PAUL AND THE RHETORIC OF REVERSAL: KERYGMATIC ...

impurity; and secondly in relation to issues of (potentially exploitative) relationships within the
church body. In particular, chapters 5–7 see Paul countering the bold assumption of bodily
self-ownership with a challenge to acknowledge that the cross demands surrender to the claims
of divine ownership in Christ. Chapters 8–14 see Paul countering self-assertion in the realm of
church relationships with a challenge to pursue (cruciform) self-restraint for the sake of others
in Christ’s body.
5. Relation to Other Conceptions of Pauline Ethics
Paul and Solidarity
An emphasis on union with Christ as the bedrock of Pauline ethics is nothing new. For Calvin,
a transformed life arises from this fundamental solidarity of believers with their Lord:
Therefore, to share with us what he has received from the Father, he had to become
ours and to dwell within us. For this reason, he is called “our Head” [Eph. 4:15], and
“the first-born among many brethren” [Rom. 8:29]. We also, in turn, are said to be
“engrafted into him” [Rom. 11.17], and to “put on Christ” [Gal. 3:27]; for, as I have
said, all that he possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with him. It is
true that we obtain this by faith. 108
Now, both repentance and forgiveness of sins – that is, newness of life and free
reconciliation – are conferred on us by Christ, and both are attained by us through
faith. 109
Pope Benedict XVI draws on Pauline terminology to indicate that Christian ethics flows from
solidarity with Christ, particularly in terms of death and resurrection:
108 John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (ed. John T. McNeill; trans. and index Ford
Lewis Battles; Philadelphia, Pa.: Westminster, 1960), III.i.1; emphasis mine.
109 Calvin, Institutes, 1960. III.iii.1.
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