PAUL’S UNDERSTANDING OF SALVATION

INTRODUCTION: The Biblical concept of salvation, today, is in need of a reinterpretation, especially because that concept has been transmitted to us through the limitations of a language, culture and time which are far remote from our own. Christianity, too, did not exist in a vacuum, and therefore the Christian message of salvation was contextualized in language that was accessible to ordinary people. Imagery, metaphors and comparisons that these early Christians could understand and relate to, became an important tool for explaining to these new converts what had happened to them when they ventured onto this new road with God. So much so do we find in New Testament the different blend of soteriology, e.g. Mathew has a Davidic Messiah - a political Saviour while John stresses on the Logos incarnate - a vertical approach of salvation, etc. Likewise, this paper deals Paul’s understanding of Salvation along with the background and method he used in order to communicate the Gospel of Salvation. Thus, this study is more of a historical-literary study of Pauline Soteriology.

1. BACKGROUND OF PAULINE SOTERIOLOGY

According to Cilliers Breytenbach, Paul stands in a twofold tradition- He is a Jew who received his education through the Greek language but within the community of the Diaspora Synagogue. He stems from “Hellenistic Judaism”. Even if Acts 22:3 should be interpreted in such a way that Paul was partly educated in Jerusalem, this still implies he was part of the Greek speaking community in Jerusalem. He then probably was part of the Jewish community from Cilicia (Acts 6:9). We thus have to seek for the sources of the metaphors used by Paul in depicting soteriology, the death of Christ, and the effects thereof, within the canopy of Jewish Soteriology as well as the Greek language.[1]

The result of striking a compromise between God as righteous judge and as merciful by Second-Temple Judaism was a de facto synergistic soteriology. Obedience to the Law is required of all Jews, and represents their contribution to achieving the goal of eschatological salvation. God as righteous judge will declare those who have obeyed the Law to be worthy of the ultimate reward, some form of eternal life. Nevertheless, perfect obedience is not required as a condition of eschatological salvation, because God as merciful will remove the guilt of those who have transgressed the Law. The removal of guilt is God’s contribution to the obtaining of eschatological salvation. This is the religious-historical context against which one must interpret Paul’s soteriology.[2]

1.1 Qumran light on Pauline Soteriology: Paul Garnet, in his studies deduces that from Qumran we have the expression “covenantal nomism” that only gives a partial picture of Jewish soteriology and in any case does not succeed in excluding salvation by Law observance. This enabled us to perceive that Paul is indeed expressing in Galatians 2:15-21 the futility of Judaism’s seeking salvation by Law observance. Garnet argues that it is not correct to say that for Paul this solution (Christ) precedes the problem (the impossibility of salvation through the Law). Rather, the solution vindicates the analysis of the problem which originally drove him to this particular solution.[3] There was concern for the salvation of the Community as well as for the individual at Qumran: Israel herself needed to be saved from the exile of Gentile oppression and there was a desire to fulfill the conditions laid down in scripture for her restoration. This “exilic soteriology” was understood by Paul in a way radically different from that of contemporary Judaism:

i) Both Paul and Judaism agree that a pre-condition of salvation is that sin must be dealt with through an atonement. For Judaism this ransom was the gentiles and the wicked in Israel, For Paul it is Christ who had to be surrendered, and who had surrendered himself voluntarily.

ii) “The present evil age” recalls the expression “the age of wrath” (CD 1:5), or “the reign of Belial” by which Qumran designated Israel's exilic condition. Whereas in Judaism this connoted gentile oppression, for Paul slavery to sin and to the Law is in view.

iii) This atonement of the last days would be on behalf of Israel according to Judaism, but for Paul it was both for Israel and for the gentiles, considered as individuals, not just as corporate entities.

iv) The liberation implicit in the restoration was for Judaism a liberation from gentile oppression and pollution. For Paul it is a liberation from sin and from the Law.

v) The exilic soteriology looked forward to the reunion of the Israelite tribes in the Promised Land. Contemporary Judaism understood this in terms of a return of the Diaspora, but Paul thought of a new entity, whose unity was paramount in God's plans: the church. We noticed that Paul uses incorporational language metaphorically to express a relational reality. Probably his purpose in doing this so often is to express the importance of the "post-exilic" unity of Christians in Christ according to God's plan.[4]

2. NEED FOR SALVATION: From what is a man saved?

2.1 Sin: In Rom. 1.18-3.20 Paul argues that all men are sinners. But more than that, Paul insists that they can no longer help being sinners. Paul speaks of men as “slaves to sin” (Rom 6.17, 20) and as “sold under sin” (Rom 7.14). Moreover, they are implicated not only in their own sins, but in the sin of fallen humanity as a whole. So then, in Pauline thought, sin is understood in two important ways: it represents rebellion against God and results in a breach of relationship; but it also constitutes a power that keeps man in helpless slavery.[5]

2.2 Wrath: For Paul, man is not only a sinner; since his sin is directed against God, he stands under the wrath of God. C.H. Dodd's emphasis, based on Rom. 1.18-32, that wrath represents the immediate consequence of wrong doing in a moral universe is an important insight. However, taken by itself, it is inadequate. “The wrath of God is a personal quality, without which God would cease to be fully righteous and his love would degenerate into sentimentality.”[6]

