Righteousness Vs. The Covenant Promises

Righteousness is another word that may be misunderstood. It involves our dealings and relations with others. When we behave in a righteous way, it is because we are consistent in every given circumstance in regards to others. God is our example of righteousness. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Even the devil cannot call into question that God is righteous in all his dealings.

With righteousness we are made okay with God and proclaim our faith through Abraham that Jesus was resurrected by God.

Over the centuries, Christianity has organised its beliefs into a systematic theology that draws from its sacred writing and tradition. While the main beliefs of Christianity are shared by all Christian variants, there are degrees of different in the interpretation of these beliefs and how they are lived out in everyday life. This can be seen in the important of sacred text, principle belief of the concept of salvation in John 3:16, principle belief of divine and humanity in ‘John 1:14’, principle belief of resurrection in ‘Mark 16:1-8’, principle belief of revelation in ‘1 corinthians14:6’, and beliefs through the Trinity in ‘2 Corinthians 13:14’. This essay will explain the important of the sacred text and the principal beliefs of Christianity.

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”.

Romans 1-4 is the first section of Paul’s letter. This section has two major structural units. The first unit defined the human problem of sin. The second unit of the first section defined the solution to the human problem of sin. Paul’s outline of this solution is the first section’s single most compelling issue. Romans 3:22-24, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” The solution to our human problem, righteousness credited to us as a result of faith in Christ’s sacrifice, is available to all of us only because of God’s compassionate grace.

The purpose behind this paper is to offer a brief review on a book called “Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple Judaism” . This review will focus on four major components, first being the editor’s information. The editor’s information will cover education, any positions they hold today, and whatever scholarship information that is currently available. The second thing that will be reviewed will be a concise summary of the major theme of the book followed by the third, an honest and courteous evaluation of the book. The fourth thing that will be added is a bibliography at the end of the paper for reference of the book.

The everlasting covenant spoken of in the book of Isaiah is fulfilled in New Testament passage and confirms that God has and will continue to keep His covenant. John 14:27 shows that Jesus gave His peace to the world. Jesus is our peace (NIV, Ephesians 2:13-18). Romans 6:23 say that the wages of sin is

Paul’s letter to the Romans is known as one of his greatest theological works. It has been passed down for thousands of years and is still just as relevant today as it was in Paul’s time. How exactly is it relevant the modern day Christian may ask? What with its harsh language that includes strong sentences such as “the wages of sin is death” (6:23) and “the wrath of God” (1:18) one may say that the times have changed. Some may say that these issues in Paul’s time are acceptable in society today. Jesus is all loving not wrathful. What exactly is the Christian to think? The purpose of this short essay is to examine how the Book of Romans relates to the Christian in the twenty-first century and how it helps to shape his worldview.

In essence we are totally indigent within ourselves. As humans we have things wrong with us that we cannot fix on our own, we need Jesus to justify, sanctify, and to glorify us. Paul proclaims that knowledge of the law brings wrath, the Gentiles conversely didn’t have the law. The Jews by Paul’s teaching are under a stronger condemnation because they had the law all along (Romans 4:15). Essentially, the Jews are held to a higher standard than the gentiles. No matter if we are Jew or Gentile, we are all condemned by God the same but held to different standards. Romans 3:20, “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” God and sin cannot be together. Rome in Paul’s day and our world today are truthfully no different. We are all sinners and the only way we can be justified is by His grace through the redemption of Jesus (Romans

The book under review is titled, Reading Romans in Context: Paul and Second Temple Judaism, edited by Ben C. Blackwell, John K. Goodrich, Jason Maston with a foreword by Francis Watson.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is of his greatest theological works, passed down for thousands of years and still as relevant today as it was in Paul’s time. How exactly is it relevant the modern Christian may ask? What with its harsh language that includes statements such as “the wages of sin is death” (6:23) and “the wrath of God” (1:18), one may say that current times have changed. Some may say that the issues Paul addresses are acceptable in today’s society. What exactly is the Christian to think? The purpose of this short essay is to examine how the Book of Romans relates to the Christian in the twenty-first century and how it helps to shape his worldview.

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 unmerited favor of God expressed unto those who did nothing of their own power to earn this gift. Because of Christ Jesus obedience unto the death of the cross, the grace of God is given unto us through justification by faith unto righteous, when one truly repents for their sins, (Romans 5:17-19).

However, the prophets define righteousness as the way that God acted in the world. (i.e.: Jer 9:23-24). Justice is described in how people were to live in the world in relation to each other and to other people. Justice in this sense does not carry the legal meaning sometimes attached to it. It is not making sure that everyone gets exactly what they deserve based on law. There is some dimension of that in other traditions where justice is what God brings to those who violate his torah. But in the prophet’s justice it means to practice grace and mercy towards those who have no power to serve it for themselves. It means to protect and defend those who are helpless and powerless.

Deliverance from sin’s power and hell comes through a transformation of one’s heart, which happens only through a believer’s repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. The outcome of this true transformation is sanctification. This paper will address Paul’s message, about sanctification, in Romans, including but not limited to chapters 8, 6, 7, and 12.