02.03. CHAPTER 03: THE SALVATION OF MAN

CHAPTER 3: THE SALVATION OF MAN

Salvation is the process designed by GOD to actually reverse Adam’s fall. Salvation unveils the actual creation of a new man (see 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; John 1:16-17, KJV / NKJV / NASB; Romans 8:28-30) commencing with a new spirit. Salvation – its beginning and its development – are entirely verifiable from our inward parts. The creation of a new man arises out of the actual configuration of a new spirit man (see Ezekiel 36:26). This new spirit man is the essential ingredient to human spirituality as described in the Holy Bible. Man has to be “born-again” as described in Figure 4.

FIGURE 4: Schematic Of “Born-Again” Man

The progression of this creative process would involve the renewal and regeneration of the inward spiritual parts of man (see Titus 3:5; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17). It is important to understand that all of the inward parts of man are spiritual in nature and in the form and substance of their operation. Man is in essence a spiritual being.

Hebrews 4:12, alludes to the inward parts of our new man being comprised of soul, spirit and heart. From a new spirit, our soul is to be renewed (the old being made new) and regenerated (the dead being brought to life in GOD) in the Character and Nature of JESUS CHRIST and, our heart is to be developed into a pure heart designed to see GOD (see Matthew 5:8). The Nature and Character of JESUS CHRIST is the fundamental basis for biblical purity.

Salvation is the redemptive process with the intent of restoring and developing a new man in fully functional terms. This new man would be – made functional - in the image (see Romans 8:29) and fullness (see John 1:16, KJV / NKJV / NASB) of JESUS CHRIST. The Bible presents JESUS CHRIST as the blueprint for a new man (see Romans 8:29-30). The Testimony and Witness of JESUS CHRIST is the necessary functional blueprint of Biblical Spirituality! It is in JESUS CHRIST’s revelation in us that salvation unfolds.

Hence, the biblical proposition that salvation will only arise in and through a new birth, when we – in our freewill - choose to receive JESUS CHRIST as LORD and Saviour (see John 3:3; Romans 10:8-11). This has to be so given that HE is the blueprint for a new man. This spiritual proposition is based on the fact that unless man receives something in his own free will it will have no meaning to him. The redemptive processes of salvation commence with a new birth (see 1 Peter 1:23; John 3:3). This new birth is actualized in us receiving a new spirit man and the beginnings of a new heart (see Ezekiel 36:26) through a declaration of belief in JESUS CHRIST as LORD and Saviour (see Romans 10:8-11).

GOD facilitates this belief by grace (see Ephesians 2:8). And, GOD progresses salvation into our inward parts through the new born spirit man - by grace (HIS unmerited favour towards us). In being born again – through faith in JESUS CHRIST (see Romans 10:8-13; Joel 2:32 a) – we have been given the opportunity of actualizing a new spirit (and the beginnings of a new heart) as prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 36:26). This new spirit is the essential ingredient to the actualization of the processes of salvation. The new heart grows out of all that flows into our spirit, replacing the heart of stone in rebellion to GOD (as noted in Figure 4). With this new spirit man, we will be able to see (see Proverbs 20:12) the Kingdom of GOD (see John 3:3). We will - in partnership with the HOLY SPIRIT and the hearing of the Word and Voice (Witness) of GOD - be enabled to enter and function in and from the Kingdom of GOD (see John 3:5; Romans 10:17; Ezekiel 1:24; Revelation 1:15; Hebrews 6:19; Psalms 24:3-4; Psalms 15:1-2; Genesis 22:14). Such a reality would be fully verifiable from our inward parts! With a new spirit man, GOD unveils the redemptive processes of salvation into us. And, GOD works the redemptive processes of salvation into us in an eternal continuum of renewal and regeneration (see Titus 3:5-6; Ephesians 5:26-27). Renewal and regeneration will result in our new man actualizing our potentials, in and by and through GOD. These potentials come into being from GOD, through our re-born spirit man. The Bible (in 2 Corinthians 5:17) declares the following: Therefore if any man is in CHRIST, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. These new things come through our new born spirit – from GOD! The redemptive process is progressed, as we – from our soul - learn how to function through our spirit in oneness with the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD (see 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). The soul makes the necessary choices, in the exercise of our freewill in response to GOD and HIS Word. Our new spirit (or, re-born spirit man), our renewed and regenerated soul, and our new heart would be developed in a process of salvation that would develop and establish a new man in the image and fullness of JESUS CHRIST (see John 1:16-17, NASB/KJV/NKJV and Romans 8:29; Romans 8:28-30). This new man will develop through a growing spirit, a renewed and regenerated soul and, an increasingly pure heart. The development and establishment of the new man – in fully functional terms - is the progression of the redemptive process of salvation. Such a functional state will be – increasingly - in the image and fullness of JESUS CHRIST.

