SOUL SALVATION

SICK

I SELF-ADMITEDLY AM NOT GREAT AT BEING SICK.

I DON'T CARRY-ON, I DON'T GO-ON AS NORMAL, I DON'T PUSH-THROUGH.

I DROP-EVERYTHING, I STAY-PUT, AND I SHUT-IT-DOWN.

IN OTHER WORDS, I HOLE UP IN MY ROOM, TURN OFF THE LIGHTS, AND JUST LAY THERE UNTIL I'M BETTER.

I NOTICE WHEN I'M SICK THAT EVERYTHING TAKES A DIVE - MY PHYSICAL STRENGHT, MY MENTAL CLARITY, MY EMOTIONAL FITNESS/OUTLOOK, ETC.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN ONE THING IS DOWN - IT'S ALL DOWN.

ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHEN I'M BETTER, EMERGE FROM MY ROOM, GET OUTSIDE, AND BEGIN TO SOCIALIZE AGAIN: EVERYTHING ABOUT MY COUNTENANCE LIFTS. IT'S AS IF I HAVE A RENEWED LEASE ON LIFE.

PETER IS CARRYING A SIMILAR KIND OF IMAGE IN HIS MIND IN 1 PETER 1.

1 PETER 1:9

PETER HAS JUST FINISHED HIS INTRO, TALKING ABOUT TRIALS, AND TALKING ABOUT THE JOY THAT COMES WITH THEM, AND THEN HE SAYS:

"[ALL OF THIS IS] OBTAINING THE OUTCOME OF YOUR FAITH, THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOULS."

IT REALLY COULD NOT BE OVERSTATED OR OVERREPEATED THAT PETER WAS AN EYE-WITNESS OF JESUS: WITH HIM DURING HIS LIFE, DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION, AND ASCENSION. AS A RESULT, WHEN PETER USES AND IMPORTS LANGUAGE, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE TEATHERED TO HIS EXPERIENCE AS A JEW AND ESPECIALLY A JEW THAT FOLLOWED JESUS.

THE CLASSIC JEWISH IDEA OF THE "SOUL" IS NOT OUR MODERN, WESTERN CONCEPTION OF THE SOUL - MAINLY A DISEMBODIED SPIRIT THAT FLOATS AROUND BEYOND THE GRAVE. ON THE OTHER HAND, FOR THE JEWISH MIND, THE SOUL WAS THE SYNTHESIS OF ALL THE PARTS - MIND, HEART, BODY, SPIRIT, ETC. IT WAS YOUR TOTAL MAKE-UP.

FOR PETER, HE FOLLOWED A RABBI/MESSIAH THAT ALWAYS MADE WELL THE WHOLE PERSON - NOT JUST PROCLAIMING THE FUTURE PRESERVATION OF A DISEMBODIED SOUL.

HE HEALED PEOPLE PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SOCIALLY, ETC. HE MADE WHOLE THE SOUL.

YOUR SOUL

THIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD REMINDER TO US, THAT GOD IS INTERESTED IN OUR ENTIRE EMBODIED EXISTENCE - PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL. THIS IS FULLY IN LINE WITH THE PSALMIST IN CHAPTER 103.

^"2 BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL,
    AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS,
³ WHO FORGIVES ALL YOUR INIQUITY,
    WHO HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES,
⁴ WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM THE PIT,
    WHO CROWNS YOU WITH STEADFAST LOVE AND MERCY,
⁵ WHO SATISFIES YOU WITH GOOD
    SO THAT YOUR YOUTH IS RENEWED LIKE THE EAGLE'S."

IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE COME TO SCRIPTURE - WE CAN COME LOOKING FOR GRACE (IE - HELP, EMPOWERMENT, ASSISTANCE) FOR OUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE. WHEN WE COME TO PRAYER - WE CAN COME PETITIONING FOR GRACE FOR OUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE. WHEN WE PURUSE GODLINESS - WE CAN PURSUE GODLINESS FOR OUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE (IE - PHYSICAL EXERICISE, HEALTH RELATIONSHIPS/RHYTHMS, BUILDING COMMUNITY, ETC.)

IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

IT'S CALLED THE SOUL.

GOD WANTS IT SAVED - ALL OF IT.