Tag Archives: spirit

Salvation of the Soul: Saving of the Life

Posted on by
Reply

“The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart.” Proverbs 20:27

Arlen L. Chitwood’s book, Salvation of the Soul: Saving of the Life, presents an explicit body/soul/spirit view of man. He graduated from Tennessee Temple and completed is formal education at Bob Jones University. Chitwood is a preacher and author of many books, publishing through The Lamp Broadcast based in Oklahoma.

Chapter one has the subheading, “The Tripartite Nature of Man.”

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thess. 5:23). Chitwood is explicit in applying this model of man:

“Man is a tripartite being comprised of spirit, soul, and body; and the salvation of man within its complete scope (past, present, and future) pertains to the salvation of man with respect to his complete being” (p. 3).

Chitwood gives a thorough explanation of creation, the fall, regeneration, sanctification and future glorification as clarified by the makeup of man. Regarding the Fall and regeneration, for example, he notes:

“The death of Adam’s spirit separated him from God (establishing the primary meaning of “death” in Scripture — separation from God), and this death (this separation from God) “passed upon all men” (Rom. 5:12). Scripture speaks of an unsaved person as being “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). With an unredeemed, inanimate spirit (spiritually dead), he is alienated from God, separated from God (Eph. 2:12). But once the person has been born from above, he is then spoken of as having passed “from death unto life,” as having been “quickened” (John 5:24; Eph. 2:5). Possessing an animate spirit, possessing spiritual
life (having been made alive spiritually), he is no longer separated from the One Who Himself is “Spirit” (John 4:24)” (p. 7).

Regarding the soul/spirit distinction he observes,

“And Scripture also carefully distinguishes between salvation in relation to the spirit and salvation in relation to the soul. Salvation in relation to the spirit is ALWAYS dealt with in a past sense, BUT not so with the salvation of the soul. Rather, the salvation of the soul is ALWAYS dealt with in present and future senses:
“Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (I Peter 1:9).
“Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).” (p. 8).

Noting the three tenses of salvation Chitwood summarizes:

Within man’s triune being (body, soul, and spirit [I Thess. 5:23]), the eternal salvation which he either already has or can have through faith in Christ has to do, during present time, with his “spirit” alone, not with his “soul” or “body” (John 3:6). Salvation in Scripture is seen inseparably associated with the complete gospel message, the complete preaching of the cross, the complete man (spirit, soul, and body) comprising past, present, and future aspects of all. We have been saved (past, having to do with “the spirit”), we are being saved (present, having to do with “the soul”), and we are about to be saved (future, having to do with the realization of the salvation of “the soul,” along with “the body”). (p. 161)

A major orientation of his writings is the Kingdom of God, especially in its future expression.

Arlen L. Chitwood, Salvation of the Soul: Saving of the Life, The Lamp Broadcast, 1983; revised 2020. www.lampbroadcast.org/pdfbooks.html

Three Aspects of Walking with God

Posted on by
Reply


Walking with God: Wholeness & Holiness for Common Christians uses the three aspects of man’s makeup an an outline for this vital topic.

The author, W. Phillip Keller (1920-97), “grew up in Africa as the son of missionary parents. Since then he has traveled extensively throughout the world as a nature photographer and agronomist. His more than thirty-five Christian books include the best-seller A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (now with more than two million copies in print), God is My Delight, Strength of Soul, and Outdoor Moments with God.”

From the Publisher: “This book is for ‘the weary and worn who have lost their way and are uncertain where to turn.’ It allows us to see who we are, what direction we are taking, and where our destination will be.”

The first chapter begins with a clear statement of the author’s appreciation of holistic trichotomy:

“The Word of God makes clear to us that man is a tripartite being. This is both a divine declaration and a spiritual revelation. By that is meant that it is not the view held by science or man in his unregenerate condition.

The Scriptures show that man has three distinct and separate realms to his makeup. They are spirit, soul, and body. These are closely interrelated. They interact in remarkable complexity; yet each has its own unique functions or capacities.

For purposes of simplicity and clarity, each of the three areas will be treated separately in this book. We will observe how we walk with God in our spirits, in our souls, and in our bodies. At the same time, it has to be borne in mind that the three are so closely intertwined that each exerts great influence upon the others…” [1]

For Keller, discerning the Scriptural teaching of man as spirit, soul, and body was not a trivial issue. Rather, this view was central to his explanations and applications about how to walk with God and grow in progressive sanctification.

JBW

[1] W. Phillip Keller, Walking with God (Fleming H Revell, 1980), p. 29