Dear Eric,
Please take this reply in a positive light. I thank you for stating your
position and I find myself agreeing with parts of what you say, but uncertain
about other parts, without the Bible verses to back up your positions. Keep up
the effort to reach a good understanding of God's Word, it is what we are all
trying to do.
I must say that I disagree, if I understood you, that the entire Bible
is only about rebirth. Such a statement is not acceptable to me
without Scriptural verses to back it up. Your message does not contain a
single Bible verse, except of course your statements that seem to be paraphrased
from the Word.
The presentation of doctrinal positions such as you present, must, in my
opinion, be accompanied by Biblical references, otherwise it is seen as a
product of human thinking, rather than the word of God.
Please follow up your message with one in which the Bible references that
support your position are explicitly stated. Until you do so, I think your
message must be viewed as one man's opinion which we all have and are
entitled to.
If we are to follow God's Word, wel need to observe the advice given in
Proverbs regarding where we place our trust, especially regarding doctrinal
positions. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Prov. 3:5-6 I think we can acknowledge Him in an important way that takes
attention away from us and places it on God where it belongs, by citing His Word
for our positions.
As a guide for your thinking about this, the following article illustrates
the format I am recommending as one that would be helpful to both the reader and
the writer, and is an excellent model for presenting doctrinal positions,
objectively and constantly viewed against the backdrop of God's holy Word. The
excerpt is taken from the website
The author provides Biblical verses to support a thesis that is
related, but quite different from yours and many others, I suspect. I suggest
you read it before you write your next message claiming that the Bible is
strictly about spirit salvation, i.e., rebirth. Much of the Bible is about
rebirth and in that you are correct. But, there are other issues that develop
from the rebirth experience that should be considered if the entire Bible is to
be taken into consideration. A sound doctrinal position should be in agreement
with all of the teachings in the Bible, not just a few selected by a
particular writer.
While you may disagree with the author's positions, I think you will agree
that the format of using Bible verses as supports for doctrinal positions makes
it more intelligible and open for discussion from a mutually-shared and believed
basis, i.e., the Bible, the Word of God. Any reader can then challenge the
interpretation or context of the support from God's Word and thereby foster a
discussion that can lead eventually to the truth, rather than the heated
discussion without reference to the standards of sound debate, i.e., testimony,
evidence, motivations, etc.
"Soul vs spirit
salvation
by Lyn Mize
"The salvation of the soul is probably the most
misunderstood concept in Christianity today. This may sound incredible, since
virtually every church-going Christian thinks that his understanding of soul
salvation is correct, but only a handful of Christians has bothered to check out
the Scriptures to see what soul salvation really means. It matters not what
preachers say about soul salvation, if the Scriptures say something different.
Spirit and soul are not the same in the Bible. The following Scripture clearly
establishes that soul and spirit are not the same:
1 Th 5:23 (KJV) And 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 Jesus Christ.
"This confirms that man
is a triune being, just as God is a Trinity. It also helps to confirm that
spirit salvation differs from soul salvation. Spirit salvation is by faith in
Jesus Christ plus nothing. The following Scripture about Paul and Silas confirms
this:
Acts
16:30-31 (KJV) (30) And (the Philippian jailer) brought them out, and said,
Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Spirit salvation
is very simple. One simply believes that Jesus Christ died for his sins. One can
do nothing to earn this salvation. It is a gift from God, and the Holy Spirit
even provides the faith. However, the Scriptures go into great detail regarding
soul salvation, which should occur after spirit salvation. The Scriptures are
also clear that effort or striving is necessary for soul salvation. The
following Scripture confirms this:
James 1:21 (KJV) Wherefore lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness
the engrafted word, which is able to
save your souls.
James 1:21 (ASV 1901)
Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive
with meekness the implanted word, which is
able to save your souls.
"This Scripture is addressing believers and it
states that a believer can save his soul by getting rid of sin in his life and
studying and obeying the Bible. This requirement differs from Acts 16:30-31.
Spirit salvation and soul salvation are not the same.
"The difference
between spirit salvation and soul salvation is the difference between grace and
works. The spirit is saved by faith in Jesus Christ, while the soul is saved by
faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Soul salvation does not determine whether a person
enters heaven, but it does determine his reward in heaven. Some Christians will
enter heaven with no reward because of unfaithfulness to Jesus. The following
Scripture confirms this:
1 Cor 3:13-15 (KJV) (13) Every
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it
shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is. (14) If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward. (15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss:
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
"The following
Scripture also confirms that soul salvation is the result of works:
1 Pet 1:7-9 (KJV) (7) That
the trial of your faith, being much
more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might
be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (8)
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet
believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (9) Receiving the
end of your faith, even the salvation of your
souls.
This Scripture is addressed to believers who have
faith that has matured, and when tested at the return of Jesus, will be found to
be as precious as gold resulting in praise, honor and glory from the Lord Jesus
Christ. This results in the saving of their souls or reward for being
faithful.
"In the following Scripture, Jesus explains the requirement for
soul salvation:
Mat 16:24-27 (KJV) (24) Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his
life (psuche) shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life (psuche) for my
sake shall find it. (26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul (psuche)? or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul (psuche)? (27) For the Son of man
shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward
every man according to his works.
"Please note that the Greek word for life and
soul is the same word psuche throughout this passage of Scripture. Jesus is
telling His disciples about soul salvation and how it determines their reward
for successfully crucifying the old flesh nature. This passage of Scripture clearly establishes that
soul salvation is according to works.
"Spirit and soul are not the
same. The soul is what a person is in regard to his character or his person. It
is possible for a person to be totally changed as a person and in character. The
reason for this is that the soul is a person's mind, emotions, intellect, will
and heart. It is what kind of person he is in life. This is why the Greek word
psuche is alternately translated as life
or soul.
"It is possible for a person to lose his soul in this life and
be a totally different person. This happens when a person lives according to his
new spirit nature, which never sins (1 John 3:9), instead of his old flesh
nature, which can do nothing good. Therefore, the Christian who loses his soul
in order to save it is the faithful, spiritual Christian who will receive a
reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ when the Christian's works will be tried
by fire. The souls of Christians who continued to live according to their old
flesh nature will be lost (i.e., they will perish or be destroyed), and they
will receive no reward. Their spirits—which are born of God—will still be saved,
and they will still receive a redeemed body. The redeemed body will live in
complete submission to the spirit, so the soul (i.e., personality, character and
mind) of these believers will be totally different in heaven. Their souls will
perish, but they will be completely and totally redeemed.
"There will be
Christians who will be disqualified as the Bride of Christ, and they will lose
their inheritance as a coheir with Jesus Christ. They will still be in heaven,
and they will be totally forgiven for all their sins. Christians who had lived
their lives as gluttons will no longer be gluttons. Christians who had lived
lives as busybodies and gossips will no longer be that way. Christians who were
liars will no longer be liars. Christians who were pharisaical and
self-righteous will no longer be that way.
"In like manner, Christians
who were drunkards will no longer be drunkards. Christians who were homosexuals
will no longer be homosexual. Christians who were adulterers will no longer be
adulterers. Christians caught up in seeking after wealth and material
possessions will no longer be worldly minded. All of these Christians will have
lost their souls, but they will have new souls. Simply stated, their lives will
be totally different, but they will have no positions of honor and glory in the
millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ.