"I shall try to show then that Paul's vision of the renewal of humanity in Christ is not simply a one-dimensional ethic. It is not simply a matter of 'getting saved' and then 'learning how to be have.' It is a multi-textured vision, woven together to meet various specific needs, and promoted with all the energy that, Paul declared, his God had inspired him with."
What what does Paul's vision of the renewal of humanity in Christ involve? That is the central question of chapter 8 in What St. Paul Really Said by N.T. Wright. According to Wright, this involved several things:
1) Worship - Worship of the one true God is at the center of the renewal of humanity. This means setting aside all parody, imitation, and counterfeit 'gods' - anything by which humans look upon the power of God and instead of worshiping God worship the elements of the world. We may expect Paul's critique of pagan idolatry along these lines (c.f. Romans 1:20-23) but the surprising twist that Wright points out is how Paul critiqued unbelieving Judaism along the same lines (which is Paul's focus in Romans 2). Worshiping counterfeit gods leads to counterfeit humanity. Therefore, Paul's vision of the renewed humanity means worshiping the true God, reflecting the true God, and thus becoming more truly and genuinely human in the process.
2) Resurrection - The age of the resurrection has begun with the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are no longer living in the 'last days' awaiting God's defeat of evil. Instead, we are living in the beginning of a new age in which Jesus and his way of the cross has already defeated the power of evil, sin, and death.
3) Holiness - As we await the day when God brings into completion the victory already won in Christ, those who have turned to worship the one true God are to lived transformed lives of holiness (c.f. Romans 12:1ff). Growing in Christlikness in Paul's vision is not an optional add on, and yet at the same time Wright acknowledges that Paul was a realist. Growth in holiness and progress in Christlike does not mean perfection. So rather than a life of perfection, Paul's vision for the renewed humanity is a process in which worshiping the one true God and sharing in the sufferings of Christ leads to genuine humanness. Of course, sharing in the sufferings of Christ means that holiness does not come cheap.
4) Love - The counterfeit gods of paganism and unbelieving Judaism lead to fracturing, not only in the lives of individuals but also between tribes, peoples, and groups. Paul's vision of a new humanity therefore involves a new creation of a community shaped by love; agape love. This is the love the overcomes social division and demonstrates Christ's victory over the principalities and powers. This kind of love is a lifestyle, not an emotion. It is a lifestyle that transcends social boundaries and forms a new community united in the worship of God.
5) Mission - Resurrection-informed worship resulting in lives of holiness and communities of love then lead into the mission of the church which is to proclaim, announce, and embody God's kingdom in the world. This means following Jesus, the crucified and risen King, in daily life and announcing the gospel of King Jesus to every creature under heaven.
Paul's vision of the new humanity involves a life based on worship, defined by resurrection. committed to holiness, shaped by love, and dedicated to mission. Thus, the new humanity made possible by Christ finds its fulfillment in a new vocation. It's not only about being blessed, it's about being a blessing to others; which is the fulfillment of the call of Abraham from the start (Gen 12:1-3).
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