I Peter 1:9 – Our Final Salvation
Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (NLT)
...for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (NIV)
Our prize, our great reward, for trusting and believing in One we have not seen or touched is the final salvation of our souls...the final glorification into perfection...the end result of a perfect life that will last forever and will never face another trial, will never experience another rejection, will never feel another pain, will never shed another tear. (CDC)
“All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore, What a day, glorious day that will be.” (“What A Day That Will Be”)
We can rejoice because we know that one day we will be delivered from limitations of this life. We have a guaranteed deliverance which will result in the perfection and glorification of our bodies. Our salvation is a very present reality, but the fullness of that salvation...the goal of our faith...will occur when we are set free from this earth and these bodies.
Our trials here will all be ended as our souls are transported to the great reward ceremony in heaven. The Hebraic meaning of “souls” includes the whole person. We will join our loved ones at the greatest banquet of them all.
Paul was referring to the final salvation...the glorification of our souls when he reminded the Romans:
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (Rom 5:3-4)
No matter what we are going through in this body, on this earth, if we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and develop endurance and strength of character, we will build our confidence and our faith in knowing what is sure, what is to come...our final salvation, our glorification, our entrance into our heavenly home. And this is not the end, but only the beginning of a perfect life, an eternal life, a life without strife. We will see our Hope revealed.
“Hold on my child, joy comes in the morning!” (Bill Gaither)
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