One of the most densely packed Trinitarian verses in the Bible is Romans 8:11, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (ESV). In one verse, Paul spans the whole range of salvation according to the pattern of God, Christ, and the Spirit. God promises to give the resurrection life of Christ through his Spirit indwelling believers. This trinitarian pattern marks not only this verse but also the intricate, progressive
argument that Paul builds across the first eight chapters of Romans.

This paper will outline the trinitarian-soteriological progression of Rom. 1-8. First, a review of the literature will demonstrate the viability and usefulness of a trinitarian soteriological outline of Rom. 1-8. Second, an explanation of the study’s methodology will outline the parameters for a trinitarian reading of Rom. 1-8. Third, an analysis of Paul’s argument in Rom. 1-8 will demonstrate how Paul’s soteriological argument follows a trinitarian progression. This paper will conclude with implications for further reflection.