The Revelation of Salvation in Christ

Antony Kuriakose

“So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth:
it shall not return to Me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” — Isa 55 : 11

Christ: The Fulfillment of All Prophecy

“The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19 : 10).1 Prophecy thus reaches beyond foretelling; it unites the entire biblical narrative around Christ. Even oracles that seem non-messianic, such as Amos’s judgments on the nations, are gathered into the Christ-centred hope proclaimed in Acts 15 and Eph 2 : 17.2 Recognising this coherence guards readers against fragmenting Scripture and anchors prophetic hope in the person and work of Jesus.

Defining Prophecy and Its Christological Centre

Prophecy (prophēteia) is divinely inspired speech that unveils God’s purpose. While it often announces future events, its central function is to reveal God’s character and redemptive plan, which culminate in Christ.3 Richard Bauckham notes that Revelation weaves diverse prophetic strands into a single climax focused on the Lamb.4 Every prophetic word, whether promise or warning, ultimately drives toward a Christological horizon.

Prophecy as the Word of God

Scripture traces prophecy to God’s initiative:

“No prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man; rather, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” — 2 Pet 1 : 20-215

Although critical scholars sometimes date 2 Peter late, even sceptical commentators grant that the text reflects an early Christian conviction of Spirit-inspired Scripture.6 The participle pheromenoi (“carried along”) suggests a synergy in which divine impulse guides human language without erasing authorial style.7

Prophecy, Typology, and Salvation History

Old-Testament prophecies do not form a simple list of predictions; they speak through typology and re-reading. New-Testament writers say Scripture is “filled up” (plēroō) in Christ, language that N. T. Wright calls Israel’s story reaching its intended goal.8 Apparent “unfulfilled” oracles, such as Ezek 40-48, find a deeper realization in the church and the new creation. G. K. Beale argues that Revelation presents Ezekiel’s temple vision as fulfilled in God’s final dwelling with humanity (Rev 21:1–3).9

Grace, Faith, and Spiritual Rebirth

Salvation begins with divine initiative and flows into human response. “By grace you have been saved through faith … for good works, which God prepared beforehand” (Eph 2 : 8-10).10 This pattern is monergistic in initiation (God alone regenerates) and synergistic in sanctification (believers cooperate in Spirit-empowered obedience). Hosea’s plea, “Return, Israel, to the Lord” (Hos 14 : 1-2),11 is answered in the Incarnate Word, who declares, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor 12 : 9).12

The Father and the Son: A Unified Work

Jesus affirms, “No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him” (Jn 6 : 44)13 and “No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him” (Mt 11 : 27).14 Trinitarian interpreters see distinct persons acting in concert; Oneness theologians stress that the one God who draws also reveals, acting through His manifest Word. David Bernard contends that John presents the Son as the historical manifestation of the one God rather than a second divine person.15 Critics point to John 17; Oneness writers reply that such language describes economic distinctions within a single divine identity, not separate centres of consciousness.16

The Spirit of Christ and the Life of the Church

Peter says “the Spirit of Christ within them” guided the prophets (1 Pet 1 : 10-11).17 Thomas Schreiner identifies this Spirit as the eschatological presence of the exalted Christ, preserving both personal agency and divine unity.18 This reading underscores that the same Christ who was revealed in the flesh continues to speak and act by his Spirit.

Whether prophetic gifts continue today is a matter of theological debate. Cessationists interpret 1 Corinthians 13:10 (“when the perfect comes”) as signaling the end of revelatory gifts after the apostolic era. Continuationists, however, point to early Christian writings as evidence of ongoing spiritual activity. The Didache refers to traveling prophets, and Justin Martyr describes manifestations of the Spirit (charismata) still occurring in his own time.

Prophetic Hope and Christian Mission

Prophecy is God’s Word, illuminated by His Spirit and centred in His Son. It authenticates the Gospel, summons the church to holiness, and fuels hopeful engagement with the world. Because Jesus embodies every promise, believers live in confident expectation, proclaiming the testimony that prophecy both foretells and fulfils.

Footnotes

  1. Didache 11; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 82.
  2. Rev 19 : 10.
  3. Acts 15 : 15-17; Eph 2 : 17.
  4. M. J. Boadt, Reading the Old Testament (Paulist, 1984), 145.
  5. Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy (T&T Clark, 1993), 15-29.
  6. 2 Pet 1 : 20-21.
  7. Jerome Neyrey, 2 Peter, Jude, AB 37C (Yale, 1993), 152-54.
  8. Douglas Moo, 2 Peter and Jude, NIVAC (Zondervan, 1996), 78.
  9. N. T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God (Fortress, 1992), 140-42.
  10. G. K. Beale, Revelation, NIGTC (Eerdmans, 1999), 955-60.
  11. Eph 2 : 8-10.
  12. Hos 14 : 1-2.
  13. 2 Cor 12 : 9.
  14. Jn 6 : 44.
  15. Mt 11 : 27.
  16. David K. Bernard, The Oneness of God (Word Aflame, 2000), 112-18.
  17. Gregory Boyd, Oneness Pentecostals and the Trinity (Baker, 1992), 44-48.
  18. 1 Pet 1 : 10-11.
  19. Thomas Schreiner, New Testament Theology (Baker, 2008), 419-22.

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