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which goes hand in hand therewith (Col. i. 11; Phil. i. 18, 25, ii. 2, 17, 18), to which the apostle specially exhorts in the Epistle to the Philippians (iii. 1, iv. 4). Finally, here also is the consciousness of this new relation to God brought about by the Spirit of God (Eph. ii. 18: év évì πveúμati), which is on that account the seal of perfect salvation (Eph. i. 13, iv. 30; comp. § 83, e).

§ 101. The Doctrine of Salvation.

The doctrine of a living fellowship with Christ resting on the gift of the Spirit in baptism, by which holiness and righteousness are actually produced, is the same in our Epistles as in the earlier ones (a). Here also the healthy development of the Christian life depends on the ever fuller realization of that living fellowship, and on the unrestrained activity of the Spirit in believers, by whom the divine work of grace is brought about (b). The doctrine of hope, so far as it is more definitely stated, is quite that of the earlier Epistles (c). Here also salvation rests ultimately on election and calling by the gospel, the proclaimer of which to the readers is the Apostle to the Gentiles, prepared for this work by revelation (d).

(a) Baptism is dispensed in the first instance, as § 84, on the ground of faith in the one Lord (Eph. iv. 5: eis kúpιos, μία πίστις, εν βάπτισμα), and brings with it cleansing from the stains of guilt (v. 26 : καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὕδατος ; comp. Acts xxii. 16: βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σov), under the supposition, to be sure, of Christ's having given Himself to die (ver. 25), and on the ground of a (divine) word of calling (èv pýμarı), which is to be in no way

Phil. ii. 15, the emphasizing of sonship involves the obligation to blameless obedience, as with Peter (§ 45, d). Here also is God designated, but only in the standing prayer for blessing in the beginning of the Epistles, as our Father (Eph. i. 2; Col. i. 2; Philem. 3; Phil. i. 2); moreover, in Phil. iv. 20, Eph. iv. 6, where the wávres, from its connection with ver. 7, can, at any rate, be only all Christians, yet Christians are addressed as brethren (Eph. vi. 10; Philem. 7, 20; Phil. i. 12, iii. 1, 13, 17, iv. 1, 8), and designated such (Col. i. 2, iv. 15; Eph. vi. 23; Phil. i. 14, iv. 21). The designation of God as Tarp Tñs dóns (Eph. i. 17) has its analogy in 2 Cor. i. 3 (xarnp cŵv οἰκτιρμῶν).

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regarded as in mystical union with the water of baptism. (Pfleiderer, p. 454 [E. T. ii. 186]). But the Christian is at the same time, from the very beginning of his Christian life, i.e. from his baptism, in living fellowship with Christ (Eph. ii. 13: vvvì . . . èv Xpiotâ 'Inσoû; comp. v. 8); the result of his appropriation of Christ by faith (Phil. iii. 8: Xρươτòv Kepdaível) is, that he is found in Christ (ver. 9), and in Him is filled with the fulness of all the blessings of salvation (Col. ii. 10). This form of doctrine, so peculiar to the apostle, is found perfectly carried out in our Epistles in the manner of the earlier Epistles. The Christian is dead with Christ (Col. ii. 20), and is buried with Him in baptism (ii. 12), only that here the being quickened with Him comes expressly into prominence (iii. 1, ii. 12; comp. Eph. ii. 6).1 For this, here, on account of what follows, cannot possibly mean a new religious quickening, by translation into a state of salvation (Pfleiderer, p. 386 [E. T. ii. 116]), as xapioáμevos μîv designates an act of God, which does nct, after all, refer exclusively to the subjects of ovvnyépoŋte, and cannot explain the way and manner of this, but it can be explained only by "after that." On the other hand, Christ dwells by His Spirit (Phil. i. 19) in the heart (Eph. iii. 17), so that the life of the Christian is only a life of Christ in him (Phil. i. 21; Gal. ii. 20), Christ's heart beats in his heart (ver. 8). But it is here

1 Christians are therefore brethren in Christ (Col. i. 2; Philem. 16; Phil. i. 14; comp. Col. iv. 7: cúvdouλos iv zvony; Eph. vi. 21: diánovos iv xupíp), the apostle is a δίσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ (Eph. iv. ; comp. Philem. 23; Phil. i. 13), and here also the formula passes gradually over into a designation of the Christian standing as such (Col. iii. 18, 20; Phil. ii. 1: vis wapáxλnois iv Xpiotą). Indeed this passage, in which the Xp is taken up by xvwvía Toł

μaros, shows plainly how this living fellowship with Christ is brought about by the giving of the Spirit. Comp. also Eph. ii. 21, 22, where i, xupí❤ is placed in parallelism with iv rúμar, and the Church in fellowship with Christ is built up into an habitation of God in the Spirit.

