“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”, Hebrews 7:25.
I want to focus on “save to the uttermost”. Uttermost means entirely, completely. In order to be saved to the uttermost, more has to take place than the initial act of receiving Christ as savior and Lord.
Oh, I can imagine what some of you are thinking. What is she talking about now? I am talking about six areas or types of salvation that each of us will experience.
The word salvation comes from the Greek word “soteria”. It carries the meaning of deliverance,
preservation, and salvation. The word saved, as in the above mentioned scripture, is from the Greek word “sozo”, it is the verb form of “soteria”. Therefore it carries the same meaning. So, when we think of salvation we think in terms of deliverance; being saved from something or someone. There is material and temporal deliverance from danger; spiritual and eternal salvation granted by God; the present experience of God’s power to deliver; and the
future deliverance of believers from the wrath of God. We will take a look at these in a more detailed fashion.
“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him”, Hebrews 5:9.
The first kind of salvation is Eternal salvation before God. The word eternal denotes duration. Vines dictionary puts it this way, “things which are in their nature endless”. Eternal salvation is, in its nature, forever, (John 10:28) Eternal salvation delivers us from the judgment of sin, 1 Peter 2:24; it redeems us from the curse of the law, Galatians 3:13; it delivers us from the wrath to come, 1 Thessalonians 1:10; it delivers us from the punishment of hell, John 5:24; and it frees us from the power of darkness, Colossians 1:13. (Please review these
scriptures)
Eternal salvation for man was achieved by Jesus, nothing that we did, we only receive; by believing in him, John 1:12. His death, burial, resurrection and ascension all played a part in man’s deliverance (salvation).
The second kind of salvation is “saved before men”. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”, Mark 16:16. There are two events going on in this scripture, believing and being baptized. After we first believe, then we must declare to the world, before men, that our sins are forgiven and we are now separated from it (the world). Baptism is a sign to the world that we identify with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are buried with him, when we go down into the water and we
are raised with him in the newness of life, when we come out of the water.
The third kind of salvation is “saved daily”. (Romans 6:4-5) “…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”, Philippians 2:12. Since we know that eternal salvation is free, the writer of Philippians is not talking about that. So, this kind of salvation is daily. As saved people, we must learn to live out the salvation that we have already received. God’s life dwells in us by the Holy Spirit, it is God “who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure”, Philippians 2:13. The Lord will save us daily, in our every day living, because he intercedes for us. We need to pray daily, asking God to deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13). I don’t know about you, but I need deliverance daily from temptations, in trials, from Satan’s fiery darts, dealing with people, and dealing with the circumstances of life.
The fourth kind of salvation is “saved out of afflictions”. In 2 Corinthians 1:10 Paul says, “who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that he will still deliver”. Here Paul is testifying about God’s ability to save. He delivered (past), is now delivering (present) and will deliver (future). “The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him and delivers them”, Psalm 34:7. “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”, 2 Timothy 4:18.
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself”, Philippians 3:21.
The fifth kind of salvation is “saved in body”. This salvation we must hope forbecause it is to happen in the future, at the second coming of Christ Jesus. “For we are saved in this hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for why does one still hope for what he sees?”, Romans 8:24.
At the time we first believe in the Lord we received eternal salvation, and our spirit was quickened, or made alive to God. Our body is still groaning and travailing in pain because it is still subject to the bondage of corruption and the pains of sickness and age (Romans 8:23). Our body is to be saved in the future. After we received eternal salvation, the redemption of our body draws nearer and nearer, Romans 13:11.
Lastly, “saved in soul” is the sixth kind of salvation. “Now may the God of peace, himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”, 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Salvation of the spirit is received through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit at the time we first believe in the Lord, (past). God forgives all our sins and the Holy Spirit comes into us and quickens our dead spirit. The salvation of the body happens at the coming of the Lord when he will fashion anew the body of our humiliation (future) (Philippians 3:21). Soul salvation (present) requires a cost and that differs from eternal salvation which is free. Matthew 16:25 tells us that “whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it”. This is a choice that the believer must make.
The soul is the place of man’s feelings, whether joy or pain. Man’s soul is his own self, his emotions, his mind and his will. If you are willing to lose your self (soul) life today for the sake of the Lord, you will preserve it, Luke 17:33. “We are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul”, Hebrews 10:39. The faith we exercised when we first believed was for entrance into the kingdom of God, it was faith for life. The faith we need daily is for walking out that salvation, living by faith. James 1:21 tells us that the implanted, engrafted; word is able to save (deliver) our soul. The word of God delivers our emotions, renews the mind and causes the will to line up with the will of God.
I have shared a lot of scripture with you. I pray that you will take time and read through these scriptures. It is important that we read the word for ourselves when studying behind someone else. So, Holy Spirit open the eyes of their understanding as they delve into the word of the most high God. Give them understanding where they need understanding, give them revelation knowledge so they may retain what is read and give them a Rhema experience.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Remember contact me at Rosita@spiritualsoldiers.org
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Rosita
