual union, where a married couple become one flesh.
The Soul is made up of the two parts, the will and the heart Love the Lord our God with all our hearts, soul, and might" (Deut. 6:5). David also makes this distinction when he prays and asks God to create within him a new heart a right spirit (Psalms 51:10). The will refers to our desires and freedom of choice, where as the heart is the seat of personality, knowledge and emotions. Jesus said "Whosoever would save his life (Soul) shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life (Soul) for my sake shall find it" (Matt. 16:25). The word "save" here does not point to our eternal salvation, since the salvation spoken of here is not something freely given to a believer according to their faith. This is the salvation that requires a cost, for the soul can only be saved by sacrificing onesself. A saved person in this sense is one who is willing to deny himself, to take up his cross and follow the Lord (Matt 25:21-23). This believer will inherit all things, and receive their "Birthright", covered later in this study.
The salvation of the Soul is different than the salvation of the spirit. The salvation of the spirit requires nothing of us except to believe and to receive. In the former case, however, the salvation of the soul is a prerequisite for every believer to SEE and ENTER into the kingdom of God. "We are not of them that shrink back unto perdition, but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul" (Heb 10:39). The "faith mentioned here is the faith we exercise after we have believed in the Lord Jesus. Its not just the faith for seeing the Kingdom of God, but the faith to enter into it. "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:9). The word faith here is again the faith we exercise after we are saved; James speaking about the faith by which we are to live. Without works we have not faith. Such faith will preserve us through difficulties and trials, and will prepare our souls to receive the salvation, which shall appear at the second coming of the Lord. "Putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls (James 1:21).
Salvation and the Kingdom of God
Jesus said, But seek ye first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), and suggests the first requirement for finding this kingdom is to be Born Again, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Notice here how Jesus clearly states that a person is only capable of observing or SEEING the Kingdom of God once theyve gone through their second birth. This would imply that the Kingdom of God is something separate from a persons eternal salvation, and this principle is affirmed by numerous verses such as (Matthew 7:21) - "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven". It would appear as though the people in this passage that are claiming to belong to Jesus seem to be rather devout Christians, as theyre prophesizing, casting out devils, and performing many wonderful works. Yet, when it comes to qualifying for the Kingdom of God, theyre dismissed.
This is a difficult teaching and many Bible scholars resist it! Yet, so many verses forward this hard line and would only add confusion to ones understanding of the doctrine of salvation, unless we come to an understanding that the Kingdom of God is in a separate realm from the believers eternal salvation. For instance, when Jesus states that , "no one having put his hand to the plough, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62), and when Paul states, "to continue in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, ENTER the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22) they are defining a persons determination and perseverance thats not reflected in the scriptures teaching on an individuals eternal salvation, like: (Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
To identify with this class of believers who have earned the right to participate in the Kingdom of God, we could use the illustration of English Royalty. Two people may be both born in England and considered English citizens, but only the one of them may be considered to be part of the Royal Family, and can therefore live within the palace grounds. In the case of English royalty, you must be born or married into the royal blood line in order to participate in the privileged life of the royal family. In the case of the Kingdom of God, Paul likens these citizens to Olympic athletes, who are competing for a rare and elusive prize. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1Corinthans 9:24-27)
Being born again, qualifies us to see the Kingdom, but we must become over-comers in order to become participants in the Kingdome of God. The Lord says, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on His throne." Notice how the reward is to actually sit on His throne. That is authority, my friends, above all authorities, men and angels. How does one overcome the world? Well the flesh certainly won't overcome it, nor will any religious works qualify, but only that new life that is born of God. That means that no one can overcome in his own capacity, in his own human goodness, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit. The only gauge by which we can judge ourselves is by the fruit of the Spirit. If love is absent from our motives, our actions, then it's all flesh and that is not accepted before the Lord. The Church at Ephesus had all the good works, but it lacked the one basic ingredient, love(Rev 2:4).
