Justification By Faith: Paul's Letter To Christianity

Thesis:

In his letter to the Romans, Paul’s use of Old Testament illustrations and events shows how the Law and prophecy worked in tandem to obtain righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus death on the cross fulfilled the prophecy that all who believe are justified through faith.

Outline

I. Paul uses many Old Testament references to Abraham in his letter to the Romans in order to illustrate how to obtain righteousness. (rephrase find in book)

A. Romans 4: Paul interprets Abraham’s relationship with God as the foundation for understanding “justification by faith”. http://site.ebrary.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/lib/liberty/reader.action?docID=11031258&ppg=593 (righteousness in paul)

1. In Galatians 3:6, Abraham’s submissive trust in

Hsieh argues, that Romans 4:13 promises Abraham’s offspring would receive righteousness not by the law, but through faith.

B. Romans 4: 18-21 Paul describes how righteousness requires an endurance of obedience. (Abraham in romans) (4b)

1. Genesis 22: Abraham endured a whole life of obedience. (4b)

2. Cho, uses Romans 4 to show how Paul exalts Jesus as Lord because of His obedience to God.

II. Paul’s use of the Old Testament to show in Romans how The Law and Prophecy worked in tandem.

A. Romans 3:20-21 Prophets in the OT predicted the good news of the righteousness of God that would come through faith in Jesus Christ.

1. Psalm 143:2 No one living is righteous without faith in Jesus Christ.

2. Piper, accounts for terms in the Old Testament mentioned in Romans 3:25-26 is not about “covenant faithfulness” or “faithfulness to creation”. However, Piper uses 143:1-2 in adequately defining God’s Righteousness in the Old Testament.

B. Paul uses the Old Testament to illustrate how righteousness is for both for the Gentile and the Jew.

(Abraham in

In his doctoral paper, Bird examines the rise of controversial beliefs on the doctrine of justification. Challenging various authors like Gundry and Piper he appears bias in his findings. Nevertheless Bird’s challenge returns evangelicals back to the New Testament to further understand when Paul’s writes “in-Christ”. Bird’s doctrinal position appears to rest that believers are no imputed with Christ righteousness. Rather Christ righteousness glorifies the incarnation of God’s righteousness. The strength of Bird’s reviews are honest representations of each author’s doctrinal belief. Martin Luther is quoted, “He alone is righteous and I am not”. However, due to the bias nature of this writing it will be best to cherry pick non-heretical views from the authors Bird mentions. John Calvin’s view reads like a political statement categorically denying righteousness. However, it appears that Calvin believes that Christ’s righteousness covers the believer since the linage comes from a legalistic Law view that man maintains the fall of Adam. It some how appears obvious that in a rebellious nature where tolerance and endurance run thin, it is possible to develop a heretical view that righteousness is not available to believers. Although the Calvinistic view tries to bridge the gap, it does not appear hold water to