Extra ecclesiam nulla salus . We have seen that the Gospel must not be understood in a gnostic sense as salvation from the world. This is not what Van Ruler understands by the duality of salvation and creation. 49 Salvation is directed at this world and is exclusively concerned with this world. Salvation is to be understood as the reconciling presence of God.
Salvation is directed at the whole world.
In other words the church directs its message of salvation to the state . The first is the idea of the state as an institution, established by God. The second is the idea of a political, cultural and social community of man. These two elements cannot be isolated from one another. In society there are not only people, but also things, institutions, which are just as essential and important in society as people are 3 .