Themes Within Paul's Writing

Themes within Paul’s Writings

Salvation:

For Paul, salvation was not something that will happen after we die. Salvation is something that is to be experienced. Paul tried to write about this experience, but found it difficult to put into words – he used the words “new creation.”

“All that matters is to be created anew” (Galatians 6:15)

For Paul the observance of the Law was the beginning of his realization of the meaning of salvation. But the Law was not an end in itself. Following the Law is a means to salvation. Following the Law of Moses Paul believed was good, but it was blind obedience. Paul believed there was more to life than just being good. Paul insisted that the Jewish Law was not Christian morality. He believed the Christian morality was more an adult understanding of ones religion. Hence Paul believed the Jews had a religion, while the Christians had a faith.

Body of Christ:

Paul believed that when he commenced a new Church, he had not made a collection of individuals who all believed in Jesus. Rather Paul believed that he had founded a “body of Christ”. It was a unified body that worked together and helped one another, with Christ at its head (not Paul). This Christ for Paul is not Jesus, but the Lord who lives by the power of God in every believer, therefore Christ is present in the community itself.