2.3 Death: In Paul's thinking, sin and death are linked in the relationship of cause and effect. “The wages of sin is death” he says in Romans 6:23, and describes the outcome of the life lived under the control of the sinful nature as death in Romans 8-6, 13. In Romans 5: 12-21 Paul argues that death entered the world through Adam’s sin. Just as he personifies sin, he personifies death in this passage, describing it as a king who reigns over men (v. 17). It is “the last enemy that shall be destroyed"(1 Cor. 15.26). It is significant that in Romans 5-6 Paul contrasts death that resulted from Adam’s sin with the life that Christ brings men. “Life” here is opposed to a spiritual state rather than a physical event. This makes it clear that death which is the result of sin is more than bodily death. Alienation from God is its most obvious and fateful consequence.[7]

2.4 Principalities and Powers: Paul uses the expression “principalities and powers” a number of times in his letters. In recent times, it has become popular to interpret this term as referring to structures of earthly existence. But in all the three relevant passages Ephesians (1:20-21; 3:10 and 6:10ff), Paul locates these principalities and powers “in the heavenly places.” In Colossians 1: 16 Paul says that these powers are created beings. They were created to be subservient to the cosmic Christ, but they have broken away and are in a state of rebellion. In Ephesians 6:12 where Paul bids his readers to put on the armour of God because their battle is against the principalities and powers, he is apparently implying that these powers work in and through people, in opposing God's redemptive purposes for man.[8]

3. TERMS AND METAPHORS IN PAULINE SOTERIOLOGY

3.1 Forgiveness: “Forgiveness” (avfesiw) of sins became central to the teaching of the synoptic Gospels and Acts. In the letters normally attributed to Paul however, the noun avfesiw is absent. The notion “to forgive” is confined to Romans 4:7 where LXX Psalm 31:1–2 is cited. In Greek the verb avfi,hmi means to release from legal obligation, i.e. to remit and can designate the remittance of legal punishment. In this sense it was used by Jews who wrote Greek and translated the Hebrew texts into Greek. Paul quoted the translation LXX Psalm 31:1 unaltered: “Blessed are those whose lawlessness was remitted.” The translation suited his view of God who remitted the lawlessness of those who, in a legal sense, were justified through faith. It seems that in letters normally attributed to Paul, “forgiveness” is confined to passages drawing on pre-Pauline tradition. This is clearly the case in Romans 4:7–8 where LXX Psalm 30:1–2 is cited. In Romans 3:25b and 2 Corinthians 5:19b, the only other cases where Paul mentions that sins will not be accounted for, he most likely alludes to formulas expressing early Christian beliefs on the saving function of Christ.

3.2 Grace: According to Stephan J. Joubert, Paul, in his letters, reflects on the Christ-event from various theological angles of incidence, as required by the contingent situations that he addresses. He also applies various traditions and concepts from his Graeco-Roman, as well as traditional Jewish and early Christian material, to give expression to the nature and content of the new life in Christ. Linking on to this knowledge, Paul articulates the basic framework of his soteriology by emphasizing the following:-

• God’s ca,rij has a specific content, namely the giving of Jesus as a sacrifice for the sins of all, Jews and non-Jews (“grace as event”).

• God’s ca,rij has a specific ontological effect in the symbolic world, namely the radical transformation of the recipients’ religious status before God.

• God’s ca,rij also includes the gift of his Spirit to believers, as well as their transference into the sphere of his gratia continua (“grace as process”).

• God’s ca,rij places the recipients in permanent debt to him. They must continually express their gratitude in thanksgiving and deeds of obedience.[9]

3.2.1 Grace and Faith: C. Ryder Smith assumes that for Paul, the terms ‘grace’ and ‘faith’ were correlative and describe the two sides of one phenomenon, the fellowship of Christ and Christians. In ‘grace’ Christ gives Himself to the Christian and in ‘faith’ the Christian gives himself to Christ. The former is to be interpreted in terms of love and the latter in terms of trust, though love involves trust and trust involves love. Thus, for Paul, the union is so close that we can speak either of ‘Christ’ in you or of the believer’s being ‘in Christ.’[10]

3.2.2 Grace and Righteousness: C. K. Barrett holds that for Paul, God’s grace is entirely for the ‘undeserving.’ His righteousness is used in threefold― His judgment is righteous judgment; He is righteous in Himself; He has found in Christ, a way of converting His judgment into saving, righteousness bestowed not on those who deserve but those who will receive/believe it. Thus, God’s righteousness is not to be manifested only in the last day, but here and now.[11]

