New Testament Survey Pauline Epistles Week 7

1. New Testament Survey Pauline EpistlesWeek 7 Romans 1 – 8 Justification

2. Romans Justification by Faith alone in Christ Alone

3. Romans • Author • Romans 1:1 clearly states that the writer is Paul • Tertius was probably Paul’s scribe (amanuensis) • Purpose • To meet the needs of the immediate readers…. • To clarify the fundamental Christian principle of ‘righteousness’ as contrasted with the Jewish approach • To clarify the problem of Israel’s failure and her relationship to the universal Christian Church.

4. External Evidence • Patristic Writers • Ignatius • Polycarp • Justin Martyr • Irenaeus • Muratorian fragment • Marcion

5. Date of Writing: • Probably written from Corinth sometime between 57 - 58 AD. • This was at the end of Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey • This letter preceded Paul’s visit to Rome (Rom. 15:25-28) • Occasion and Purpose of Writing: • Announces his impending visit to Rome • To clarify the relationship of Judaism to Christianity (Rom. 1:16, 9-11)

6. The Book of RomansIts Characteristics • Theological Depth • Redemptive Themes • Total Depravity • Justification by Faith • Original Sin • Unconditional Election • Perseverance of the Saints • Work of Christ • Sanctification by the Holy Spirit • Vocabulary • Sin, wrath, death, Law, righteousness, justify, reckon, faith, believe, life, hope, body, flesh, spirit, gospel, salvation, circumcision, Jew, etc.

7. Use of Old Testament Scriptures • Law • Rom. 2:12-16; 3:27-31; 5:20-21; and 7:1-8:4 • Sin • Rom. 1:18-2:5; 3:23, 25 • Faith • Rom. 1:16-17; 3:21ff; 5:1ff • Value • Raises issues relevant today • Vast amount of material on Christian life • Fills in where other letters lack: • Sin, Work of Christ, The State, Antinomianism

8. Romans – Outline • 1:1-8:39 – Revelation of the Righteousness of God A. 1:1-3:20 – Condemnation: Need for God’s Righteousness B. 3:21-5:21 – Justification: Inspiration of God’s Righteousness C. 6:1-8:39 – Sanctification: Demonstration of God’s Righteousness II. 9:1-11:36 – Vindication of the Righteousness of God A. 9:1-9:29 – Israel’s Past: Election B. 9:30-10:21 – Israel’s Present: Rejection C. 11:1-11:36 – Israel’s Future: Restoration III. 12:1-16:27 – Application of the Righteousness of God A. 12:1-13:14 – Christian Duties B. 14:1-16:27 – Christian Liberties

10. The Work of Christ: JustificationNotes from Ladd • Importance of the Doctrine of Justification • Justification is Eschatological • Justification is Forensic • The Ground for Justification • The Means of Justification • Justification and Subsequent Sins • Imputation

11. Importance of theDoctrine of Justification • Justification is being declared righteous • Justification is not being made righteous • Righteousness involves conformity to a norm • Righteousness involves a relationship • The relationship in question is that of God & Man • 2 Cor. 9:9 – Paul uses righteousness as an ethical quality, but does so in reference to God proper. • If righteousness is not ethical (through man’s behavior), then, it is forensic(through God’s formal legal argument to declare man right.

12. Justification is Eschatological • The verdict (of man’s righteousness or unrighteousness) will be rendered only at final judgment. Matt. 12:36-37 • Paul shares this Gospel perspective. Gal. 5:5 • Paul’s view of this is opposed to Judaism • Paul intimates that future eschatological justification has already taken place: • Romans 5:1, 5:9, and I Cor. 6:11 • “The Age to Come has reached back into the present to bring “soteric blessings” to human beings.” Ladd

13. Justification is Forensic • Forensic: formal legal argumentation • One is righteous whom the judge declares so • Judges acquit the innocent, condemn the guilty • God is pictured as a judge of human beings • Psalms 9:4, 33:5, and Jeremiah 11:20 • “Forensic means that God is conceived as the ruler, lawgiver, and judge and justification is the declaration of the judge that a person is righteous.” Ladd

14. The Ground of Justification • The Ground of justification is not obedience to the Law: • Rom 3:20 – inability to achieve perfect obedience • Rom. 7:7-12 – true intent of the Law (conviction) • The Ground of justification is not: • Man’s works • Man’s faith • Not the work of Christ in us (subjectively) • The Ground of justification is: • The death of Christ (Rom. 5:9) • What Christ has done for us (objectively)

15. Christ’s Death & God’s Love • Christ’s Death • Was not merited by Him (He was sinless) • Was a voluntary forensic experience • God’s righteousnesswould remain valid, even if He condemned each sinner to death • By God’s grace, mercy and love shown through the death of Christ, God vindicates sinners and delivers them from doom.

16. The Means of Justification • Faith is the means by which justification becomes effective for the individual. • Justification is a gift bestowed to be received by faith (Rom. 3:24-25) • Faith is the way to accept this work of God in Christ. • Rom. 3:28 – Man is justified by faith, not works • “It means the relinquishing of any effort to justify oneself and a complete reliance on the work of God in one’s behalf.” Ladd

17. Justification and Subsequent Sins • There is an appearance that there is sinbefore and after justification. Not so . . The solution = the eschatological character of Justification. • Remember the eschatological character of justification: • Justification does not occur at belief • Justification is the final judgment that is in Christ a future fulfillment and a present reality. • So believers are justified from all guilt – before the time of belief and after.

18. I m p u t a t i o n • Imputation of righteousness is never expressly stated in Scripture. • Rom. 4:3 – Faith was reckoned as righteousness • Some take this to mean: faith is a meritorious achievement. Not so. • Righteousness is reckoned entirely apart from human merit. • 2 Cor. 5:21 – “In Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (Forensic, not ethical)