The (provisional) goal of the work of the Holy Spirit is that the salvation that is procured for us by Christ is appropriated by us. In the mediation of salvation God the Holy Spirit brings salvation to us in a multiplicity of ways so that we can partake in it. In the appropriation of salvation we appropriate the salvation of God for ourselves in and through the Spirit, so that it can be completely our salvation.3.33 This salvation which is mediated in a multiplicity of ways is appropriated in a similar multiplicity of ways. The communal, institutional and `thing' elements of existence also participate in salvation.
Reconciliation took place on the Cross of Golgotha and in the Holy Spirit man appropriates this reconciliation in justification and sanctification. But before man can personally appropriate this salvation he must realize the possibility and necessity of appropriating it. He must realize that he is guilty of transgressing the claim of God on his life. According to Paul one of the purposes of the law is to reveal the guilt of man. The law not only reveals sin and guilt but causes man to sin `beyond measure' (cf. Rom. 7), so that sin does not only appear in consciousness as the knowledge of sin, but appears in reality as act and guilt. This is the negative meaning of the law, but the negative meaning cannot be separated from the positive meaning as the consciousness of guilt is an essential part of justification and sanctification. ``Het negatieve, het doodende in de wet Gods, is tegelykertijd - dat is het wonder van de kracht Gods in den Christus door den Geest - het positieve, het levenschenkende.''3.34
At this point we can refer back to some ideas that we developed in the previous chapter. Revelation creates history and thus history receives the character of particularity and election. History is to be understood in terms of the example of Israel. The entire history of Israel can be understood, inter alia, as an unveiling of guilt. If the apostolic meaning of history is then understood as the incorporation of the nations of the earth into Israel (into the covenant that was made with Israel), then every christianized culture is to be understood as an incidental repetition of Israel and therefore partakes in the particularity and election character of revelation.3.35 In the christianized culture, as in Israel, guilt is brought to revelation. This revealing of sin is an essential moment in the christianization of the world. By this man comes to the knowledge of the deepest separation that exists between God and man, namely guilt. This knowledge of guilt is a knowing-with-God of what the problem of existence is.
This discovery of sin is also a discovery of the possibility of being redeemed. ``In being aware of sin I can see the light of redemption dawning in the distance.'' It is essential to have a knowledge of sin in order to gain a part in salvation in Christ. Therefore the knowledge of sin is a part of sanctification.3.36 In this knowing-with-God about guilt and the possibility of salvation the autonomy of man is completely respected. Man is not overpowered but is freely convinced on the basis of his own insight about his sin and the necessity of a Saviour. In his autonomy man is convinced of the truth of salvation, man understands ``dat hij (i.e. Jesus Christ) - als de middelaar - en zijn werk ten eerste noodzakelijk, ten tweede betamelijk, ten derde genoegzaam en ten vierde kostbaar zijn.''3.37 There is a theonomous reciprocity between man and God in the Spirit. Man agrees with God and in this is justified by God (the iustificatio Dei activa) and this is put into effect in the form and in the manner of the iustificatio Dei passiva. Man is justified and in this he sees that God is justified in what He does.3.38 This reciprocity and autonomy is important, ``want het gaat toch daarom, dat de mens in alle zaken van het heil en daarom van het rijk van God en daarom van de wereld met God mede-weet en mede-wil en mee-handelt, in een woord: mee-oordeelt.'' Nothing can be excepted from this. Salvation is directed at the kingdom and the affairs of the kingdom are the same as the affairs of this world. Therefore if one appropriates salvation it becomes clear what God in Christ wills and does with his world. In the Spirit man can actively persevere in life because he knows-with God that everything is going according to His good plan.3.39
``At every moment in time God is busy mediating his salvation to man, and to the human race, and every moment man is appropriating anew this salvation. Salvation is always receiving a new structure in reality.''3.40 The appropriation of salvation is a dynamic process that has individual, communal and institutional forms. In this appropriation all of life becomes, in all its structures, an expression of the image of God.