The Pneumatic Soteriology of Paul

Abstract

The apostle Paul has no problem ascribing soteriological significance to the Holy Spirit in his letters. For him, the Spirit is a soteriological agent. The Spirit regenerates and purifies the believer (Titus 3.3-6); he is seen as the faith-provoking and ethical-empowering agent of believers’ continuous salvation (Gal. 5.16-26; 1 Cor. 2.4-5); he baptises believers into the body of Christ and enlivens their fellowship within this transformed existence (1 Cor. 12.13; Rom. 8.11); he is the Spirit of sonship (Rom. 8.15). Elsewhere, Paul’s eschatology coalesces with his soteriology, with the Spirit playing a very significant role. For example, in Ephesians 1.13-14 the Spirit is the seal of believers’ salvation for the eschatological redemption (cf. 2 Cor. 5.5; Rom. 8.23). His soteriological and eschatological perspectives are in tandem with his pneumatology.

Keywords

• Spirit Baptism
• Water baptism
• Soteriology
• Eschatology