As I wrote in another series of articles, we are composed of spirit, soul, and body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)  You can click on the links to read about each one in detail, if you wish.) Followers of Christ are instructed to properly “divide” or “cut straight” God’s Word (1 Timothy 2:15). This means we are to properly interpret and handle God’s message to us.

It is necessary to distinguish between how God’s great salvation applies uniquely to each part of us, or we will become confused.

For example, the Bible tells us that we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13), but also reminds us that we are saved “in hope” (Romans 8:24-25). So which is it? Are we already saved, or are we waiting to be saved? The answer is both: we are already justified in the spirit, but we are waiting (hoping) for the last installment of our great salvation, the resurrection from the dead.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:18-25 (ESV) 

We were created as living souls, which come to being when God breathes spirit into a lifeless body. (Genesis 2:7 KJV) In quick summary, at the new birth, our inner spirits are instantly transformed into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and integrally joined with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). We are “born again” and become one with Christ. This is a “once for all” completed work accomplished on our behalf in the past when Christ died and rose again, which I and many others call justification, even though it contains within it all five pillars of what Christ accomplished on our behalf in the New Covenant – propitiation, redemption, justification, reconciliation, and sonship. This is why the Bible tells us that those who believe already have eternal life. (John 5:24)

The salvation of the soul is an ongoing, daily process whereby we are being gradually transformed in our personalities and behavior to think, act, and speak as Christ. In this sense, our salvation is very much “in process.” I call this transformation, even though some prefer the term sanctification. It is a working out in our daily lives what God has already done in our spirits. (Philippians 2:12-13) How we obey God and allow his Spirit to inwardly conform us to Christ will have a great impact upon our heavenly reward. We need a fresh impartation of God’s grace everyday for strength to participate with the Spirit of God in this process.

Finally, we are waiting for the glorious day when our bodies, which are still under Adam’s curse of death, will be gloriously resurrected and renewed so that we finally are completely free from every vestige of the destructive power of sin and death. Our bodies will experience glorification.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB) 

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51  Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 (NASB) 

This is our hope and expectation in Christ, who promised to raise from the dead each of us who believe.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40 (NASB)