3.3 Redemption: The metaphors of redemption we find in Pauline corpus are- avgora,zein, evxagora,zein, avpolu,trwsij and evleuqerou/n. D. Francois Tolmie indicates a possible place for the “origin” of Paul’s redemption metaphors in the social setting within which Paul used these metaphors. In a world where more or less a third of all people were slaves, and where people were bought and sold in the same way as we nowadays buy and sell motor cars, the notion of buying, selling or liberating people seems to fit naturally into that of slavery. Tolmie states that the following two aspects are the most important as he explicates the different redemption metaphors of Paul:

i) Paul uses redemption metaphors to convey his firm conviction that Christ brought about a radical status reversal for humankind. This is not merely an improvement in spiritual status, but a totally opposite kind of situation from the one that they experienced until then.

ii) It has become clear that Paul is convinced that this status reversal leads to new obligations. The mere use of metaphors from the context of slavery/redemption would have suggested to Paul and his listeners the notion of belonging to a particular oikos or moving from one oikos to another. Paul usually employs these metaphors in the sense of a movement from one form of “slavery” to sonship or to another form of “slavery.”[12]

3.4 Reconciliation (katallagh/j): According to Herman Ridderbos, Paul’s use of Reconciliation originates from the social- societal sphere and speaks in general of the restoration of the right relationship between two parties. It is the work of redemption going out from God in Christ to the world, for the removal of enmity, for the restoration of peace. Above all, reconciliation is a gift that man receives by grace (Rom 5:11. In this restoration of fellowship, the ‘word of reconciliation’ goes out to them that they should let themselves be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:20), that is, from their side too, they should enter into that reconciled relationship.[13] Paul Enns puts it across as “God removing the barrier of sin, producing peace and enabling man to be saved.”^[14] G. E. Ladd has it in the same tone ― Reconciliation is a doctrine closely allied with that of justification. Justification is the acquittal of the sinner from all guilt of sin; reconciliation is the restoration of the justified person to fellowship with God.^[15]

 In 2 Cor 5:18-19, “God hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ,” i.e. restored us to His favor by satisfying the claims of justice against us. The time (aorist) is completely past, implying a once for all accomplished fact.[16] According to Smith, in the process of reconciliation, Paul does not speak of sin in general, but of enmity in particular, and he does not say that Christ ‘Christ condemned it to death,’ but that He ‘slew’ it. This reconciliation Christ is effective as He came ‘in flesh’- that is, He submitted in the incarnation to be ‘tempted as we are’ and it was ‘through the cross’ that His work was perfected. There, Himself slain, He ‘slew the enmity.’ Hence, the Christian experience of ‘access in one Spirit unto the Father’ comes to pass.[17]

3.5 Ransom: When Paul qualifies salvation in Christ as ransom he may thereby be said to think of the so-called sacral redemption of slaves, a familiar practice in the Hellenistic world. But here, according to Ridderbos, one must not think of a kind of business transaction between Christ and God, of which believers would then be the stake. It is nowhere said to whom the price is paid nor did that Christ pay the price to God. In the process of the ransom, Christ represents God with men (1 Tim 2:6)- as the One sent of God, He takes the curse upon Himself and He dies, burdened with it, in place of men on the cross. He pays the price for them; He therein unites in Himself God’s saving will toward the world and His wrath against the sin of the world.[18]

3.6 Adoption: Ridderbos holds that this term stems from the Hellenistic world of law; its content, however, must not be inferred from the various Roman or Greek legal systems, nor from the adoption ritual of the Hellenistic mystery cults, but must rather be considered against the Old Testament redemptive-historical background of the adoption of Israel as son of God.[19] T. Rees holds that the adoption is the recognition and affirmation by man of his sonship toward God. It follows upon faith in Christ, by which man becomes so united with Christ that His filial spirit enters into him, and takes possession of his consciousness, so that he knows and greets God as Christ does. The redemption is a precondition of adoption, which follows upon faith, and is accompanied by the sending of “the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father,” and then all bondage is done away (Gal 4:5-7).[20] Sonship also contains heirship within itself and it is not merely a matter of future, but of present as well. In Romans 8:17, the phrase, ‘joint heirs with Christ’ makes it evident that Christ as the Son of God is the one in communion with whom the inheritance is received. Thus, one is able to qualify this inheritance as consummation of sonship.[21]

3.7 The Cultic Metaphors: Paul makes use of cultic and social metaphors to describe the sotereological significance of the death of Christ. The cultic metaphors picture the death of Christ as either a sacrifice or an expulsion ritual that eliminates or carries away sin, partly based on understandings of the Jewish sacrificial and scapegoat rituals. By Paul’s time, the understanding and interpretation of cult was being spiritualized, that is, discussed in moral and philosophic categories, but the atonement concept still had this cultic basis, and this is quite evident in Paul’s usage.[22] Romans 3:25 is the passage in Paul’s letters where the death of Christ through crucifixion might be explained by the metaphoric transfer of cultic language. Here Paul says God puts Jesus forward as i`lasth,rion,[23] the term used in the Pentateuch for the lid of the Ark of the Covenant, and in Ezekiel and Amos for installations in some other temples.[24]

