03 Pauline Eschatology

The Apostle Paul, author of the earliest texts in the New Testament, is representative of early Christians eschatology, that is, their view of the end times. Eschatology is the fundamental framework of their theology because of the way it is tied to their expectation of the coming of Christ. Christians already live a new life by the power of his Spirit in between his resurrection and the final coming of his kingdom. This new life is possible even though the fullness of their eternal life in him has not yet been revealed but is hidden with him in heaven, whence they await the spiritual bodies that will clothe them in immortality. Pauls most distinctive doctrine is his insistence that Gentiles may join in this expectation and new life without being converted to Judaism and circumcisedby simply believing in Christbeing justified by faith in him.