Jewish Salvation Through Jesus vs New Creation in Christ

The concept of salvation in Christianity is deeply intertwined with the idea of new creation in Christ. At its core, salvation refers to the deliverance from evil or danger, and in the New Testament, it specifically pertains to the deliverance from the guilt and pollution of sin through Jesus Christ ^[2]. The Apostle Paul emphasizes this in Galatians 6:15, stating that "neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any strength, but a new creation" in Christ Jesus ^[1].

This new creation is not merely a restoration of the old but a transformation into a new being. According to John Gill, being "in Christ" signifies a union with Him that is both eternal and experiential, beginning from everlasting and manifesting openly at conversion ^[3]. This union is fundamental to understanding salvation, as it is through Christ's grace that salvation is achieved. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ is seen as the means through which believers are saved, not through circumcision or any works of the law ^[5].

The concept of new creation is further elaborated in Colossians 3:11, where distinctions such as Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, are abolished in the renewed man. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret this as indicating that in the sphere of the renewed man, such distinctions are done away with, highlighting the unity and equality brought about by Christ ^[6].

The early Church Fathers also grappled with understanding salvation and new creation. Athanasius of Alexandria referenced Jeremiah 31:22, noting the creation of a "new salvation" in which men shall go about, underscoring the innovative nature of Christ's salvific work ^[4].

The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, views the Abrahamic covenant as distinct from the covenant of grace, emphasizing that salvation is not confined to national or ethnic identities but is universally available through Christ ^[7]. This universal availability is echoed in Adam Clarke's commentary on Romans 1:17, where he notes that the Gospel reveals God's method of saving sinners through faith, a principle that applies to both the old and new covenants ^[8].

The writer of Hebrews underscores the significance of Christ's role in salvation, warning that neglecting the salvation proclaimed by the Son of God would result in severe consequences, greater than those experienced by those who had fewer privileges under the old covenant ^[9].

In the Johannine literature, regeneration is described as being "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13). John Gill interprets this as referring to the spiritual birth that occurs through faith in Christ, distinguishing it from physical or human origins ^[10].

The doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ versus new creation in Christ is not a dichotomy but complementary facets of the Christian understanding of redemption. Salvation is achieved through faith in Christ and is characterized by the transformation into a new creation, where old distinctions are abolished, and believers are united in Christ.

The historical development of this doctrine is marked by the early Christian understanding of salvation as a deliverance through Christ, a theme that is consistent across various Christian traditions. The emphasis on new creation highlights the transformative nature of salvation, underscoring that it is not merely a legal declaration but a profound change in the believer's status and being.

The salvific work of Christ is thus seen as creating a new reality, one where salvation is available to all, regardless of background, through faith in Him. This understanding is rooted in the biblical text and has been articulated and developed throughout Christian history, reflecting a core aspect of Christian doctrine.

Sources

Galatians “Galatians 6:15 (LITV) — For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision has any strength nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Salvation — This word is used of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians (Ex. 14:13), and of deliverance generally from evil or danger. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, "the great salvation" (Heb. 2:3). (See [546]REDEMPTION; [547]REGENERATION.)”
2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 5:16: Therefore if any man be in Christ,.... There's a secret being in Christ from everlasting; so all that are loved by him, espoused unto him, chosen and preserved in him, to whom he was a covenant head, surety, and representative, are in him, united to him, and one with him; not in such sense as the Father is in him, and the human nature is in him, but as husband and wife, and head and members are one: and there is an open being in Christ at conversion, when a man believes in Christ, and gives up himself to him; faith does not put a man into Christ, but makes him ”
CCEL (Patristic) “Athanasius of Alexandria, Select Works and Letters, section 164: Son alone was eternally begotten from the Father, whence God the Word is ‘first-born of all creation,’ unchangeable from unchangeable. However, the body which He wore for our sakes is a creature: concerning which Jeremiah says, according to the edition of the seventy translators 435 435 Heb. For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall encompass a man.’ Cf. Orat. ii. 46, note 5. ( Jer. xxxi. 22 ): ‘The Lord created for us for a planting a new salvation, in which salvation men shall go about:’ but according to”
Acts (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Acts 15:11: But we believe,.... Who are circumcised; the Arabic version adds, "and are sure"; for what follows is a sure and certain article of faith: that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; not through circumcision, or by any works of the law, moral or ceremonial; but through the grace of Christ undertaking for them, assuming their nature, and dying in their room and stead; through his redeeming, justifying, and pardoning grace: salvation is by Christ; Jehovah the Father appointed him to be his salvation; he sent him, and he came to save sinners; and he has obtained sa”
Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 3:11: Where--Translate, "Wherein," namely, in the sphere of the renewed man. neither . . . nor . . . nor . . . nor--Translate as Greek, "There is no such thing as Greek and Jew (the difference of privilege between those born of the natural seed of Abraham and those not, is abolished), circumcision and uncircumcision (the difference of legal standing between the circumcised and uncircumcised is done away, Gal 6:15) --bondman, freeman." The present Church is one called out of the flesh, and the present world-course (Eph 2:2), wherein such distinctions ex”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 74: and that they received circumcision, its appointed seal and sign. It is therefore essential to their theory that the Abrahamic covenant should be regarded as a merely national covenant entirely distinct from the covenant of grace. The Romanists assuming that saving grace is communicated through the sacraments, and seeing that the mass of the ancient Israelites, on many occasions at least, were rejected of God, notwithstanding their participation of the sacraments then ordained, were driven to assume a radical difference between the sacram”
Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:17: For therein - In the Gospel of Christ. Is the righteousness of God - God's method of saving sinners. Revealed from faith to faith - Shown to be by faith, and not by the works of any law; for Abraham, the father and founder of the Jewish people, was justified by faith, before even the law was given; and by believing, in reference to the spiritual object held forth in the various ordinances of the law, and now revealed under the Gospel, he and all his believing descendants have been justified. And thus the faith of the old covenant led on to the faith of the new coven”
Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 2:3: How shall we escape - If they who had fewer privileges than we have, to whom God spoke in divers manners by angels and prophets, fell under the displeasure of their Maker, and were often punished with a sore destruction; how shall we escape wrath to the uttermost if we neglect the salvation provided for us, and proclaimed to us by the Son of God? Their offense was high; ours, indescribably higher. The salvation mentioned here is the whole system of Christianity, with all the privileges it confers; properly called a salvation, because, by bringing such an abundance o”
John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 1:13: Which were born not of blood,.... Or bloods, in the plural number. The birth, here spoken of, is regeneration, expressed by a being born again, or from above; by a being quickened by the Spirit and grace of God; by Christ being formed in men; and by a partaking of the divine nature; and by being made new creatures, as all that believe in the name of Christ are; and which is the evidence of their being the sons of God: and now this is owing not to blood, or bloods; not to the blood of circumcision; or of the passover, which the Jews had an high opinion of, and ascribe li”

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