Stephen Finlan quotes Bailey saying that “the linguistic evidence for i`lasth,rion up through the second century C.E. falls into two neat categories- Firstly, a biblical use that designates the golden plate above the ark as a ‘place of atonement,’ Secondly, there is the Hellenistic use of i`lasth,rion. . . . [for] votive gifts dedicated to the gods.” He further argues that “every Hellenistic i`lasth,rion is a type of a;na,qhma or votive offering.” The Hellenistic term does not designate a sacrificial animal, nor the place where sacrifice takes place, but is rather “a propitiatory gift or offering.” However, he argues that the mention of blood in Rom 3:25 does not make i`lasth,rion into a word for the victim. Still, the mention of blood and the usage of the technical term that is at the center of the sacrificial system, certainly suggest sacrifice; i`lasth,rion is a synecdoche for the atonement or purification process, and it is likely that “every pious Jew in Palestine and in the Diaspora knew what . . .  the i`lasth,rion (that is, place of atonement) was.” Further, Paul’s usage in Rom 3:25 is consonant with his other cultic equations: Christ as paschal lamb, curse-bearer, peri. a`marti/aj, all suggesting that Christ’s death was a cultic act, accomplishing what cult was thought to accomplish.[25]

4. SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRIST-EVENT

As a Hellenised Jew, Paul independently utilised the semantic possibilities of his Greek mother tongue to ascribe meaning to the death of Christ —“this is my body for you” (1 Cor 11:24— u`pe.r u`mw/n). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor 15:3— u`pe.r tw/n a`martiw/n h`mw/n), the Lord Jesus Christ “gave himself up for our sins” (Gal 1:4— u`pe.r tw/n a`martiw/n h`mw/n), the Lord Jesus was delivered because of/for our transgressions (Rom 4:25a— dia. ta. paraptw,mata h`mw/n), “God made Christ who knew no sin a sinner in our place” (2 Cor 5:21— u`pe.r h`mw/n), “Christ became a cursed in our place” (Gal 3:13— u`pe.r h`mw/n). Paul inherited the tradition that Christ died “for our sins”, or that he was delivered “concerning our sins”. He developed the interpretation of the death on the cross in a fourfold manner. In the first instance he personalises the tradition. Christ died for persons; the Son of God delivered himself for Paul. Secondly he universalises the tradition. Christ died for us “when we still were sinners”; he thus died “for the ungodly”, that is, “for all”. Thirdly, the death is an expression of love. Finally the death results in salvation (Rom 5:8; 2 Cor 5:15).[26]

At this juncture, if the death of Christ “for all” results in the death of ungodly human kind, the questions that have to be tackled are —

i) “How did Paul think this to be possible?” Breytenbach puts forth a possible solution stating that the (para-) di.dwmi u`pe,r tinoj phrases can be of a great significance. It is a forensic term, designating the handing over of someone to be punished. The passion narratives in the Gospels clearly form the backdrop when Paul interprets the deliverance of Christ, the Son of God. He was handed over to be punished. The forensic overtones on Galatians 2:20 and Romans 8:3, 32 are clear. Paul understands the death of Christ as the consequence of the judgement by God. He cursed Christ u`pe.r h`mw/n (Gal 3:13), He condemned sin in the incarnated Son of God (Rom 8:3). The crucifixion should therefore be understood as a prolepsis (change of time) of the eschatological judgement by God. He delivered and condemned Christ, instead of the ungodly, instead of all.[27]

ii) How Does an Individual Become Part of Christ’s Death? The question demands a closer look into the so-called su,n-formula. Be it the sunapoqnh.|skw or the suza,w phrases, Paul speaks of Christians only. He died with Christ, and thus lives no longer (Gal 2:20). The believers in Thessalonica will live with Jesus Christ (1 Thess 5:10). According to Paul, those that are baptized are immersed into the body of the crucified. The baptism of believers is their integration into the body of Christ. They died with him, were buried with him, trusting to live with him (Rom 6:8). Paul’s belief that the believer is baptized into Christ’s death has the consequence that the sinner died with Christ and that the power of sin is terminated.[28]

iii) What is achieved by the Death of Christ? In the phrases “died for” or was “delivered for” the sinners, Breytenbach deduces, these so called u`pe,r-phrases form the basis of Paul’s soteriology. In order to explain what the death of Christ has achieved, Paul presupposes the effect of the resurrection on the believer and then, by means of different metaphors, illustrates the change in the status of the former sinners in their relationship to God-

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:9–10, Jesus Christ died “for us” in order that “we” might live with him. In his first extant letter Paul does not elaborate on the current status of the Thessalonian believers. They await the resurrected Lord as the future rescuer from eschatological judgement. Through this faith they distinguish themselves from the non-believers who have no hope. They will be judged, but the Son will save them from future judgement. In Galatians the focus is more directed towards the present status of the non-Jewish Christians. The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself up because of our sins “in order that he might rescue us out of the present evil age” (Gal 1:4). Christ’s death u`pe.r h`mw/n had already liberated them from the curse of the law. Important for them is to embrace their new creation by the spirit. Christ, by becoming a cursed person (cf. Gal 3:13), bought “us” from the curse of the law. In 2 Cor 5:18–20 cf. Rom 5:8–11, Paul parallels the reconciliation of the enemies of God to God through the death of his Son with the justification of the sinners through his brutal death (evn tw/| ai,`mati auvtou/). Through the death of Christ those whose sins made them enemies of God were changed into his reconciled friends. Through the crucifixion the ungodly sinners became justified. In this new status of justified reconciled humans the believers will be saved by the living Son from eschatological judgement.[29]

