Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Triune Nature of Salvation

In her cracking book book, Images of Salvation in the New Testament, Brenda Colijn notes the triune nature of salvation in these terms:

Throughout the New Testament, as in the Old, sōtēria is regarded as the work of God. It is provided by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Spirit. The Father is the source of sōtēria; he sends the Son into the world so that it might be saved (Jn 3:17). Jesus is the mediator of sōtēria. He came to seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10), and salvation comes only through him (Acts 4:12). Jesus provides sōtēria through his healings, forgivness, his death and his life (Rom 5:10). The power of sōtēria is the power of his resurrection (1 Pet 3:21; cf. Rom 1:4). The Holy Spirit makes sōtēria actual in the lives of believers by setting them apart for God and making them holy so that they can share in the glory of Christ (2 Thess 2:13). [p. 137].

4 comments:

John Smuts said...

Yes, there's not a lot of stuff on a trinitarian understanding of salvation.

Does she say anything about atonement models? It occurred to me recently that PSA is the only one that is trinitarian (well, maybe binitarian) - CV and moral exemplar both seem to be unitarian.

Christopher W. Skinner said...

Mike,

Is "cracking book book" a uniquely Australian phrase or did you inadvertently type book twice? Just wondering, in case I ever review another one of your books!

Chris Skinner
http://pejeiesous.com

Heather said...

The Eastern Orthodox idea of salvation, i.e., deification, is very trinitarian. The biblical metaphor they ubiquitously use to explain it is adoption--becoming children (like and through Christ) of God the Father through the presence of the Spirit.

lukeisham said...

Thanks, very encouraging quote Michael.