Page 103 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

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How is Jesus going to show the way? It is not restricted to just Jesus being “the way” via the new birth.
Rather it is a progressive unfolding to the believer of Jesus Christ first as “the way”, then as “the truth”,
and finally as “the life”. Salvation is an ongoing progressive process in the life of the believer, just as
Jesus’ revelation of Himself is an ongoing, progression of revelation to be applied in the redemption of
the believer. Salvation first comes to the spirit, then it is worked out in the soul, and finally will be
manifested in the resurrected (or raptured) body of those for whom Christ died. Altogether, this is
“salvation”, and is best expressed by the concept of “being saved”. For instance, how can you say that
“I have been saved” when your body is yet to be ”saved” by means of resurrection or rapture? (Rom.
8:23-25) This stated “salvation” of the body is the final act of salvation. Everything pertaining to salvation
was not completed in the initial act of the new birth. There is more to come.

PAST We know that the event known as the “new birth” is when salvation first
comes to man. To what part of man does salvation come, the total man
SSAALLVVAATTIIOONN BBEEGGIINNSS (spirit, soul and body) or to a portion of man as God created him? Jesus
IINN TTHHEE SSPPIIRRIITT specifically tells us what happens at the new birth.

“…THAT WHICH IS
BORN OF THE SPIRIT What is “born again” is the spirit of man. However, the spirit is not the
IS SPIRIT…
“YOU MUST complete expression of a man, is it? Man is spirit, possesses a soul, and lives
BE BORN AGAIN.”
in a body, all of which God intends to “sanctify completely” as we saw earlier
Jn. 3:5-7 in 1 Thess. 5:23-24.

God works in man from the inside to the outside. Life must begin with a

transformation of his degenerate spirit by the Spirit of the living God (see Rom.

8:15-16). here man receives the first definition of grace that we studied earlier,

“Divine influence upon the heart.”

However, as you also remember there is a second manifestation of God’s grace that must follow, “and
its reflection in the life”, which brings us to the second phase of God’s plan of salvation: bringing
restoration to the soul of the born again Christian. This is not a finished product of the new birth.

PRESENT Notice when the apostle Peter declares that salvation comes to “the
soul”! It is at THE END of your faith, rather than a thing achieved at
SSAALLVVAATTIIOONN IISS the the beginning via the act of the new birth! Remember earlier I
WWOORRKKEEDD showed you that your “Faith without works is a dead faith” and that
grace received in your heart is now to have a “reflection in the life.”
OOUUTT IINN TTHHEE SSOOUULL The new birth is to be followed with an outward manifestation of a new
life! That is why Paul states, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new
“…RECEIVING creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have
THE END become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).

OF YOUR FAITH- Likewise, the apostle Paul places the saving of the soul as a goal set
THE SALVATION OF before the Christian, not as an event that took place at the new birth.
Notice, too, that Paul believed that a Christian could go backwards all
YOUR SOULS…” the way to perdition (“eternal misery”).
1 Pet. 1:9
Dear Christian, IF you accept that faith is to be EVIDENCED by works,
“WE ARE NOT OF THOSE and IF you believe God is looking for an outward reflection of His grace
WHO DRAW BACK TO EVIDENCED in your life, then you can fully understand this difficult verse
penned by the apostle Paul instructing the believer to “work out your own
PERDITION, BUT OF THOSE salvation” as God “works in you” to will and do of His good pleasure! God
WHO BELIEVE TO THE expects His “sheep” to submit to the “restoration of the soul” as stated in
SAVING OF THE SOUL” Psalm 23:3. God expects His people to “be renewed in the spirit of their
Heb. 10:39 mind” in order that they may PROVE (demonstrate) what is the “good…
“…WORK OUT YOUR acceptable…perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2).
OWN SALVATION WITH
FEAR AND TREMBLING,
FOR IT IS GOD
WHO WORKS IN YOU
BOTH TO WILL AND DO

OF HIS GOOD PLEASURE…”
Phil. 2:12-13