5. JUSTIFICATION BY/THROUGH FAITH

The noun ‘Justification’ (di.kaio/sij) appears in Romans 4:5 and 5:18 and the verbs ‘to justify,’ ‘acquit,’ ‘reckon’ or ‘make’ occur about fifteen times in Roman and Galatians. This language is forensic, belonging to the court: a legal process culminating in a verdict of acquittal, and was developed in opposition to the Jewish doctrine of works.^[30] Daniel Patte holds that the word ‘being justified’ in Pauline corpus is not primarily opposed to ‘being condemned.’ It rather refers to a relationship. It refers to the ‘right relationship with God’ which is established/reestablished once and for all through the overcoming of what prevents this relationship. Hence, Justification means approximately ‘forgiveness of sins’ although the emphasis is on reconciliation of humankind to God.[31] Seyoon Kim construes two assumptions on what Paul implies by his justification through faith ―

i) Justification is on the basis of Christ’s work and through the Holy Spirit, rather than through keeping the religious and ethical commandments of the law, i.e., ‘works of the law’

ii) The ‘justified’ remain ‘righteous’ unto the consummation of salvation by walking according to the Spirit, rather than by observance of the law.[32]

James D. G. Dunn and Alan M. Suggate trace it (Paul’s Justification by faith) back to his conversion and deduce that it was out of his conversion experience that the Pauline teaching on justification gained its distinctive character. But that distinctive character centered on the affirmation that the unconditional grace of God had Gentiles in view as much as Jews. The doctrine of justification by faith came to expression in these key letters of Paul (Galatians and Romans) as his attempt to prove that God’s covenant blessings were for Gentiles as well as for Jews, that God was ready to accept Gentiles as Gentiles, without requiring them first to become Jews. The Christian doctrine of Justification by faith begins as Paul’s protest not as an individual sinner against a Jewish legalism, but as Paul’s protest on behalf of Gentiles against Jewish exclusivism. On the other hand, When Paul says, “God justifies (accepts) people through faith and not by virtue of works of the law,” he was not hitting at people who thought they could earn God’s goodwill by their achievements, or merit God’s final acquittal on the basis of all their good deeds. His point was rather that God accepts Gentiles in the same way that he accepts any person - by grace through faith, through their openness to receive what God wishes to give them. That is to say, God accepts Gentiles as Gentiles, without requiring them to take on a Jewish life-style or change their nationality or race.[33]

6. WORKS OF LAW AND FAITH

T. R. Schreiner classifies the works of Law as ― i) not on the “Law” as the demand of God which must be fulfilled but the condition of life under Torah, ii) Jewish identity markers which separate them from the Gentiles, iii) legalism directed against the Judaizers’ legalistic distortion of the Torah, iv) subjective genitive which means “works which the Law does.” Paul says that no one can be justified by “the works of the Law,” the point is that the Law produces sin and unrighteousness, and therefore it cannot make a person righteous, v) human inability to obey the Law perfectly. ^[34] Rudolf Bultmann also said that the whole Galatians combat the misunderstanding that faith has to be supplemented by the accomplishment of certain works of the Law, which is the works of the Mosaic Law. Paul rejects the works of the Law because it is a false way of salvation in which a person seeks to base upon his deeds with boasting before God. He rejects a specific and indeed a characteristic attitude – the attitude of human self-assurance before God, or the attempt to attain it. Therefore, he rejects “works of the Law” in not respects of their contents, but in respects of the manner of fulfillment. And he still demands the believers to fulfill the law in new sense, that is, in love (Rom 13: 8-10; Gal 5: 14).^[35] For Seyoon Kim, “Paul’s contrast of faith in Christ to works of the law is comprehensible only when the latter is understood as referring to good works rather than to Israel’s covenant distinctive.”^[36]

7. BAPTISM AND LORD’S SUPPER

For S. J. Grenz Baptism is the paradigm of Jesus’ death and resurrection (Rom 6:3-5). The rite of baptism indicates a person’s union with Christ and the spiritual realities of forgiveness of sins and the reception of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). By extension this union with Christ also includes union with the body of Christ, the church (1 Cor 12:13). And it symbolizes the confirming of a covenant with God, for the rite is an outward pledge of a person to God made possible by the salvation which comes through the resurrection of Jesus. This baptismal confession is subsequently reaffirmed through participation in the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 10:14-21).[37] Fausset adds that in Col 2:11-12, baptism is represented as our Christian “circumcision made without hands,” implying that not the minister, but God Himself, confers it; spiritual circumcision is realized in union with Christ. Thus, Baptism, coincident with this spiritual circumcision, is the burial of the old carnal life, to which immersion corresponds. "Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also you are raised with Him by faith in the operation of God who hath raised Him from the dead" (Col 2:12; Eph 1:19-20).[38] D. E. H. Whiteley concludes that the effects of Christ’s works are communicated to us in Baptism and Lord’s Supper (in faith) and this communication can be described as incorporation or sonship by adoption or as sharing in the death and resurrection of Christ.[39] C. K. Barrett makes a conclusive assessment that the sacraments are another way of expression of the fundamental truth that we enter into the death and to some extent into the resurrection, of Christ himself. This means that justification and sacraments are not alternatives but correlative.^[40]

