Jump, would you elaborate on that? I'm having trouble seeing how the spirit can be saved and, at the same time, the soul perish. I could see it at a temporal point in time ...
It is a temporal perishing. The saving or the losing of the soul has to do with whether or not we will rule and reign with Christ in His coming kingdom, which is 1,000 years in length.
If we are disobedient and unfaithful in this life then we will not be trusted to rule and reign with the King of kings and the Lord of lords in the coming age.
We are to learn to die to our agenda now so that we will be prepared to act on the behalf of the Lord in the coming age as his kings and lords.
I have some great resource material if you would like to dig deeper into the Scriptural foundation of this Truth. Just PM me and I'll send it to you.
My thought is ... our spirit has been regenerated and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
Our spirit has been regenerated. I'm not sure our spirit is sealed with the Holy Spirit though. Most of Christendom says we are sealed with the Spirit and turn to Ephesians as the "proof" text.
However Ephesians is not written to all believers, but is written to believers that are being obedient, faithful and are overcoming the flesh, the world and Satan. So I don't think we can draw a conclusion that we are all sealed with the Spirit, especially if we are speaking of our souls.
Now I do believe the Spirit indwells all believers regardless of whether they are obedient or not, but I think sealing goes beyond indwelling. What do you think?
Our soul WAS saved when it was nailed to the cross at Calvary, IS BEING saved through progressive santification as we speak, and WILL BE saved in that day when our redemption is complete.
In my recent studies (past 12 months) it seems it is more accurate to say that our spirit is saved (past) our soul is currently being saved (present sanctification - if we are walking in the Spirit and crucifying the flesh) and our soul and bodies will be saved in the future.
However the saving of the soul is based on the cross. Everything goes through the cross. The spirit is saved based on death and shed blood. However the soul is saved based on blood and water ie the priest washing constantly before entering the Holy of Holies.
Another example would be of Peter at the footwashing ceremony. Christ said if I don't wash you you will have no part "with" me. Meaning that if Peter didn't allow Christ to wash him (the periodic washing the priests went through) that he would have no part with Christ in His coming kingdom.
Again I have some great resource material if you are interested in studying through it. I will tell you the Bible has never been more clear and make so much sense from cover to cover since discovering these Truths. And I have never been more excited to study Scripture than I have over the last 12 months.
Hope that helps clarify a little of where I am coming from. There really isn't enough time and space to do your questions justice in this format.