In a sense there is no clear practical division between body, soul, and spirit. I don’t mean to say that there is no division, or that the division is not ‘real’, but rather its not a division that we can clearly explain or catagorize. We can catagorize it in abstract terms or conceptual terms, but they don’t always match up neatly to reality. I would suggest that in this, human beings are like the Trinity and that this is part of our imaging of the Godhead.

In the Trinity there are clear division’s conceptually, but in practice it is often difficult if not impossible to distinguish the difference between the action of the idividual persons of the Trinity. Is there any (or many) clear instances in which only one member of the Trinity is active? I would suggest no, that in most or even all cases, when one is active, all are involved. This is an expression of the unity of the Godhead. Likewise it is similarly difficult to say of the human being “this is a function of soul, and that of spirit, and this is of the body” because while the three divisions may exist, they still make up one being.

I would suggest, further, that God is concerned with the salvation of the whole being, not merely the salvation of the soul or the body or the spirit by itself. In fact such an idea really only makes sense if one takes an almost gnostic view of seperation between spiritual and physical reality. The biblical truth is that we are both spiritual and physical beings and we always will be. You may for a time be seperated from your body, your salvation is not complete in this state. I think the new testament is relatively clear that the fullness of the promise of salvation is not delivered upon until we receive bodily resurrection.

In fact, this is why I think the New Testament speaks of salvation generally in tenses, you have been saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. I think that these three tenses of salvation are presented at various points through out the New Testament and I think that they correspond to each facet of the human being. The Spirit is saved in the moment when a person is born again (which I believe occurs at baptism, but I recognize others believe it occurs at the moment of decision etc). This is the ‘new creation’. At that point you have been saved (because you have been given a new spirit). Yet at the same time you’re soul undergoes an ongoing process of transformation in which the life of God present in your spirit flows through your being, transforming your mind, your heart etc, Thus you are being saved. Lastly, your physical body will be redeemed in the resurrection when you are raised incorruptible in glory, fully revealed at last as the sons of God. Thus you will be saved.

In reformed and evangelical circles this is often referred to as justification, sanctification, and glorification. However, I think the tendency of many is to think of just justification as ‘salvation’ and the others as merely the results of salvation. I think is it more correct to view all of them as salvation as it relates to aspects of our being.

IHOP ministries has stirred up considerable controversory over the years for questionable positions regarding scripture.

Is Grudem’s work being taken out of context in Bickle’s book? Or is Grudem in line with the Kansas City Prophets?