8. SALVATION: PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE ASPECT

N. T. Wright holds that in Paul’s law-court verdict, the implementation God's covenant plan in the past, and all based on Jesus Christ himself, is announced both in the present, with the verdict issued on the basis of faith and faith alone, and also in the future, on the day when God raises from the dead all those who are already indwelt by the Spirit. The present verdict gives the assurance that the future verdict will match it; the Spirit gives the power through which that future verdict, when given, will be seen to be in accordance with the life that the believer has then lived.[41]

8.1 Past: Salvation is past when Paul says “By grace you have been saved through faith” where the perfect tense points to a salvation already accomplished (cf. Eph 2:5, 8). We also find aorist of an event in the past in verses like Titus 3:5; Colossians 1:13.

8.2 Present: On the other hand, Paul emphasizes that salvation is here and now. The gospel is “the power of God for salvation” and God's righteousness is being revealed in it (Rom 1:16-17). The tenor of the apostle’s writings and the manner of his living show that this is a reference to a present happening. A present salvation is meant when Paul speaks of the gospel as “the power of God to us who are being saved” (1 Cor 1:18), and when he refers to “those being saved” (2 Cor 2:15). Likewise, we see other instances in other Paul’s writings like Romans 7, 10; 2 Corinthians 7; Ephesians 6 etc.

8.3 Future: Paul is certain that salvation is a present reality and that it is a life-changing experience. But he is equally certain that the best we know of it now does not exhaust the subject. He looks for a future salvation when “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26). This is very clear also in the apostle's reference to our citizenship* as being in heaven, "from where we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil 3:20). The idea that salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Rom 13:11) also points to a future happening. It is also important to note that Paul does not see this future salvation as coming to all, and that there are passages in which, for example, he sets those who are saved over against “those who are perishing” (1 Cor 1:18; 2 Cor 2:15; 2 Thess 2:10).[42]

9. SALVATION: INDIVIDUAL-CORPORAL AND COSMIC

9.1 Individual: Paul, while talking about individual salvation, states that when any individual person believes Jesus as Lord and confesses with his/her lips that Jesus is the Lord who can forgive sins, s/he receives the gift of salvation (Rom. 10: 9-13).

9.2 Corporal: Paul talks of corporate salvation for all Israel in Rom 11: 25b, 26, “… a hardening has come upon part of Israel until the full members of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved.” While talking about corporate salvation Paul mentions past, present and future salvation. Rom. 8:24, “For in this hope we were saved (past) I Cor. 1: 18b, “… but to us who are being saved…” (Present). I Tim. 2:3, 4, “this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our saviour, who desires all men (people) to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (future).

9.3 Cosmic: In Rom 8:19-24 Paul analyses the whole dynamics of the created universe and the children of God engaged in a mutual encouragement to have both of them eschatologically liberated and transformed. It is the whole man, body-soul, and the material   universe together with him that will be finally saved and transformed from their tendency to death, decay and corruption. In Ephesians 1:19-10 Paul tells us how the whole plan of salvation is an ongoing process which will have its perfect realization only in the ple,roma of the kai,roj, in the fullness of time. What God does in the fullness of time is nothing but to bring all things, all things in heaven and on earth, to Christ as the head (avnakephaliosasthat ta panta evn to/ Cri.sto/). Here we see the total, integral and cosmic dimension of salvation as an ongoing process having its final end in Christ, the Omega. God the Father guides the whole process in and through Christ, but at the same time in and through the process of history.[43]

10. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF SALVATION

10.1 The Newness of Life: In Romans 6, Paul deals with one of the criticisms made against his gospel of salvation by grace through faith. He argues that in identifying by faith with Christ in his death and resurrection, the Christian has been set free from the bondage of his past. Newness of life is now a glorious possibility. This newness of life is God’s answer to man’s bondage to sin and death. In his exposition of the new life in Christ, Paul emphasizes its characteristic freedom. The Christian has been set free from all that once held him in bondage (Rom. 8: 1-2). “'For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1).[44]

10.2 Peace: One of the first blessings of salvation that Paul mentions in Romans 5:1 is “peace” with God. Man in Christ has been reconciled to God. He is no longer hostile and rebellious. But in being reconciled to God, man is also reconciled to his fellow-man. In Ephesians 2:14 Paul says, “Christ is our peace”. He has reconciled man to God through his death and thereby created in himself a one new humanity. The barriers of race, sex, social distinction have been superseded in Christ (Gal 3.28; Col 3.11).

10.3 Power and Security: Also the power of God that was demonstrated in the resurrection and exaltation of Christ is now at work in believers (Eph 1. 19ff). This power is available to those who live “according to the Spirit” (Rom 8.13). Moreover, the believer in Christ is secure in      the   love of God. In Romans 8:34ff. Paul closes his exposition of the theme, “He who is righteous through faith shall live” with a glorious passage on the security of the Christian believer. Nothing, says Paul, can separate the men in Christ from his Lord. 

