Posted by Ray Kidder on 6/8/2009, 6:21 pm, in reply to "Re: The Law in Romans 2 by N.T. Wright"
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Jim,
You wrote:
"Now the question arises: given that the last part of 'chapter' 2 seems to refer to Gentile Christians circa 50-60 CE, what are the implications?"
With the understanding that these gentiles were Christians, this sheds light on the proper interpretation of this passage in Romans 3 (NKJV):
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also,
30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.
31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Without the proper understanding, there is an apparent contradition between Romans 3:28 and Romans 2:13 since in one place St. Paul wrote that the doers of the law are justified, and yet in another place he says justification is without the deeds of the law. Here is the verse from Romans 2 (NKJV):
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
By understanding that these gentiles of Romans 2 are Christians, we can see how their goods works (in agreement with the law to cause them to be justified) are through the working of Christ and the Holy Spirit, as explained elsewhere in this epistle. These good works unto justification are not caused by the receiving and the willful performance of proper acts of the law. Their works are in agreement with the law since the law has been written on their hearts, as prophesied by Jeremiah. By first lovng God and their neighbors, their emotional inclinations cause them to live righteously. It also explains how repentance (mentioned earlier in Romans 2) can save a person who has already sinned and come short of the glory of God; as long as the repentance comes through faith in Jesus.
People have misinterpreted Romans 3:28 to imply that faith in Christ without good works saves a person.
Ray Kidder
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