<that> has enabled me

[Hale Chen]

Hi, all. Could you do me a favor？

Thank God for His salvation, that has enabled me to genuinely break away from the bondage and harm of Satan and lead a happy life.

What does that refer to? Is the comma before it necessary? Thanks as always.

 

[manfy]

What does that refer to? Is the comma before it necessary? Thanks as always.

The pronoun refers to 'His salvation'.
Yes, the comma is needed. Personally, I'd prefer a full stop or a semicolon as it turns 'that' from a relative pronoun into a demonstrative pronoun.

Thank God for His salvation. That has enabled me to genuinely break away from the bondage and harm of Satan and lead a happy life.​

The interpretation as a demonstrative pronoun seems more sensible to me in this sentence -- other people may disagree, though.

 

[grassy]

You often see which instead of that in non-defining relative clauses.

 

[velisarius]

Yes, like grassy I see it as a "which" in disguise.

 

[Hale Chen]

Yes, like grassy I see it as a "which" in disguise.

Thanks, and is it necessary to change "that" to "which" in the above sentence?

 

[velisarius]

For me that's a non-defining relative clause, and as such it calls for "which", and the comma should not be removed. The relative clause provides more information about "salvation", but it is not grammatically essential information.

Relative clauses: defining and non-defining - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

 

[Hale Chen]

For me that's a non-defining relative clause, and as such it calls for "which", and the comma should not be removed. The relative clause provides more information about "salvation", but it is not grammatically essential information.

Relative clauses: defining and non-defining - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary

OK. Thank you very much.

 

[Hale Chen]

And also give my thanks to grassy and manfy.