A Threefold Salvation
Who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, II Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)
Ours is a threefold salvation. This verse shows us that we have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. There is a past, present, and future aspect to our salvation. Let’s dig into this a bit deeper.
Man is comprised of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. The spirit is the inner man (pneuma in Greek), the soul the middle man (psuche in Greek), and the body the outer man (soma in Greek).
Your spirit man was saved instantly when you were born-again (II Corinthians 5:17). Your soul; which is your mind, will, and emotions; is being saved through a continual process. As you renew your mind to God’s Word and say yes to His Word, your mind, will, and emotions are brought more and more into alignment with the will of God (Romans 12:2). You think more like God, your emotions are stabilized, and your will is submitted to His. Your body is not saved in its current form, but it can be submitted to God as the temple of the Lord (I Corinthians 3:16 & 6:19-20). We can offer our bodies to Him to be used as instruments. we become vessels yielded to God. The body will finally be changed into a body that is saved in a future event, the rapture.
And by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:20 (NKJV)
Your spirit man was saved when you were born-again and will remain saved as you walk with God.
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. James 1:21 (NKJV)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 (NKJV)
Your soul is being saved as you renew your mind to God’s Word. You are being transformed to think, choose, and feel the way God does.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. I Corinthians 15:50-53 (NKJV)
Your body is kept by God (I Peter 1:5) and will be saved at the rapture when corruption puts on incorruption and mortality puts on immortality. Our mortal bodies will become eternal and totally pure bodies. They are changed when Jesus comes to get His bride, the church and catch her away in the clouds (I Thessalonians 4:16-17, Titus 2:13). Until then, you are to offer your body to God for Him to live in and flow through.
In summary, our salvation is threefold: past, present, and future, as well as spirit, soul, and body. Our spirits have been saved and stay saved as we trust in Jesus. Our souls are in the process of being saved. Our souls are continually being saved as we renew our minds to the Word, surrender our wills to God’s will, and allow our emotions to be stabilized by the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are being kept by God until He changes them to glorified bodies like Christ’s at the rapture. At that point, our bodies will be saved. So, we have been saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved. It’s a threefold salvation.