10.4 Glory: The end of salvation is often described by Paul as sharing in the glory of God in Christ. This is the Christian hope (Rom 5-2). In the Old Testament the glory of Yahweh denotes the revelation of God's being, nature and presence to mankind. Sharing his glory connotes becoming like Him in character. This is made quite clear in Rom 8.29-30 where the consummation of God's saving purpose which began with his predestining men to be conformed to the likeness of Christ is described as “glorification.” “Glory,” therefore, is strictly speaking, an eschatological reality; however, the present ministry of the Spirit results in the believer being changed from glory in to glory (2 Cor 3.18).[45]

CONCLUSION: It is evident from the above description that Paul’s attempt bases on two things that for him went organically together: the unique plan of God about Jesus of Nazareth and the distinctive Christian experience. He saw the gospel as a part of a plan and that the history of Salvation had all been the perfect plan of God where God is the author and Christ is the mediator. We have also learnt that Paul tactfully contextualizes his choice of metaphors and terms to his churches depending on their situations as we find in his forensic and cultic metaphors which invite deeper studies as sometimes it is difficult to decide whether a specific utterance is still used literally or not. Depending on their adaptability, applicability and popularity, metaphors may, in due time, lose their bond with their original real life. Pauline soteriology is also greatly predominated by at least two major factors- the social setting as well as the theological setting- namely the Graeco-Roman slavery and the works of law and covenantal nomism respectively. At times, Paul may sound to be totally nullifying the works of law, but as mentioned earlier, it was in the context of covenantal nomism where he argued that the Gentiles were indeed part of God’s salvation-plan. The uniqueness of Paul’s soteriology also lies in his ‘then-now-there’ salvation which means Christ, through His sacrifice in the past, had justified us which demands our reciprocal response in obedience faith in the present, and awaiting for the final salvation. Just as death entered the world through one man, Christ’s redemption covers not only humans but the whole cosmos.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barrett, C. K. Paul: An Introduction to His Thought. London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1996.

Behera, Anugraha.      From Law to Grace: A Students’ handbook on Studies of the words and works of Jesus and Paul. Kolkata : Anugraha Behera, 2007.

Breytenbach, Cilliers. The “For Us” Phrases in Pauline Soteriology: Considering Their Background and Use in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt. Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005.

Dunn, James D. G. and Alan M. Suggate, The Justice of God: A Fresh Look at the Old Doctrine of Justification by Faith. Michigan: Wm. B. Eeerdmans Publishing Co., 1994.

Enns, Paul.                  The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago: Moody Press, 1989.

Finlan, Stephen.          The Background and Content of Paul’s Cultic Atonement Metaphors. Boston: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004.

Kim, Seyoon.              Paul and The New Perspective: Second Thoughts on the Origin of Paul’s Gospels. Michigan: Wm. B. Eeerdmans Publishing Co., 2002.

Ladd, George Eldon. A Theology of the New Testament, revised edition. Michigan : William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005.

Patte, Daniel.              Pauls Faith and The Power of The Gospel. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983.

Ridderbos, Herman.    Paul: An Outline of His Theology. London: SPCK, 1977.

Smith, C. Ryder.         The Bible Doctrine of Salvation. London: The Epworth Press, 1955.

Whiteley, D. E. H.      The Theology of St. Paul. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1964.

Wright, N. T.               Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision. Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2009.

DICTIONARIES

Bultmann, Rudolf. “pisteuvw, pisti.j, pisto.j, pisro.w, a]pisroj, avpisteuvw, a]pistiva, o]ligopisto~, o]lipistia,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol VI,  edited by Gerhard Friedrich and Translated by Goeffrey W. Bromiley. Grand Rapids, Michigan: WM. B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968.

Schreiner, T. R.     “Works of the law,” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, edited by Gerald F Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid. Leicester: Inter Varsity Press, 1993.

JOURNALS

Garnet, Paul.               Qumran Light on Pauline Soteriology in Pauline Studies, edited by Donald A. Hagner & Murray J. Harris. Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980.

Pathrapankal, Joseph. ‘Pauline Approach to the Concept of Salvation’ in Jeevadhara, edited by John C. Manalel. Kerala: Kotayam Theology Center 10, 1980.

Joubert, Stephan J.      CARIS in Paul: An investigation into the Apostle’s “Performative” Application of the Language of Grace within the Framework of his Theological Reflection on the event/process Of Salvation in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt (Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005.

Tolmie, D. Francois. Salvation as Redemption: The Use of “Redemption” Metaphors in Pauline Literature in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt. Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005.

Velanickal, Mathew.   Salvation in the Pauline Letters in Biblebhashyam edited by Mathew Velanickal. Kotayam: St. Thomas apostolic Seminary 14, 1988.

WEBSITE & SOFTWARE

http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/Pauline/Soter1.htm#S113 as on 4th February 2012.

PC Study Bible V5 software.

