By Endurance Possessing Our Souls
BY ENDURANCE POSSESSING OUR SOULS
In 21:18 the Lord says, "And a hair of your head shall by no means perish." This indicates that nothing of the faithful ones will perish. Therefore, their person certainly will not perish.
Verse 19 says, "By your endurance you will possess your souls." The Greek word rendered "possess" here may also be translated "acquire." The Lord's word here means that the faithful believers in Christ will preserve, save, possess, their souls. Although they may be persecuted and suffer in both body and soul, that suffering will be a salvation to their souls in the coming age. In the next age, when the kingdom comes, their souls will be saved to enjoy the coming jubilee, the release from bondage, and the entering into the enjoyment of the Triune God announced in Luke 4, and they will share in the joy of the Lord.
In Matthew 25 the Lord says to the faithful ones, "Enter into the joy of your lord" (vv. 21, 23). This is the invitation to participate in the Lord's joy. Entering into the joy of the Lord will primar ily be an enjoyment in our souls. The unfaithful ones, however, will lose their souls during the coming age. This means that they will lose the