The Christian salvation is a transformation of what we are in spirit, in mind, in soul, and in body. The last enemy that will be destroyed is the spirit of death that claims our body. The enemy that is in our spirit, our mind, our soul, and our body must be destroyed before we are ready for the destruction of the last enemy.

Because the first resurrection is near, the days of preparation for the destruction of the last enemy are upon us. All the other enemies must be destroyed before we will be ready for the destruction of the last enemy and the immortalizing of our body.

The following passage speaks of the redemption by judgment that is beginning now and will reach its climax in the raising of our body into incorruptible resurrection life in Christ:

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:27,28)

Notice the parallels:

"Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many" is in parallel with "it is appointed unto men once to die."

"Shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation" is in parallel with "after this the judgment."

It is appointed to men once to die—Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.

After this the judgment—shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The offering of Christ to bear the sins of many has to do with the death that comes to all men because of sin. Christ died in our place. We are saved by entering Christ's death and resurrection.

The appearing of Christ the second time will be without sin and will bring salvation. This redemption has to do with Divine judgment.

Every man who is born on the earth will die eventually. After he dies he will be judged in terms of his conduct while living on the earth. As every man sows, so shall he reap.

Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (Romans 2:6)

This is true of the saved individual as well as of the unsaved. But the manner in which life, death, and judgment operate in the saved person, particularly in the victorious Christian, is somewhat different from what is true of the unsaved.

The Conscious "I."

One aspect of our personality that must be defined if we are to understand our redemption, our transformation from a living soul to a life-giving spirit, is the aspect of a human being referred to as I.

Let us give some examples of the complexity of the definition of "I" (or "you" or "he," depending on the structure of the sentence).

Precisely who is being addressed?

And whoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:26)

Obviously, Christians die physically. Therefore "whoever" is not referring to the physical body but to the conscious identity and will of the person. Christ is stating that the conscious identity of the person, the unique individual, never will be separated from the Presence of God.

To be continued.