Friday, January 15, 2010

Salvation as the Revelation of God's Righteousness


In Rediscovering Paul authors David Capes, Rodney Reeves, and E. Randolph Richards give a good definition of Paul's view of salvation in Romans:

"Despite the scandal of the cross, Paul is not ashamed of the gospel. This is because God's power is revealed in the gospel and makes salvation a reality for everyone who believes, Jews first, then Greeks. In Paul's vernacular, salvation is a comprehensive term that incorporates all the benefits of the gospel. It includes (1) forgiveness of sins, (2) reconciliation and living at peace with God, (3) adoption into God's eternal family, (4) redemption from slavery to sin, death and other spiritual forces, (5) resurrection from the dead at the parousia, (6) acquittal at the final judgment and (7) glorification with him for eternity. So salvation is not merely going to heaven after death; it is a wide-ranging program of transformation for humanity and creation. Specifically, Paul unpacked the salvation found in the gospel as the revelation of 'the righteousness of God' (Rom 1:17)."

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