Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020)
Article: Salvation As Spiritual Health In 1 Corinthians
Author: Robert N. Wilkin

JOTGES 33:65 (Autumn 2020) p. 19

Salvation As Spiritual Health In 1 Corinthians

Robert N. Wilkin

Executive Director

Grace Evangelical Society

I. Introduction

There are nine uses of the Greek verb sōzein, to save, in 1 Corinthians (1 Cor 1:18, 21; 3:15; 5:5; 7:16, twice; 9:22; 10:33; 15:2). There are no uses of the related noun sōtēria, salvation.

There are five uses of the Greek noun sōtēria in 2 Corinthians (2 Cor 1:6, twice; 6:2, twice; 7:10), but only one use of the verb sōzein (2 Cor 2:15).

My studies in three pivotal verses of 1 Corinthians (3:15; 5:5; 15:2) have convinced me that at least in those places, the salvation in view is not salvation from eternal condemnation. Instead, it is something else entirely, which we will discuss in this article.

My conclusions on those three verses have led me to wonder whether the other occurrences of sōzein and sōtēria in 1–2 Corinthians refer to the same type of salvation. Space, however, does not allow a consideration of the other references to salvation in the two Corinthian letters.

Let’s begin at the verse that started me on this journey, 1 Cor 5:5.

II. That His Spirit Might Be Healthy At The Bema (1 Corinthians 5:5)

Around twenty years ago at the Pre-Trib Study Group annual conference, I heard Dr. Dick Mayhew talk about the Day of the Lord. As an aside, he mentioned that the expressions “the Day of Christ,” “the Day of the Lord Jesus,” and “the Day of Jesus Christ” never refer

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to the coming Tribulation, but instead always refer to the Judgment Seat (Greek, Bēma) of Christ (hereafter, Bema). He moved on with his presentation. My mind kept on working.

I wondered if he could be right. If so, what did that say about You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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