Two Ways of Justification?
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:59 am
In Romans 2 Paul wrote:
Romans 2:5-10 (NASB)
5. But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6. who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7. to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8. but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10. but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 2:13 (NASB)
13. for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
But then in Chapter 3 Paul wrote:
Romans 3:20 (NASB)
20. because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Paul appears to contradict himself here. Aside from any idea of inspiration, Paul seems too brilliant for this.
Some say that Paul teaches works as a means of justification. Don Dewelt, Romans Realized, specifically says that in vss, 7-10 "There is no indication here that sinless perfection is the requirement for receiving eternal life, but rather a constant, unwavering and honest effort to 'attain glory and honor and incorruption', by doing that which they know is right - right according to God's law".
A second interpretation is promoted by many evangelicals, We are justified by faith, not works, which are evidentiary. C.E.B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, says that the "good work" to which God gives eternal life is probably Christians' "conduct as an expression of their faith".
Jack Cottrell, NIV Commentary on Romans disagrees with both above. Cottrell acknowledges that in some sense that every person, including Christians, will be judged by works in the final judgment. But of Paul, in this section of Romans, Cottrell writes: "...as a matter of fact - and this is Paul's whole point in this section - there is no one at all in this classification" who is justified. It is only theoretically or hypothetically true. "Not one single Jew and not one single gentile will be in fact accepted by God in the final judgment because of his good works or obedience to law." "The actual state of things is given in 3:20, that by works of law no one will be justified, since the law judges everyone to be a sinner."
Cottrell writes "...anyone who perseveres in good works, who is a doer of the law, who keeps the commandments, will be justified. This is a statement of fact. Any Jew or gentile who completely obeys the law available to him will be justified. But as a matter of fact - and this is Paul's whole point in this section - there is no one at all in this category, everyone has sinned. But in view of the universality of sin, it is only theoretically or hypothetically true."
Douglas Moo, Romans, vol. I, writes "Paul sets forth the biblical conditions for attaining eternal life apart from Christ. Understood this way, Paul is not speaking hypothetically. But once his doctrine of universal human powerlessness under sin has been developed, it becomes clear the promise can, in fact, never become operative."
Moses Lard, a Commentary on Romans, says "...it is important to notice the sense in which the word justified is here used. The persons are those who have perfectly kept the law. They are not sinners, nor have they ever been. Hence they are not justified in the sense of being released from sin or pardoned. They are justified in the sense of being acquitted when accused, on the score of absolute innocence. They are simply declared to be just or sinless. Justification in such a case would be merited and could not be withheld. But in this sense no soul of man can be justified."
Romans 2:5-10 (NASB)
5. But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6. who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7. to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8. but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10. but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 2:13 (NASB)
13. for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
But then in Chapter 3 Paul wrote:
Romans 3:20 (NASB)
20. because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Paul appears to contradict himself here. Aside from any idea of inspiration, Paul seems too brilliant for this.
Some say that Paul teaches works as a means of justification. Don Dewelt, Romans Realized, specifically says that in vss, 7-10 "There is no indication here that sinless perfection is the requirement for receiving eternal life, but rather a constant, unwavering and honest effort to 'attain glory and honor and incorruption', by doing that which they know is right - right according to God's law".
A second interpretation is promoted by many evangelicals, We are justified by faith, not works, which are evidentiary. C.E.B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, says that the "good work" to which God gives eternal life is probably Christians' "conduct as an expression of their faith".
Jack Cottrell, NIV Commentary on Romans disagrees with both above. Cottrell acknowledges that in some sense that every person, including Christians, will be judged by works in the final judgment. But of Paul, in this section of Romans, Cottrell writes: "...as a matter of fact - and this is Paul's whole point in this section - there is no one at all in this classification" who is justified. It is only theoretically or hypothetically true. "Not one single Jew and not one single gentile will be in fact accepted by God in the final judgment because of his good works or obedience to law." "The actual state of things is given in 3:20, that by works of law no one will be justified, since the law judges everyone to be a sinner."
Cottrell writes "...anyone who perseveres in good works, who is a doer of the law, who keeps the commandments, will be justified. This is a statement of fact. Any Jew or gentile who completely obeys the law available to him will be justified. But as a matter of fact - and this is Paul's whole point in this section - there is no one at all in this category, everyone has sinned. But in view of the universality of sin, it is only theoretically or hypothetically true."
Douglas Moo, Romans, vol. I, writes "Paul sets forth the biblical conditions for attaining eternal life apart from Christ. Understood this way, Paul is not speaking hypothetically. But once his doctrine of universal human powerlessness under sin has been developed, it becomes clear the promise can, in fact, never become operative."
Moses Lard, a Commentary on Romans, says "...it is important to notice the sense in which the word justified is here used. The persons are those who have perfectly kept the law. They are not sinners, nor have they ever been. Hence they are not justified in the sense of being released from sin or pardoned. They are justified in the sense of being acquitted when accused, on the score of absolute innocence. They are simply declared to be just or sinless. Justification in such a case would be merited and could not be withheld. But in this sense no soul of man can be justified."