God's Comprehensive Work in Salvation History
God's Comprehensive Work in Salvation History
The concept of God's comprehensive work in salvation history is rooted in biblical teachings that emphasize God's sovereignty and initiative in redeeming humanity. According to Acts 15:18, "from the beginning of the world, God knoweth all his workes" [3]. This underscores God's omniscience and omnipotence in orchestrating salvation history.
The biblical narrative highlights God's work in creation, providence, and redemption. In the view of one tradition, God's works are characterized as great, marvelous, and worthy of remembrance [13]. one tradition notes that "the works of the Lord are great" and that they display God's power, wisdom, and glory [13]. This theme is echoed in the New Testament, where the author of Hebrews affirms that Jesus became "the author of eternal salvation" for those who obey him [1].
The doctrine of salvation is intricately linked with God's comprehensive work. According to Titus 2:11, "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" [2]. This salvation is not earned through human works but is a gift from God, as emphasized in Ephesians 2:8-9. The Protestant academic tradition interprets this as a demonstration of God's grace, where believers are "made alive together with Christ" and share in his resurrection [8].
The work of salvation involves a transformation of the believer, where the old sinful nature is stripped off and replaced with a new nature in Christ [10]. This is facilitated by God's Spirit, who expresses God's life within the believer, enabling them to live a life characterized by good works [11]. As stated in Ephesians 2:10, believers are "created anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us" [9].
In the Presbyterian tradition, the fountain of every blessing in creation, providence, election, and redemption is attributed to God the Father, with Jesus Christ being the mediator through whom all things become ours [12]. This comprehensive work of God is a testament to His sovereignty and love for humanity.
The biblical names related to God's work also provide insight into the nature of God's comprehensive work. Names such as Elpaal, Jaasiel, Asiel, and Maaseiah, which mean "God's work" or "the work of the Lord," highlight the significance of God's actions in salvation history [4, 5, 6, 7].
Sources
- Hebrews “Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, -- Hebrews 5:9”
- Titus “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, -- Titus 2:11”
- Acts “Acts 15:18 (Geneva1599) — From the beginning of the worlde, God knoweth all his workes.”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Elpaal — God's work”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jaasiel — God's work”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Asiel — the work of God”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Maaseiah — the work of the Lord”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:20: thanks . . . for all things--even for adversities; also for blessings, unknown as well as known (Col 3:17; Th1 5:18). unto God and the Father--the Fountain of every blessing in Creation, Providence, Election, and Redemption. Lord Jesus Christ--by whom all things, even distresses, become ours (Rom 8:35, Rom 8:37; Co1 3:20-23).”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 111:2: The works of the Lord are great,.... His works of creation are great, being made out of nothing, are the effects of great power, and the produce of great wisdom, and which greatly display the glory of their Maker; the works of providence are great, which are daily wrought, especially such as concern the church and people of God, for whom he does great things, whereof they have reason to be glad and praise his name; the miracles of Christ he wrought here on earth were surprisingly great, some of them such as had not keen known from the creation of the world; and yet g”