Theological Term of the Week
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 10:22PM 
historia salutis
The unfolding in history of God’s plan for the salvation of the world; the events in space and time by which God brings salvation.
- From scripture:
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5 ESV)
…a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Ephesians 1:10 ESV)
But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13 ESV)
- From Pactum Salutis, Historia Salutis, Ordo Salutis and the Ministry:
Creation, the fall, the flood, the call of Abraham, the exodus, the captivity, the life and death of Christ, Pentecost, all of these are events of the historia salutis. On the one hand, they are true events of cosmic history.They actually happened in space and time. But in another sense, they bear theological significance, because they come in order to fulfill—accomplish—the eternal decrees of God. We do not simply speak of abstract decrees of God, but of genuine historical events bearing a great theological significance. We believe that the Scriptures record the actual historical events of redemption, occurring over several millennia, from creation to consummation. The events recorded in Scripture, while real events in human history, bring into human history the decrees of God. They give substance and historical reality to these decrees.
- The Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies: Pactum Salutis, Historia Salutis, Ordo Salutis and the Ministry
- From me: Historia Salutis
- Dr. Lane Tipton: The Meaning of Historia Salutis and Ordo Salutis (video)
- Bruce Waltke: Summaries of the Stages of Redemptive History (pdf)
Related terms:
Filed under God’s Nature and His Work
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Reader Comments (1)
That pdf by Waltke is really helpful!