THE SAVING OF THE SOUL IN RELATION TO INHERITANCE 

The Two Levels of the Atonement of Christ: Eternal Life vs Eternal (Restored) Glory…. 

Scripture defines salvation of the soul as a further work after a believer is born again. “Receiving the end (goal) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” [1st Peter 1:9] Not to be confused with the born-again experience of having your spirit re-born, the salvation of the soul is to be obtained by careful overseeing of the Word of God unto fruitful maturity and casting off the deeds of darkness. “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted (implanted seed of the) word, which is able to save your souls.” [James 1:21]  Without this implanting which is able to save our souls, we would (instead of becoming what we might have been) be lost or ruined…. “But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” [Hebrews 10:39]  

Salvation of the soul answers to man’s lost Glory. About glory lost, satan knows too well as Ezekiel 28:11-19 reveals. “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering….thou wast upon the holy mountain of God…..Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.…” This ancient glory in the Garden of God he lost; but he later attained another. “And the devil said unto him (Jesus), ‘All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me (relinquished by Adam); and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.’” [Luke 4:6] 

As Adam’s relinquishing, so Christ’s Atonement made/makes just provision in the Courtroom of God for man to obtain again that glorious calling of dominion in regal splendor over the Earth and the heaven associated with this Earth which was lost to satan in the Garden associated with man. “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord (and now also the giver) of glory.” [1st Corinthians 2:7,8] 

“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” [1st Thessalonians 2:12] With “Whereof I (Paul) am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory….” [Colossians :24-27] With “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” [2nd Thessalonians 2:12] With “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory….” [Hebrews 2:10] 

Christ’s victorious Atonement Work as the spotless Lamb was (in a past sense) and continues (in a present sense) the substitutional offering unto God for the sin of man. This great achievement was and is being proffered (held out for acceptance) and administrated on two levels:  

1) On the first level, it’s been held out to the entire human race (Adam’s seed) in the World, to anyone who may believe in their heart and confess Jesus Christ as resurrected. (Romans 10:9) Right then, at that moment, they are born again in spirit from the seed of the Second Adam, and thereby receive the gift of eternal life. They are forever saved. That is to say saved from that one great consequence of the original sin condemning Adam and me (his seed) to eternal death. (Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2:5) So on the first level then, what the Atonement work of the Lamb has in view is the saving of the “unsaved” Adam’s seed, for a one time receipt and application of spirit rebirth, accomplished by the Holy Spirit upon our spirit unto eternal life. (Romans 5:18) 

2) The second level of the Atonement Work of Christ, (following that first level completed work) is for reward and is being proffered before a throne of Royal Authority for the administration of Grace (Divine influence) to finish the purpose of being saved, which is the inheritance reward of glory. In the approaching of that Throne, we may find or obtain mercy and grace for our own obstructing infirmities as it relates to reward; being now the seed of Christ. (Romans 6:16 with 1st John 1:5-10)  

On the second level, for those who are saved from eternal death, now the Atonement work administrated by the Holy Spirit through our regenerated spirit will focus on the process of the soul’s salvation. This is that growth in spirituality based upon conformance to the Word, in living faithful service with works, beyond eternal life, unto the Soul’s inheritance of eternal glory. This further Atonement work is referred to as “being saved”. This is an ongoing process, which is brought out in the Greek. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish — foolishness; but unto us which are (being) saved it is the power of God.” With “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” [1st Corinthians 1:18 with Philippians 2:12] This then is the present and continual Atonement work of the High Priest at the right hand of the Father and is within His congregation of believers administrated by the Holy Spirit. (John 7:37-39, Romans 8:4 with Hebrews 7:25 with Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:10-12,21;22:12) 

*This is typed by Abraham’s pursuit of a worthy bride for his son from among his own family, administrated by Eliezer. “And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.” Abraham is the type for the Father, Eliezer types the Holy Spirit who seeks out a bride/(Bride) for his son Isaac/(Christ) from among his own people (those who are within the Body of Christ). The Bride of Christ is signified by Rebekah who showed lovingkindness, obedience and self-denial, giving up everything to be with her Bride-groom.   

