Yes, absolutely. The perfect tense of σεσωσμένοι in Ephesians 2:8 does emphasize a completed action with ongoing results, which is exactly why Paul can speak of believers as truly saved in a definitive sense.
My point wasn’t to deny that completed reality, but to highlight that Paul also comfortably speaks of salvation in present and future dimensions elsewhere. So rather than reducing salvation to only one tense, Paul seems to embrace all three of them together... a completed covenant reality, an ongoing work of transformation, and a future consummation still to come.
I understand, as a pastor, that the perfect tense (and particularly here, the periphrastic perfect) can be a difficult concept for church members, but it’s application is amazingly impactful on New Testament translation. I am very impressed with your blog; you are doing excellent work and your writing is clear and easily understood. Blessings!
I just posted my testimony on the 8th. You might find it interesting.
https://biblicalreality.substack.com/p/a-tale-of-salvation
Love this, thank you for sharing. There is so much more to salvation than we typically live in. I’ve heard it said this way:
We’ve been saved from the penalty of sin. (Past)
We’re being saved from the power of sin. (Present)
We will be saved from the presence of sin. (Future)
Yes!!! Love it!!
What about the use of σεσωσμενοι in Ephesians 2:8? Isn’t the use of the perfect tense comprehensive and ultimately state of being?
Yes, absolutely. The perfect tense of σεσωσμένοι in Ephesians 2:8 does emphasize a completed action with ongoing results, which is exactly why Paul can speak of believers as truly saved in a definitive sense.
My point wasn’t to deny that completed reality, but to highlight that Paul also comfortably speaks of salvation in present and future dimensions elsewhere. So rather than reducing salvation to only one tense, Paul seems to embrace all three of them together... a completed covenant reality, an ongoing work of transformation, and a future consummation still to come.
I understand, as a pastor, that the perfect tense (and particularly here, the periphrastic perfect) can be a difficult concept for church members, but it’s application is amazingly impactful on New Testament translation. I am very impressed with your blog; you are doing excellent work and your writing is clear and easily understood. Blessings!
Thank you so so much!! I appreciate that!