Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,

When I was a child we had a bush in the back yard.  Underneath that bush you would find little crosses made out of Popsicle sticks.  This was our grave yard for the neighborhood birds and little animals we would find.  As a child I know I did not understand all the emotions and issues that would accompany the loss of a loved one.  Since the beginning of the year I have been in or attended six funerals of members, friends and family.  One thing I realized is that I have not heard nor preached on what the Bible does say about the soul.  How are we different from the animals?  What does the Bible say concerning these matters of our body and soul?  It has been said that, “The world has never been the same after 9-11” I would add, nor has it been the same since the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  Easter holds before how Jesus conquered death and the promise of the resurrection of the body.  Since our text brings up the subject of the salvation of your souls, I would like to consider, The Salvation of the Body and Soul. I would like to share with you more of the passages of what the Scriptures say on this matter.  What is the soul? What is the impact of the body on the soul? What has Jesus accomplished to bring hope for the body and the soul?

I.              What is the Soul?

Our text concludes, “You are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  Now what are we talking about when we speak of the soul?  Man is different than the animals.  Both man and animals have the breath of life. They both have life and death.  But the Bible speaks that man has something animals do not have and that is an immortal soul.  Some people think that this is just a thought that Plato brought into philosophy.  Scripture has more to say on this matter.

When you study the scripture you will find that two words are used in the discussion of that divinely created, not material part of man’s being, which will never cease to exist and is the seat of life, will, intelligence and emotion.  It is the counter part of the material part of the human body in which the soul functions and makes us different than the animals.  Those Bible uses the words, soul and spirit to describe that aspect of our being. 

            The Virgin Mary would exclaim, (Luke 1:46-47) My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.  In the New Testament likewise two words are used, Pusche and Pneuma.  They are used interchangeably.  In the Old Testament there are two words,  Nephesh – Soul and Ruwach – Spirit.    I had a professor at the seminary who tried to find differences.  The closest he could determine after double checking all the references the one is used more of emotions and affections and the other to intelligence and will.  (Heb 4:12 NIV)  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 

            Though we may not have profound insight to the exact differences, the truth remains, we are more than just a body that is alive.  We have an immortal soul.  We have just come out of the Lenten season where we are given insight to the truth of what happens at death.  Hear again those words that our Savior spoke on these matters: (Luke 23:46 NIV) Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.  His soul would be with the Father and his body in the grave.  To the Thief on the cross he promised, (Luke 23:43 NIV) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."  The Apostle Paul would write: (Phil 1:23 NIV) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.  He also writes: (2 Cor 5:1 NIV)  Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.   In the Old Testament we also have descriptions that point to our soul with the Lord: (Eccl 12:7 NIV)  and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

II.            What is the impact the body on the soul?

Because in this life our bodies and souls are so closely united, what happens to the body has a direct impact on our soul.  Peter writes about the troubles of life itself in our text: now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  When my body suffers my soul suffers also.  Remember Jesus in Gethsemane, (Mat 26:38 NIV) “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death."  The sorrows of this world can be the spiritual troubles of the burden of sin and temptation that would cause an Apostle Paul to cry out “what a wretched man I am.”  The struggles of being God’s child in a sinful world surrounded with the consequences of sin, death and injustices can bring heartache and sorrow not just to the body and mind, but also to the soul itself.  For the way we handle or do not handle the troubles in this world can affect our relationship with God himself.  We must be on our guard lest Satan is using all this to try to destroy our faith and trust in the Lord. 

Jesus has some powerful word to show to us the impact of our sinful lives and our eternal destination for our souls.   (Mat 5:29-30 NIV)  If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. {30} And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.  Jesus is not recommending cutting off body parts, but have a person realize how we live, our actions, do have eternal consequences. 

.Our text speaks about the salvation of the soul.  We find that Jesus also speaks about the damnation of the soul.  (Mat 10:28 NIV)  Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  For a long time I misunderstood that verse.  I thought Jesus was talking about the devil.  But it is the Lord himself before whom everyone must give answer.  It will be the Lord who determines who will be damned or not.  The thought is so many people just worry about the things that can happen to the body, the way they will die.  But so few people really give much thought to the eternal consequences of their actions and the impact on their soul.  The truth is so few people have a fear of the Lord and his wrath.  Unless we understand the consequences of sin on both body and the soul, we will not appreciate or understand the need of what Jesus has accomplished for us.     

III.           What Jesus has accomplished to bring hope to body and soul?

Peter who had struggled both body and soul would write, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  Our eternal inheritance is guaranteed through the work of Jesus.  His work includes the very faith that clings to his salvation.  He is at work so that in the trials of this life our faith does not give up, but rather is purified and clings all the more to the salvation earned by our Savior.  Our hope is a real hope based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

            There is a beautiful doxology written by the Apostle Paul (1 Th 5:23 NIV) May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.