Scripture tells us Adam and Eve were created as living Souls; possessing a spirit and covered in a body commensurate with their high estate. Surely they were in a degree of glory that would be representative of being made uniquely “very good”, and in the image or likeness of Elohim, their Creator. (Elohim, used in the Hebrew being plural and representative of the Triune Godhead) (Genesis 1:26, Revelation 1:16) 

Adam and Eve, having fallen through sin, suffered the great loss of God’s glory in some degree, as did Lucifer (yet he was unlike Adam and Eve, in that he was not repentant), and found themselves in the woeful fallen condition; naked and ashamed, but yet, although inferior and much more limited, remained uniquely in the image of God. That is, created in a 3 part similitude; spirit, soul and body, but without glory. This then being the state Jesus Himself was manifest as He  “…was made in the likeness of men.…” [Philippians 2:7] 

In this 3-part being, (spirit, soul and body) we continue. That is to say as long as we are living on the Earth, for it is the basis in which we are made in the image of God and the form in which our Lord appeared, laid down, and then reappeared in and will appear in glorified form again. But at death, we pass into the intermediate state and place of the dead. It is a state between death and resurrection. The essence of our being is found in the soul as also the essence of the Lord incarnate as a man was. This is seen in His death, in that His body went to the tomb, His spirit went unto the Father, (Ecclesiastes 12:7,  Luke 23:46) and He Himself (his soul) went to Hades. Scripture shows that we, as Christ did, continue to live without glory or spirit or body when we die. We continue in consciousness; in functions of thought, word, emotions and action in the intermediate state of being dead in Hades. (Luke 16:22-31 & 20:38 with 1st Peter 3:19) We then as a Soul continue to “live” on in that appointed place of Hades in the center of the earth until resurrection as did Christ (Contrary to common Christian teaching, this is yet the sure fate of every human according to Scripture until resurrection, other than those worthies who are alive on the Earth and caught up at His 2nd Coming. (1st Corinthians 15:52) 

It does not matter if our “spirit” is regenerated or not, when our spirit leaves us and goes back unto God at death, then our physical body is no longer able to continue living on the Earth. Then we, that is each individual soul, are directed to Hades, the intermediate place that God has created for the death-ridden, dispirited and disembodied Soul. We then there exist in an aware soul–only state, spiritually naked as it relates to the creation in the image of God, without physical body or spirit organ or glory. This being descriptive of the after-death experience; that is to say Scripturally having been “…sown in corruption..” [1st Corinthians 15:42] 

And we will continue there, in that state and place as our forefathers have, until our appointed time of either the First or Second Resurrection. 

In Hades, the First Resurrection, that is “the Resurrection out from among the dead” becomes the most anticipated and critical event for all its inhabitants. Although Scripture declares all will be resurrected, not all will be found to be worthy of the First Resurrection and most will remain in Hades until the Second Resurrection of all remaining dead. (Revelation chapter 20) Currently, many “deceased” await in anxious anticipation as Scripture has set forth that possibility for resurrection in glory. “….for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead (in the First Resurrection from among the dead) shall be raised incorruptible….For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality”.  (1st Corinthians 15:52b,53) “…It is sown in dishonour; (the soul exists in Hades in a fallen intermediate state) it is raised in glory: (as it was with Christ, the soul is united with spirit and body)… it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural (physical and soulish) body, and there is a spiritual (glory-filled) body…..And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” [1st Corinthians 15:43-49]  

This then refers to those of the Bride: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”  [Revelation 20:6] Being found a worthy soul in Hades is to be re-united with your spirit and body in Regal Glory IN THE FIRST RESURRECTION (or the changing at the catching up of the faithful living). This then ANSWERS to Scripture’s meaning of THE SOUL’S SALVATION.  

