“Salvation, Spreading, and Suffering” by B. Tabb

Introduction and Brief Summary

The concepts of suffering and salvation remain to be central topics for discussion in Christian theology during a long period. Believers understand that their goal is their salvation, and they want to hope that salvation from sins and their consequences could happen only after a person experiences sufferings. However, such an attitude to the idea of salvation seems to be cruel for some people. Therefore, many philosophers, theologists, and researchers try to develop their suggestions and visions on what suffering is, what its roots are, and what the essence of God’s plan for salvation is.

Brian Tabb is the author of the article where the main issues of salvation and suffering are discussed through the gospels known as Luke-Acts. His theology of suffering has a serious impact on people because it proves that different aspects of human life have to be considered. The article aims at proving the idea of suffering as “the individual or group experience of bearing physical, psychological, economic, and/or social pain, distress, or loss.”¹ Tabb’s main idea is that suffering is defined as the way that could be offered to people, who want to achieve salvation and spreading, and the purpose for the advancement of believers and church leaders.

Critical Interaction

In the article under analysis, the author discusses five theses concerning God’s unfolding plan that could be offered to people, who strive for salvation and spreading that are possible through suffering. First, Tabb claims that “Jesus’ suffering and vindication are the surprising means by which God accomplishes his promised plan of salvation.”² Then, the necessity to enter God’s kingdom is discussed proving that persecution is used to motivate people enduring various hardships. Almost the same ideas are developed by Enns in the introduction of biblical theology and consideration of suffering and persecutions. As well as Tabb, Enns supports the ideas developed by Luke and proves the chosen theology that salvation is possible through the grace of God and apart from any works.³

Tabb’s article and Enns’ book have many things in common because of the intentions to use Luke’s ideas and prove that salvation is an integral part of Christianity, and if suffering is defined as the best means to achieve salvation, it cannot be ignored. Similar ideas are observed in the book by O’Toole, who also believes in the importance of salvation. His recognition of salvation as physical and eternal⁴ may be used as the best support of Tabb’s definition of suffering as social, economic, and psychological pain.

Tabb’s article, as well as the books by Enns and O’Toole, has a significant impact on the reader. First, these sources introduce powerful theologies and explanations of why people have to understand the worth of suffering and the importance of salvation and spreading in their lives. According to one of theses developed by Tabb, the legitimacy of the church could be validated with the help of suffering regarding the fact that Jesus was the one, who suffered for people.⁵ Such a statement explains the existing biases and agenda of the working system and the explanations of the power of the church and its roots. There is no need for people to prove their rights or disprove the rights of the church. The same ideas are observed in Enns’ book where salvation is defined through repeating faith of Christ and repentance.⁶ This approach and theology are crucial for people because they help to clarify why people need suffering and why its neglect may have unpleasant consequences for believers.

Tabb’s article is a powerful source of information with its strong and weak points. The definitions and theses introduce a clear picture of salvation and suffering in Christianity. Luke-Acts are used as a strong basis for the analysis. In addition to Luke’s writings, Tabb uses the works by Pervo, House, and Rapske, who traced the themes of persecution in the Christian movements from different perspectives. The sources are adequate because all of them help to clarify the peculiar features of the main terms discussed in the article. Also, all arguments and ideas seem to be presented in a clear, logical order. First, the background is developed. Then, the definitions are given. Finally, the theses are introduced and explained. The chosen thesis may be developed and improved in case the author pays more attention to personal experiences and the opinions of people about the importance of salvation and suffering. This recommendation is based on the main weakness of the article that is the inability to provide the reader with choices but the attempts to teach and give orders relying on such a powerful Christian source as Luke-Acts.

Conclusion

In general, Tabb created a powerful article with several attempts to introduce and analyze the ideas developed by Luke many centuries ago. Its strength lies in the possibility to use experience to comprehend the present state of affairs in the church. Suffering is usually defined as something bad or inappropriate. However, after the evaluation of Luke’s ideas, the identification of Tabb’s lessons, and the support of such authors as Enns and O’Toole, it becomes clear that there is nothing wrong or bad in such activities as suffering. It is a means for people to achieve required salvation and the benefits in God’s kingdom. Tabb’s ideas could be easily applied in life because the author teaches how to deal with current uncertainties and find out the answers to the most complicated and controversial questions.

Bibliography

Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology: Revised and Expanded. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014.

O’Toole, Robert, F. The Unity of Luke’s Theology: An Analysis of Luke-Acts. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016.

Tabb, Brian, J. “Salvation, Spreading, and Suffering: God’s Unfolding Plan in Luke-Acts.” Journal for the Evangelical Theological Society 58, no. 1 (2015): 43-61.

Footnotes

1. Brian J. Tabb, “Salvation, Spreading, and Suffering: God’s Unfolding Plan in Luke-Acts,” Journal for the Evangelical Theological Society 58, no. 1 (2015): 47.
2. Ibid., 50.
3. Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology: Revised and Expanded (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014): 100.
4. Robert F. O’Toole, The Unity of Luke’s Theology: An Analysis of Luke-Acts (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2016): 33.
5. Tabb, “Salvation, Spreading, and Suffering,” 54.
6. Enns, The Moody Handbook, 99.