Posted by Ray Kidder on 6/23/2009, 7:56 pm, in reply to "Re: The Law in Romans 2 by N.T. Wright"
98.204.216.96
Jim,
It is interesting that Joel Garver, who seems to be a member of the Orthodox Presbyterian denomination, thinks the gentiles of Romans 2 may very well be Christians. See this link:
THE DOERS OF THE LAW WILL BE JUSTIFIED
This part of the web page is interesting:
"Thus, going back to Romans 2, when Paul says that is it "the doers of the law" who will be justified on the last day, it is possible that what he has in mind is, first and foremost, those (Gentile believers) who count as "doers of the law" by putting their faith in Christ. Inasmuch as that sort of faith is extraspective and looks away from itself and rests upon and receives Christ as the one in whom God's promises are fulfilled and to his faithfulness (and thus as the telos of the law), "doing the law" cannot be in any way interpreted in terms of obedience that avails before God for (even our final) justification.
And yet, on the other hand, such a faith produces fruit (as Rom 6 and 13, among other places, make clear). Justification, after all, involves a deliverance from the power of sin unto newness of life (Rom 6:7, where the term "justified" bleeds off in this direction), as the embodied and conjoined effect of God's judicial verdict over us in Christ (which is made based upon what Christ has already done apart from us, for us, imputed to us for the forgiveness of sins)."
He does not say he is sure the gentiles of Romans 2 are Christians, but his writing alludes to his belief that this interpretation makes a lot of sense to him.
Ray Kidder
Message Thread:
« Back to thread