Religion 204a - Christian Scriptures

Dating to the writing of the book of Romans there has been a basic misunderstanding as to what Paul meant by justification by faith. The Jewish culture had been educated in the law and yet the Gentile culture was being instructed that the law was death. The Jewish community was confused and aghast that God would justify sinners. Nonetheless that is exactly what Paul said God would do and he would do it based on the simple faith of the believer.

In Paul letter to the Romans he provides for us a biblical view of creation, which is our natural world, our human identity as it relates to God, human relationship and how it should be understood and culture. He shows us God’s love for all mankind, regardless of nationality or cultural background through His saving grace found in Jesus Christ. He grants salvation to all by faith in His son, with no favoritism or partiality. Man is incapable of saving himself, it is not earned through his works or good deeds, it’s only found by faith in Christ. It is essential for us today to have a clear and proper biblical understanding of our Creator,

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom 8:1-2). Paul believes if you are in Christ Jesus, then you will be saved. Because of Jesus ' selflessness, he has freed us from sin and death. God had created the world

Though Jesus was sinless and undeserving of death, he offered himself as a sacrifice in atonement for all sin (Invitation to World Religions, pg.418). Paul was always emphatic in maintaining that salvation cannot be earned by “works”, whether humans’ effort to obey the commandments in the Torah or excellent work in general. Instead, he taught that the salvation made possible by Christ’s sacrifice is a gift, the ultimate expression of God’s love and grace. Salvation is given to those who respond to God’s grace in faith, the conviction that God has acted through Jesus Christ to amend for human sin. Although Paul was very clear in teaching that salvation depends on God’s grace and the individual’s turning to God in faith, he did not dismiss the importance of works (Invitation to World Religions, pg.419). For Paul, faith does more than bringing salvation; it unites the believers with Christ in a “newness of life”. He believed that the spirit lives in believers and brings them into union with God. As a divine presence within, the spirit encourages the growth of spiritual virtues, the greatest which is love and makes all Christians one in the church often called “the body of Christ”.

An observation of this compelling issue is, all humans are extended the opportunity to receive salvation. However, in order to receive salvation that brings credits us with righteousness, we must have faith that God the Father sent his son Jesus to take

As was discussed during our first post for the week, Capon (2002) stated, “You judge yourself by taking your stand on the law’s demands rather than on my righteousness which is yours for the believing” (p.368). The Gospel demonstrates that God has provided everything for our salvation including the death of His son. The only thing we need to do is to believe. Kinnaman, S. & Lane, L. (2010) stated, “While other religions teach that something must be done to earn God’s favor and salvation, Christianity teaches that Jesus has already secured our salvation. God reaches out to people in Christ, rather than people reaching out to God” (p.37). It is critical to comprehend that to stand on the law means to try to justify oneself before God on account of our own actions. The truth is, that we cannot follow God’s law to perfection, and can never accomplish what it demands.

Because of Adam and Eve, we were born sinful but we still have a free will so we can either choose to do right or wrong. As stated earlier man chose to disobey Gods will and do as they wanted, for example, God created man to with a woman and a woman to be with a man, but many took it upon themselves to change that and make it okay for the people of the same sex to be together intimately, yet it is against the Will of God. Romans 1:26-17 is very clear that homosexuality is sinful and does not go in line with human relations that was given the Lord himself. Although people deliberately disobey God, he still gives them the opportunity to change and ask for forgiveness because we have of God of second chances.

God needed to apply this dispensation because His people continued to sin. They used the law to live by and not their faith in God. The era of the law begins with the presentation of the Ten Commandments to Moses at Mt. Sinai. This dispensation runs for about one thousand five hundred years, and ends with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Reading the Bible, the timeline would run from Exodus 19, through Acts 1. One important highlight is that the people of this time could not be redeemed through the law. Even later in the Bible the Galatians argued that the law was redemptive. Paul reminded them in Galatians 3:10(ESV), For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of Law, and do them.” This scripture describes those who seek salvation through the law as opposed to doing it through faith. Remembering that Abraham was counted as righteous by faith. Through Abrahams’ faith sprouted the promise. This is where a covenant was made with Abraham. This covenant is like the Land

The Book of Romans has set the main foundation of Christianity among the Jewish people and Roman. This book has covered many different laws of the land that God has given his people. Paul tries to address the many questions that the Jewish people have about faith, laws and righteousness. In this essay I will address the current question that many people have concerning the right way to interpret the meaning of righteousness. Since there isn’t a right or wrong way; to interpret God message in Romans, I will state what I feel is the correct way of the interpretation.

Faith alone can work justification, and man is saved by confidently believing that God will pardon him. This faith not only includes a full pardon of sin, but also an unconditional release from its penalties.

Paul was not fighting against the Law of Moses – he knew the law, and that obeying the commandments would lead to happiness. But he also knew that Christ had come to fulfil the law as messiah, and to reconcile the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19). He did not interpose rejection of the law, but was polemical of Jewish Christians excluding Gentiles on grounds such as circumcision. As he was later to say of the event, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

For the Law is not sufficiently convicting Israel of her sinfulness and sadly this applies to Gentiles as well.” For the Jewish Nation has restest in the law, allowing the Jews to boast about a freedom from judgement as Gods’ elect. Therefore, considering themselves confident to guide the blind and be as a light to them that are in the darkness. (Romans 2:17-23 KJV) Paul uses the key word “restest” as one being slothful; fat, to describe Israel’s lack of understanding the Laws purpose and for not observing the Law.

The doctrine of Justification presents a myriad of problems when taken out of the context of Scripture. Therefore, in this paper, I will argue for a reformed perspective on Justification by way of Biblical expostion. Needless to say, there has been countless of capable theologians who have treated the doctrine of Justification through the past two thousand years. However, it is the apostle Paul, who, inevitably, treats the doctrine of Justification with precision. Therefore, it seems logical to appeal to the apostle, in order to fully understand the weight of what it means to be justified and made righteous before a Holy God.

In reviewing the reading assignment, I believe when Paul says by righteousness, justification, and faith, he is speaking about the believing in God and the purpose of Jesus dying on the cross. Paul says that because Jesus’ voluntary death paid the price for all “lawbreakers”, stating, “through the law, I died to the law” (Harris, 2014 p.358). Paul suggested that the law of the Torah was irrelevant because we all will share, the God’s grace like never before, and if people believed that they would be judged based on following the law of the Torah, why did Christ die for our sins. Paul also says that it is our faith that equals righteousness and because of faith, not because of following the law, faith is the key to God’s divine approval (Harris,

Amenably, in Galatians 5, 6, Paul explicates the outcome of justification by grace through faith is spiritual freedom. Paul appealed to the Galatians to persevere in their freedom, and not become ensnared in the slavery of Mosaic Law. Christian independence is not a justification to appease one’s lower nature, rather a prospect to love one another. Such freedom does not isolate one from life’s struggles. In actuality, it may strengthen the battle concerning the Spirit and the flesh. Nonetheless, the flesh remains crucified with Christ, consequently the Spirit bears His fruit as in love, joy, and peace in the natural life of the believer.