It is in the progression of our salvation that we would actualize the growing evidence of our faith in GOD. Such a faith will also enable us to function in and through JESUS CHRIST (see John 14:12-14; Hebrews 12:2 a).

Such a faith will be entirely verifiable in fully functional terms arising from our inward parts of spirit, soul and heart!

It is crucial to understand that Biblical Spirituality is verifiable in actual changes in character and nature through the power of GOD. It is the power of GOD being actualized in actual GOD-enabled changes that is the basis of functional Biblical Spirituality. This evidence would be entirely verifiable in the changing and growing state of our being. We would be able to evaluate the progression of GOD’s salvation from our inward parts of spirit, soul and heart. The GOD-empowered and GOD-enabled actual changes realized would be the evidence of salvation and its progression.

And, it will be an evidence of the power of GOD revealed - personally. And, these changes in the inward parts and the resulting functional changes would also enable us each to actualize the reality of GOD. The progress of our salvation becomes the essential basis of realizing and actualizing a relationship with GOD. This relationship will also give expression to actual functions in GOD from our inward parts. We will access the spiritual dynamics of the Kingdom of GOD and (potentially) even the heavenly realms of the Kingdom of GOD (called the Kingdom of Heaven) through our inward parts.

Ultimately, the ability to actually function by GOD would become the growing evidence of a new, functional state of being (see Php 4:13; Php 4:19; Php 4:23; Romans 8:2). This would be function through an on-line relationship with GOD that will express itself in all of our spirit, soul and heart!

What can be more real than that which has the potentials to impact all of our own spirit, soul and heart? “Our own spirit, soul and heart” is the spiritual framework in which Biblical Spirituality develops and progresses. The relationship with GOD – arising from our inward parts - becomes a fully functional basis of life actualized from GOD! In the actuality of salvation and all that derives from this salvation, the fall of man has been and, is being, and will be - fully reversed. AMEN (see Revelation 3:14 b; 2 Corinthians 1:20-23)! This is the good news of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST!

FIGURE 5: Schematic Of The Progress Of Salvation

This is good news with a GOD-given evidence of its reality (see Figure 5)! This is GOD-given evidence because the outcomes of salvation are entirely beyond the technologies of man! The outcomes of salvation are also beyond the practices of man-denominated religion. The evidence of salvation unveils from a Sovereign GOD WHO loves, forgives, heals, delivers, restores, builds and develops - in persevering, meticulous detail - a new man. This is the GOD WHOM I have known and experienced in my life and ministry for some 18 years now. This is the GOD WHOSE Word has manifested actual change and transformation into my state of being – even as HE has in HIS grace and mercy chosen to perform HIS Word in my inward parts. HE has and HE continues to persevere with me in the progress of my salvation – in HIS grace and mercy.

Salvation unfolds in the pursuit of GOD. The pursuit of GOD is the essential key for the actualization of true Biblical Spirituality. This Key the Bible prophetically addresses as the Key of David (see Revelation 3:7). The Key of David is the spiritual Key that unveils and develops as YESHUA MASHIAH unveils as the BELOVED of our heart – in our own free will response to HIM and, in our actualization of HIS Testimony that manifests the specifics of salvation into our functional state of being.