Dear Gino, it just dawned on me that while I explained the answer to your questions, I didn’t give you scripture for my answer.  Your question related to my point in ‘The Walking Dead’ where I stated the following:

 

“His (man’s) spirit existed before the foundation of the world and is sent to live in him when he is born again.”

 

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

 

God knew us before the foundation of the world.  How is this possible, because man’s spirit is eternal? 

 

            “Flesh gives birth to flesh (soul/natural life) but the Spirit gives birth to spirit”.  You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again” (John 3: 5-7).

 

Man is born (spirit) dead because of inheriting the affliction of Adam’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden.  Spirit death is separation from God.  The purpose of man’s spirit is to connect him (restore his relationship) with God.  Had man’s spirit been present all along it could have been restored (as is the case with man’s soul).  However, he had to be born twice, (the second time by the Holy Spirit) in order for his (God connecting) spirit to be present and functional in him.

 

Nowhere in the Bible is there any evidence that the spirit can perish.  This is not the case with the soul.  Notice in the following scripture that the other two aspects of man (the soul and the body) can perish.  Note also that that there is no mention of man’s spirit in this verse.

 

“And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both the soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10: 28).

 

All of this illustrates that the spirit of man and the soul of man are different!  The spirit is saved by believing on Jesus and His death on the cross and is executed by the Holy Spirit through the ‘born again’ experience.  It is forever secure.

It is a gift of God, apart from (man’s) works, provides forgiveness of sin and assures man everlasting life in heaven  It is based on grace plus faith plus nothing (Ephesians 2: 8, 9.

 

Soul Salvation is another thing entirely:  

 

“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  But, prove yourselves doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves” (James 1: 21, 22 KJV).

 

It (man’s soul) can be forfeited.

 

“For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world and forfeits (loses the right to) his soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and will then recompense (reward) every man according to his deeds” (Matthew 16: 26, 27).

 

Finally, while spirit Salvation is immediate (an event), soul Salvation is a process.

 

(Christ Jesus) “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: receiving the end (not the beginning) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1: 8, 9 –emphasis added).

 

Oh man….gotta stop.  Tyler