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*The Souls remaining among the dead in Hades, un-resurrected (or left upon the face of the Earth) at the time of the First Resurrection Harvest, answers to the loss of the Soul’s inheritance (not the loss of eternal life) and being locked out of the glorious Bride-ship in co-rulership in Christ’s Millennial Kingdom. Having been determined at the Judgment Seat of Christ as an unfaithful and foolish servant, that judgment is now manifest at His Second Coming. It is what Matthew 25 has in view in the parable of the 10 virgins, as does also 1st Corinthians 3:13-15 and Matthew 16:25-28 and Mark 8:36, Luke 9:24,25, etc.  

Again, the Second Resurrection is for all those who had remained in Hades/the intermediate place of the dead, who will, a thousand years later than the First, be resurrected. But they will not be resurrected in glorified spiritual bodies but in natural bodies, who then will stand before the Great White Throne of Judgment where their fate will be determined. (Revelation 20:11-15) 

**The Scriptural truth that man continues to live without his God-given spirit beyond here on the earth, speaks to the necessity of the spirit for animating beyond the physical body while here on the Earth, to the critically important animating of the soul in perfecting faith, without which we may not please God. And in that it is ordained by Him while we are alive in this physical material realm we cannot see or hear naturally the “spirit” realm. It is the spirit that gives us eyes to see and ears to hear in the spirit realm. Once he has left this material earth, he does not need “his” spirit to provide that intuitive power since he will then be a part of the realm that transcends the laws of this earthly nature, albeit within the center of the earth. 

While on earth, born of Adam, he has a spirit from birth. The unregenerate spirit is weak due to the Fall and greatly limited. It animates the physical body, and has limited influence upon the soul. Nevertheless, it is the spiritual eyes and ears of the Soul, as it is the God-given and the appointed “organ” for communion in intuitiveness and conscience in this earthly realm. And by this gracious “hearing aid” He speaks initially to the lost soul of his woeful condition and of His eternal provision from His Wrath and eternal damnation. And upon the Soul’s contrite heeding of the spirit, it bursts forth in new “life” eternal. THAT EVENT IS ‘BEING SAVED’. This then is the past experience of those who have received the gospel of the gift of eternal life.  

Additionally then, in the Atonement of Christ, the newness of life in the spirit is creating a much greater awareness and enlightenment potential unto the saving of that soul. Which, unlike the experience of the present gift of eternal life, is a future inheritance attainment in glory. (Hebrews 1:14 with Romans 8:17) 

The Saving of the Soul now becomes the sole purpose of the regenerated spirit. The salvation of the soul is about an inheritance as the result of refined faith (James 1) and approved works (1st Peter) at the judgment seat of Christ. (2nd Corinthians 5:10) In type, it is a race with the prize in view (1st Corinthians 9:24-27, 10:1-12); a crown and position of authority in the Millennial Kingdom at the First Resurrection. Too much focus is placed on the gift of eternal life within Christendom. Rather, the Salvation of the Soul is the critical topic of the Pauline Epistles, the book of Hebrews, as well as all the rest of the Epistles.  

***SALVATION then has to do with more than being just “saved”. The Biblical economy of God’s family as His children and sons has to do with inheritance. The firstborn son has the rights of ruler and priest along with a double portion. But those rights maybe forfeited as seen in type with Esau and Ruben, and the nation of Israel. Now Adam having lost the First Born rights through unfaithfulness, the faithful 2nd Adam has now secured. Jesus, having received the First Born inheritance, now seeks His Bride (Eve in type) with whom He shall share those rights.  

The Jews, having been the rightful firstborn sons of God, have forfeited their firstborn rights by rejection of Christ. How this relates to the Millennial Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of the soul is that the salvation of the soul faithfulness to Jesus Christ holds forth the hope of reward in the inheritance of the firstborn rights; heirs, co-rulers as kings and priests with Jesus Christ in His Millennial Kingdom. Whereas the seed of Abraham, having forfeited their first born rights, that is; yet they shall certainly inherit the irrevocable promises to Abraham of preeminence in the earthly realm. Whereas the first born inheritance of the double portion has in clear view authority in both the heavenly and earthly realms. (Hebrews 11:12) It is reserved for Christ’s overcoming seed. (This dividing up of first born rights may be seen in type from Reuben’s loss when Judah then obtained the kingly, Levi the priestly, and Joseph the double portion.)