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[1] Cilliers Breytenbach, The “For Us” Phrases in Pauline Soteriology: Considering Their Background and Use in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt (Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005), 164.

[2] http://www.abu.nb.ca/courses/Pauline/Soter1.htm#S113 as on 4th February 2012.

[3] Paul Garnet, Qumran Light on Pauline Soteriology in Pauline Studies, edited by Donald A. Hagner & Murray J. Harris (Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980), 19.

[4] Ibid., 30-31.

[5] Mathew Velanickal, Salvation in the Pauline Letters in Biblebhashyam edited by Mathew Velanickal (Kotayam: St. Thomas apostolic Seminary 14, 1988) 03, 164.

[6] Mathew Velanickal, ‘Salvation in the Pauline Letters,’ op. cit., 165.

[7] Ibid., 166.

[8] Ibid., 167.

[9] Stephan J. Joubert, CARIS in Paul: An investigation into the Apostle’s “Performative” Application of the Language of Grace within the Framework of his Theological Reflection on the event/process Of Salvation in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt (Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005), 207.

[10] C. Ryder Smith, The Bible Doctrine of Salvation (London: The Epworth Press, 1955), 202.

[11] C. K. Barrett, Paul: An Introduction to His Thought (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1996), 98.

[12] D. Francois Tolmie, Salvation as Redemption: The Use of “Redemption” Metaphors in Pauline Literature in Salvation in the New Testament: Perspectives on Soteriology edited by Jan G. van der Watt (Boston: Koninklijke Brill NV, 2005), 267.

[13] Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of His Theology (London: SPCK, 1977), 182-185.

[14] Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago: Moody Press, 1989), 324.

[15] George Eldon Ladd, A Theology Of the New Testament, revised edition (Michigan : William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), 492.

[16] Reconciliation in Fausset’s Bible Dictionary from PC Study Bible V5 software.

[17] C. Ryder Smith, The Bible Doctrine of Salvation… op. cit., 216.

[18] Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of His Theology… op. cit., 196.

[19] Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of His Theology… op. cit., 197.

[20] T. Rees, Adoption in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, PC Study BibleV5 Software.

[21] Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of His Theology… op. cit., 203.

[22] Stephen Finlan, The Background and Content of Paul’s Cultic Atonement Metaphors (Boston: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004), 1-2.

[23] Translated as Expiation, Propiation, Mercy Seat, Atonement for… so forth.

[24] Cilliers Breytenbach, The “For Us” Phrases in Pauline Soteriology… op. cit., 170.

[25] Stephen Finlan, The Background and Content… op. cit., 128.

[26] Cilliers Breytenbach, The “For Us” Phrases in Pauline Soteriology… op. cit., 179.

[27] Ibid., 180.

[28] Ibid., 181.

[29] Cilliers Breytenbach, The “For Us” Phrases in Pauline Soteriology … op. cit., 183.

[30] Anugraha Behera, From Law to Grace: A Students’ handbook on Studies of the words and works of Jesus and Paul (Kolkata : Anugraha Behera, 2007), 236.

[31] Daniel Patte, Pauls Faith and The Power of The Gospel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1983), 78, 206-207.

[32] Seyoon Kim, Paul and The New Perspective: Second Thoughts on the Origin of Paul’s Gospels (Michigan: Wm. B. Eeerdmans Publishing Co., 2002), 68.

[33] James D. G. Dunn and Alan M. Suggate, The Justice of God: A Fresh Look at the Old Doctrine of Justification by Faith (Michigan: Wm. B. Eeerdmans Publishing Co., 1994), 25-28.

[34] T. R. Schreiner, “Works of the law,” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, edited by Gerald F Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid (Leicester: Inter Varsity Press, 1993), 1492.

[35] Rudolf Bultmann, “pisteuvw, pisti.j, pisto.j, pisro.w, a]pisroj, avpisteuvw, a]pistiva, o]ligopisto~, o]lipistia,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol VI,  edited by Gerhard Friedrich and Translated by Goeffrey W. Bromiley (Grand Rapids, Michigan: WM. B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), 219.

[36] Seyoon Kim, Paul and the New Perspectives… op. cit., 66.

[37] S. J. Grenz, Baptism in McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, PC Study Bible V5 Software.

[38] Fausset, Baptism in Fausset’s Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible V5 Software.

[39] D. E. H. Whiteley, The Theology of St. Paul (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1964), 170.

[40] C. K. Barrett, Paul: An introduction to his Thought… op. cit., 130.

[41] N. T. Wright, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision (Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 2009), 251.

[42] L. Morris, ‘Salvation’ in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters… op. cit., 1318-1321.

[43] Joseph Pathrapankal, ‘Pauline Approach to the Concept of Salvation’ in Jeevadhara, edited by John C. Manalel (Kerala: Kotayam Theology Center 10, 1980) 59, 343-344.

[44] Dr. Brian Wintle, “‘Salvation’ in Pauline Letters” in Biblebhashyam… op. cit., 172.

[45] Dr. Brian Wintle, “‘Salvation’ in Pauline Letters” in Biblebhashyam… op. cit., 173-174.