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* Here also the noticeable trinitarian juxtaposition of Christ, or the Lord, the Spirit, and the Father (Eph. iv. 4–6, ii. 18, 22), cannot prove that the Spirit is regarded as a personality, as the Spirit is evidently represented rather, iii. 20 (comp. ver. 16), as the power of God, which works in us and strengthens us for every Christian activity, from which proceeds every blessing (i. 3: siλoyía Tμarıń), every insight (Col. i. 9: σúviois Trevμarizń; comp. Eph. i. 17 :' dáz öμiv zvrūpa copías), and every activity of Christian piety (Col. iii. 16; Eph. v. 19: dai mμatizaí), and in which one shares (Phil. ii. 1; comp. 2 Cor. xiii. 13, and therewith § 84, a, footnote 4).

expressly said, that not only the communication of the Spirit (Eph. i. 13; Phil. i. 27), but also living fellowship with Christ thereby brought about (Col. ii. 12), or the indwelling of Christ with us (Eph. iii. 17), is conditioned by faith, in which therefore this living fellowship is certainly not given. The result of this is a new creation, which is perfected in this living fellowship with Christ (Eph. ii. 10: (→εoû) èσ μèv ποίημα, κτισθέντες ἐν Χρ. Ιησ.; comp. ver. 15, iv. 24). Here also Christians are holy ones (Col. iii. 12; comp. i. 2, 4, 12, 26; Eph. i. 1, 15, 18, ii. 19, iii. 8, 18, iv. 12, v. 3, vi. 18; Phil. iv. 21, 22), and this on the ground of their living fellowship with Christ (ἅγιοι ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ: Phil. i. 1; comp. Eph. ii. 21: avşet eis vaòv åyiov ev kupíw), and here is righteousness actually wrought in them (Eph. iv. 24, v. 9; Phil. i. 11); and that the moral new creation of man is not to be put in causal connection with the atonement or with justification, Eph. ii. 15, 16 teaches here, where the former precedes the latter, as 1 Cor. vi. 11 (comp. § 84, d, footnote 18).

(b) The normal course of development of the Christian life is so conditioned, as, § 86, that the new principle implanted in baptism is ever being realized on all sides. Although each believer is in Christ, and Christ in him, Christ must ever anew make His abode in their hearts (Eph. iii. 17) till He becomes all in all (Col. iii. 11). They have to be kept in living fellowship with Christ (Phil. iv. 7), and to continue to stand (iv. 1); from νήπιοι ἐν Χριστῷ they have even to become τέλειοι ἐν Χριστῷ (Col. i. 28), rooted firmly in Him (ii. 7), continuing to walk in Him (ver. 6). More particularly, there is here participation in the sufferings of Christ, which the Christian has to endure (Phil. iii. 10), till the measure of the afflictions Christ endured is also fulfilled in him (Col. i. 24). But he in whom Christ dwells is constantly strengthened (Eph. iii. 16, 17) and renewed (iv. 23) by His

3 For the Christian exercises all the functions of his life in Him; in Him, or in fellowship with Him, are rooted trust (Phil. ii. 24), hope (ver. 19), joy (iii. 1, iv. 4, 10), boldness (Philem. 8), and Christian refreshment (ver. 20). In Him one speaks (Eph. iv. 17), executes His ministry (Col. iv. 17), entertains another (Phil. ii. 29), in Him keeps unanimity with each other (iv. 2), in Him one obeys another (Eph. vi. 1), in Him is one strengthened (ver. 10) and can do all things (Phil. iv. 13).

