“receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:9).
While 1 Peter 1:9 reaffirms the doctrine of salvation mentioned earlier in verse five, the other components of this brief passage (such as these references to the “soul” and “the end of your faith”) may be less familiar.
For instance, “the end of your faith” is not like the end of a road or the finale of a movie presentation. Instead, this passage associates the salvation of our souls with the result (or outcome) of our faith. That end result involves our deliverance from divine judgment, as well as the eternal life that God offers through Christ.
In the original language of this passage, the word translated “soul” is “psuche.” This word survives today as the root of such modern-day words as psychology and psychoanalysis. In addition to our passage here in 1 Peter 1:9, this word also appears in 1 Peter 2:11 and 1 Peter 4:19…
“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”
“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”
In this context, the soul refers to the human being as an individual personality. It also conveys an emotional component that encompasses the things we love, hate, or feel indifferent about. The soul is the element of our being that embodies our talents, skills, and abilities. This includes our inherited traits and characteristics, as well as those qualities we have worked to develop.
In addition, the human soul incorporates our will, intellect, and everything that serves to distinguish one human being from every other human being who has ever lived, or ever will live. Therefore, we can associate the soul with the “you” inside your body.
This helps explain why men and women are more than just human machines. Unlike a piece of software that is written and programmed to perform certain tasks, the soul represents the distinctive element that uniquely identifies every individual human person. Thus, it enables every member of the human family to enjoy an exclusive relationship with his or her Creator that differs from any other human being.
So, while our physical bodies are temporal, the “you” inside your body will continue beyond your physical death. Thus, we can take comfort in this verse, for “The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls” (NLT).