what saith scripture regarding salvation?

by Gail Mize

Ephesians 2:8KJV For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We are saved by grace with the gift of God’s spirit, which gives us faith. We do nothing to earn it, so we can do nothing to lose it. This salvation is not by works, so no Christian can claim credit for his spirit salvation.

1 Corinthians 2:14KJV But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Every person is born spiritually dead and cannot receive God’s Word, because it appears foolish and unbelievable to him. Without God quickening a person’s spirit, the person cannot understand the Scriptures.

Colossians 1:17KJV And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

God the Holy Trinity existed before everything in the universe. He created the universe by commanding it into existence. The universe and everything in it are woven on the invisible fabric of God’s spirit.

Romans 11:6KJV And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Our spirit salvation is by grace and has nothing to do with our works. If it were by works, then it would not be grace. So don’t confuse grace with works, since they are totally different. Works must come after grace as a totally different concept, and a different salvation—soul salvation. Spirit salvation is by grace; soul salvation is by works. Spirit and soul must be rightly divided or the Scriptures will be totally confusing in regard to grace versus works.

Philippians 2:12KJV Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Paul tells the Philippians to obey the Scriptures even in his absence. Spirit salvation has already occurred for every Christian and it is eternally secure. Every Christian must destroy his old flesh nature, which is his soul or mind. He must then allow Christ to live his life in him and live what is called the exchanged life. This salvation is called soul salvation in the Scriptures, and this soul salvation is to be worked out with fear and trembling. If the old flesh nature is not destroyed in this life, then it will be destroyed by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Soul salvation can be lost at the Judgment Seat of Christ, but spirit salvation is eternally secure. The old man or old soul must perish for every Christian—either in this life or at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:11KJV For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  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.

God the Holy Spirit has given every Christian a measure of spirit. Jesus Christ has earned this spirit salvation by his death on the Cross of Calvary. Thus, Jesus Christ laid the foundation upon which Christians are to build their Christian lives by destroying their old flesh natures and living new lives in the power of the Holy Spirit. If the Christian lives the exchanged life and builds good works (i.e. gold, silver, precious stones) on this foundation, he will receive his reward. If the Christian lives in accordance with his old flesh nature, he builds bad works (i.e. wood, hay and straw) on this foundation, and he will lose his reward.

A Christian’s works will be tried at the Judgment Seat of Christ to find out if they are good or bad. If the work is good, the fire will not burn it, and he will receive a reward. If a Christian’s works are burned up in the fire, he will suffer loss (i.e. his soul will be destroyed) and lose his reward. Jesus will renew his soul, so that he will be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and enter into heaven. He will enter heaven, but not the kingdom of heaven. Heaven is a place, while the kingdom of heaven is a position of authority in the coming millennial kingdom.

Matthew 8:12KJV But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Those Christians whose works are burned shall not enter into a position of authority in the kingdom of heaven. They will weep and gnash their teeth, when they realize their loss. They will enter heaven, but they will not be in a position of reigning and ruling with Christ. Outer darkness means they are outside the sphere of God’s government. They are in heaven but not in positions of leadership in God’s government. An example of this is a U.S. citizen who lives in the USA, but he does not occupy a responsible position in the government of the USA.

Ephesians 2:10KJV For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-9 is about the salvation of the Christian’s spirit, which is the foundation upon which he is to build good works. He performs good works by destroying his flesh nature (i.e. lose his soul in order to save it) and living the life of Christ via the indwelling Holy Spirit. God’s plan was for us to do good works, but our free will was not to be impeded. Thus, soul salvation is up to us. It could also be called coming to repentance or sanctifying ourselves by good works while we are alive. Spirit salvation is justification. Soul salvation is sanctification.

Similar to the Holy Trinity, man is created in the image of God with three parts: spirit, soul and body. Consequently there are also three salvations as outlined in the following chart:

Spirit Salvation
 Justification
 Grace
 Act of God
 A past salvation
Soul Salvation
 Sanctification
 Works
 Act of Man
 A present salvation
Body Salvation
 Glorification
 Grace
 Act of God
 A future salvation

Being born of blood or spirit is by grace and pertains to spirit & body salvation. Being born of water is the washing of water by the Word, and it pertains to soul salvation. Repentance or works is required for the saving of the soul in this life. Every Christian will receive a new soul, either in this life or at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The difference is reward if in this life or no reward if at the Judgment Seat of Christ.