Spirit; only by the help of this Spirit can one receive all things which one requires for the preservation of the Christian life (Phil. i. 19), only by Him can one really serve God (iii. 3).* A progressive renewal is also here required. Although the σŵμа τŶs σаρкós is put off in baptism (Col. ii. 11), yet the old man needs ever again to be put off, and the new man ever more to be put on (iii. 9, 10; Eph. iv. 22, 24); the holiness which the Christian possesses must be ever more perfectly realized (v. 26, 27; comp. i. 4), till he becomes quite clean and without offence, filled with the fruits of righteousness (Phil. i. 11). On this account the Christian must ever anew prove the difference of good from evil (ver. 10), and learn to recognise the will of God (Col. i. 9, iv. 12; Eph. v. 10, 17; comp. the beautiful exposition by Ritschl, ii. p. 287). To this the apostle leads him on by referring to his own example (Phil. iii. 17, iv. 9; comp. i. 30), as also to the pattern of Christ (Eph. v. 2; Phil. ii. 5), by his own regulations, to which the churches have to give obedience (Phil. ii. 12; Philem. 21), as also by reference to Scripture (Eph. v. 14); and it is not un-Pauline, according to § 87, d, if he is stirred up by a command of the Decalogue (vi. 2). Here, also, the apostle draws motives from the fundamental facts of salvation: they are to forgive as they have been forgiven (iv. 32); they are to walk worthy of their Christian calling (iv. 1), or of Christ (Col. i. 10), and of the gospel by him (Phil. i. 27); they are to consider that they have been created for good works, which God has before appointed as the element of the new life, in which they are to walk henceforth and bear fruit (Eph. ii. 10; Col. i. 10). But so strongly does the hortative element of our Epistles come into view, that the apostle makes the readers themselves answerable for the progress of their Christian life, so earnestly must the Christian be ever struggling forwards (Phil. iii. 12, 13), so

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It depends on this, that one has and keeps his life's element in this Spirit (Phil. i. 27: στήκετε ἐν . . . πνεύματι ; comp. Eph. vi. 18 : προσεύχεσθαι ἐν πνεύματι; Col. i. 8: ἀγάπη ἐν πνεύματι), preserves the unity of this Spirit, while one allows no other spirit to influence him (Eph. iv. 3). Here also μa designates the spiritual life of the Christian (Philem. 25; Phil. iv. 23), but the Spirit of God dwelling in us yet remains quite objective, as it can be vexed (Eph. iv. 30), and, according to v. 18, may be ever given anew, until the believer is quite filled with the Spirit.

evidently is it divine grace here above all which ultimately works all in him. He who has begun the good work in them will also perfect it (i. 6). Here then, therefore, finally, the Christian can do nothing else but allow grace to work in him, while he continues in the faith (Col. i. 23), and is established in it (ii. 7), and he remains answerable for it only when he shuts himself out from its activity, or hinders it.

(c) Along with faith and love there is, as 1 Cor. xiii. 13, hope (comp. § 96), the object of which, as Rom. viii. 24, is not yet in sight, because it is laid up in heaven; a principal moment in the subjective life Christ is its author (i. 27: pledge (Eph. i. 14, iv. 30). first place salvation (i. 13) from perdition (Phil. i. 28; comp. ii. 12), a salvation which the Lord, looked for from heaven, and whose coming is at hand (iv. 5; comp. § 98, a), will bring (iii. 20) as the Saviour (Eph. v. 23). Here also deliverance already results ideally from this, that the Christian has been quickened from the death of sin to a new life with Christ (ii. 5, 6), because the cause of destruction has been thereby removed. The positive correlative of salvation is here also wń (Phil. ii. 16, iv. 3). Life, as it shall be lived one day with the exalted Christ, is as yet hidden, because the exalted Christ is as yet hidden, because it is only appointed for them in the counsels of God (Col. iii. 3; comp. i. 5); but it will be manifested when Christ, the author of this life, shall be manifested in glory (§ 98, a); there they shall then share that glory with Him (iii. 4), and that is also spoken of (i. 27) as the object of

of the Christian (Col. i. 4, 5),

πis), and the Holy Spirit is its The object of hope is here in the

"It is the surpassing greatness of the power of God which helps believers to the completion of their salvation (Col. i. 11; Eph. i. 19), while God arms them with all weapons needful for victory in the Christian fight (vi. 10–13), and for the fulfilment of their calling (Col. i. 29). He strengthens the power to patience and long-suffering (i. 11 : μaxpobvμía; comp. Jas. v. 10), and righteous suffering is a gift of His grace (Phil. i. 29). But He works this on the ground of prayer (Col. iv. 2; Eph. iii. 20; Phil. iv. 6) and of Christian intercession (i. 19); on this account, for every blessing in the Christian standing of the readers, thanks are given to Him (Col. i. 3; Philem. 4; Eph. i. 16; Phil. i. 3; comp. iv. 7, 9). How little this forms to the apostle a contradiction to that personal responsibility of the Christian is shown by Phil. ii. 12, 13, where the exhortation to work out their complete salvation with fear and trembling is made to depend on this, that God works all in all, the willing and the doing, that He provides for them everything they require, and so there remains for them no excuse if they do not reach the goal.

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