by Rob Parlante
1st Peter 1:9
When mankind places their trust in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection for the forgiveness of their sins, one is instantaneously indwelt with the Holy Spirit. In an instant one is delivered from being spiritually dead to becoming spiritually alive. One crosses from spiritual death to spiritual life. In this new spiritual condition, an individual can be described as being saved, a believer, being born again, being in Christ or just plainly being described as a Christian. We can also state that this person has obtained salvation by faith in Christ. The word salvation is used throughout the bible in various ways. What does the word salvation mean? The basic definition of salvation is:
Salvation – to deliver, save, rescue, set free
At the core of the word salvation is the idea of deliverance. When one places their faith in Christ, one is delivered, rescued and set free. But this begs the question, what is one delivered, rescued and set free from? Salvation encompasses many areas of deliverance. The majority of Christians know that they have been delivered from the penalty of sin which is death and separation from God. They understand that Christ shed His blood for the forgiveness of their sins at the cross. They know their sins have been forgiven, and they can spend eternity with Christ after physically dying, and Christ will remember their sins no more (Heb 10:17). A minority of Christians know that they also have been delivered from the power of sin controlling their lives. They realize they have been united with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection and now they can walk in newness of life, and that their old adamic nature was crucified with Christ and is no longer ones default mode of operation. They realize that they have a new nature, no longer dependent on themselves to live their lives. They realize they can live in total dependence on Christ who is in them. They can say no to sin, and they are no longer slaves to it. They can have an abundant life here on earth, which is appropriated by faith (Ro 6:1-7). Far fewer Christians know that their souls were delivered from soulical death and they can experience emotional healing while living the Christian life. They have no idea their souls can been healed and delivered from the power and influence of the evil one’s past implanted errors in thinking, and they can experience inner soulical healing. Never realizing salvation also delivers emotional healing in all areas of one’s life.
As believers, we have been delivered from penalty of sin (separation from God), we have been delivered from the power of sin (sin controlling our lives), and we have been delivered from soulical death (emotional pain from wrong thinking). The soul is made up of one’s mind, will and emotions. These three areas in one’s life can be healed because of salvation by faith in Christ. Let’s read 1st Peter 1:6-9.
1 Peter 1:6-9 (NASB) 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
God sometimes puts trials (emotional pain) in our lives to expose errors in our thinking implanted by the evil one. When we pray for God to fix our problems, many times He directs us to examine our belief system about Him and His promises. He does this to initiate the start of our soulical healing. During trials, there is a revelation of Jesus Christ to us. This isn’t for initial saving faith, but about who God is, and what He promises. There is an uncovering (revelation) of His character. The big revelation for many Christians is that God is a God of Grace and our relationship with him isn’t based on performance, and that God wants to heal and use Christians for His purposes. From the above passage, the general outcome of a trial is the salvation of the soul. There is an inner healing of the soul by Jesus Christ. This is salvation (deliverance) of the soul.
During times of emotional healing, we need to be quietly listening to God, asking Him what truth about Him is missing in our lives, and what error in thinking is the source of emotional pain. Once revealed, we need to put faith and trust in that truth, and wait for God to work. This removes the error in thinking. This is all in God’s timing.
Psalm 62:1 (NASB) 1 My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation.
If you would like to learn more about the truths described here, come join us at Grace Christian Church, currently meeting at the Freehold VFW, every Sunday at 9:30 am.
In Him, Rob Parlante – Elder / Grace Christian Church
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