NOW, FOR THE REST OF THE STORY!

We say that we think we're saved. After all, we've prayed the sinner's prayer! Maybe we even went forward at an altar call or raised our hand in a church pew. Then we did some "good" stuff for God to boot! That should do it, SHOULDN'T it? After all, being saved IS a gift, isn't it? John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The key word here seems to be "believeth". This word (according to its Greek interpretation) is not to be understood in the "passive" sense. Rather, the intent was "active" in nature, i.e. to "commit (to trust)". It indicates more than a "head" knowledge. (James 2:19 tells us that the devils also believe, and tremble.) It means a "heart" knowledge; a belief that changes the attitude of the heart to one of submission, repentance, and trust. If you have "believed" on Yeshua in this manner, and have made the decision to receive Him into your heart as your Savior, then indeed you have received the gift of spirit salvation. It cannot be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9); it is GIVEN TO US by God's grace upon our "belief" in Yeshua' finished work upon the cross.

So -- we've come this far, and our spirit is saved unto the promised Eternal Kingdom of the Father. Now, how about our souls? "Aren't they the same?", you may ask. Some would say that they are, but the Bible says they are not. Hebrews 4:12 and I Thessalonians 5:23 clearly differentiate between the spirit and the soul. They are two separate entities, and God's ENTIRE Word indicates that EACH needs to be "saved".

James 5:19-20 indicates that many of the BRETHREN are in need of conversion because they are walking in sin (to the peril of their souls). Wake up Believers, the Brethren is us! Is it any wonder we were told to be separated from the world (Romans 12:2)? Hebrews 10:35-39 indicates that the Christian must avoid the "drawing back" (or backsliding) that would prevent the saving of the soul. Verses 35-36 show us that the promise of the salvation of the soul is a reward for having "done the will of God" (rather than a gift), and a reward is merited! It cannot be earned, however, by OUR good works. It can only be merited by GOD'S righteousness being evidenced THROUGH us! Our righteousnesses (works) are as "filthy rags" per Isaiah 64:6, but we are to live unto righteousness per I Peter 2:24. If righteousness is to make us worthy of the salvation of our souls, it cannot be OUR filthy rags righteousness, it must be the righteousness of CHRIST (John 15:4-6) working through us. We must abide IN Him, and He IN us! His righteousness cannot simply cover us (as is taught in many churches today). It must pour THROUGH us from the vine, evidenced by the bearing of HIS fruit in our lives. Regarding His righteousness, our spirits may be COVERED BY it, but our souls must EXEMPLIFY it!

Note in verse 6 that the branches that do not allow His righteousness to work through them are gathered and cast into the fire. Now these branches are spirit saved Believers who are SUPPOSED to be exemplifying the righteous fruit of Christ, and yes, there is a fire for Christians! We are repeatedly warned of it. If you have never understood the parables of Matthew, you may want to read them again. They are written to BELIEVERS. They speak often of "hell". The Greek word used here is "Gehenna"; not "Hades" (which is also often translated as "hell"), and not the "Lake of Fire". The meaning of Gehenna is entirely different than that of all other forms of "hell". Check it out! Gehenna is a real place in the Millennial Kingdom where the unredeemable souls and bodies of BELIEVERS will be destroyed. Mark 9:43-44 and Isaiah 66:23-24 describe this awful place. If we don't die to "self" now and let God work through us, we may face a temporal abode in the unquenchable fire of Gehenna following the Bema Judgment (Hebrews 2:2-3 & 10:31) before we can be restored to the body of Believers to enter the Eternal Kingdom.

I Corinthians 3, the "fire" of verse 13 may test only our work, and might not afflict us, but what about the "fire" of verse 15 if we were to be found to be void of the fruit of Christ's righteousness through us? Could our "loss" be more extensive than we have been told in our churches? Indeed it could!!! The very right to enter the Millennial Kingdom of God the Son appears to be a REWARD for the successful completion of the "race" set before us (I Corinthians 9:24 and Hebrews 12:1). The Matthew parables indicate that many BELIEVERS will not SEE this Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (The Millennial Kingdom)! The fire at the Bema Judgment Seat must verify the existence of the fruit of CHRIST'S righteousness through us during our walk here on Earth as Believers, or we may be denied entrance to the Millennial Kingdom of the Son and face extreme consequences. Are we ready to sacrifice the reward of the very entrance to this kingdom because our works are all found to be wood, hay, and stubble (I Corinthians 3:11-15)?

For many Believers, the default to entering this kingdom may be the destruction of the body and the soul in Gehenna for the duration of this kingdom. Only after the saving of the soul by Yeshua at the Bema Judgment Seat (a reward), or the destruction of the soul (as in Gehenna) can we be purified in preparation for the awesome holiness which is necessary in the Father's Kingdom. The Believer's purified soul (after its saving by the Son or its destruction in Gehenna) results in the imputed righteousness the Father has always seen. He sees things from a different perspective, viewing the entire scope, and looking ahead to the finished product. He knows when we receive Yeshua what the finished product will (of necessity) be, so He views us from the beginning as we will be in the end when we stand before Him. (But more on that another time.) Thus, every BELIEVER will ultimately be ushered into this glorious Eternal Kingdom of the Father at the completion of the Millennial Kingdom of the Son (I Corinthians 15:24-28), according to the promise given to us when we received the gift of the salvation of our spirits (John 3:16).

The separate salvation of the spirit and the soul is a difficult concept for the Believer to acknowledge because it has all but disappeared from today's theological teachings. What we choose not to acknowledge in this life, however, we may have to acknowledge at the IMPENDING Judgment Seat of Christ. I pray that many will come to understand it here and now, making adjustments in their walk with Christ before it is too late.

How much better it would be to be granted mercy at the Son's throne, and find that our souls are to be saved, rather than to find that they must be destroyed in Gehenna in preparation for the Father's Kingdom! Such mercy may be a reward for honoring the grace by which our spirits were saved. However, when we choose to quench the Holy Spirit within us (so as to live for "self" rather than being "conformed to the mind of Christ"), we may be viewed by the Son as trampling underfoot the grace by which our spirits were saved, as well as the very blood He shed to save them (I Corinthians 6:20). Thus we may not see the Son's mercy when we stand before Him at His throne!

There is much division among Christians today regarding "eternal security" vs. "losing one's salvation through lack of works". These views both come from the same text, being God's Holy Word. In reality, both ARE THERE! A closer look at God's Word would indicate that the is in regard to the spirit, and the second is in regard to the soul (though "works" as used here is greatly misunderstood)!

Isn't it time that we acknowledge the validity of GOD'S ENTIRE WORD, seeing each point of view from the proper and intended perspective of the One who wrote it? When we are willing to see the entire portrait painted by God's Word, we can gain a whole new vision of its intent.

We must stop depending on mere "man" to interpret God's Word for us (telling us what God meant when He wrote it), as we are warned that the teachings in these last days would be full of deceit. Much of what you are reading now does not line up with many (if any) theological dissertations today, and likewise, I would not ask that you believe it upon face value. I would ask that you be true Bereans, and search God's Word to verify the validity of this or any other writings. We MUST get into the ENTIRETY of God's Word ourselves, allowing IT to speak for ITSELF, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us in our affirmations, and we must do so quickly! We stand to lose much‚ if we do not! We don't have long here! Christ is coming for His spotless Bride VERY, VERY SOON (when He will be looking upon the condition of the Believer's SOUL)!