Faith, Works, and Grace Understanding the Pauline Synthesis I. Introduction A. There has been significant argument made in "Christendom" in the past 500 years over faith, works, and grace 1. Does faith only save? 2. Do we need works? 3. Where does grace fit in? B. Discussions about this issue have rarely been profitable 1. The Protestant looks only at passages like Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 3:22-24 and will not hear of James 2:14-26; others will attempt to brush aside verses like Ephesians 2:8-9 and magnify passages like James 2:14-26 2. Luther went so far as to intentionally cast doubt on the authenticity of James because of James 2:14-26 C. Can this issue be understood? 1. If we hold to the New Testament and remove the baggage of 500 years, we can make sense out of the text 2. It is also of great assistance to recognize Paul's audience and Paul's message D. Let us now look into the Word of God and understand faith, works, and grace II. Reading Romans and Galatians A. The first text we need to examine in this study is Romans 1:5-4:8 B. Romans 1 1. Romans 1:5: demonstration of the need to have obedient faith in Jesus Christ and that all nations are to have such faith; Paul therefore begins the letter with the concept of "obedient faith" and that both Jew and Gentile must have this faith 2. Romans 1:16-17: introduction to this entire discussion a. Rarely do we look at the discussion's beginning to understand what Paul is attempting to say b. Paul's argument is that the Gospel is the power of salvation for both the Jew and the Greek and that it reveals the righteousness of God for those who have faith 3. Romans 1:18-32: the spiritual darkness of the Gentiles a. Paul here speaks regarding the Gentiles in their unbelief b. They ought to know God through His creation: Romans 1:19-22 c. Their lack of this knowledge and their subsequent idolatry compelled God to give them over to their natural lusts d. Thus it is demonstrated that the Gentiles required salvation C. Historical Excursus: History of the Gentiles 1. In order for us to understand better Paul's argumentation and point we need to understand the history of the Gentiles 2. The Gentiles in Paul's day, specifically the Romans and Greeks throughout the Roman Empire, were known for their immorality and idolatry a. Their religion was orthopraxic: the only necessity was "right works." b. As a professor I had said, "you can believe that Zeus is a complete jerk, but as long as you provide the requisite sacrifices, you can secure his good favor." c. Hellenistic religion, and therefore cultural practice, allowed you to do basically whatever you wanted as long as no one of social significance was harmed and you could easily excuse it all away with sacrifice 3. Paul, therefore, is preaching to a group of people who regard religion to be proper sacrifices at proper times to secure the good will of the gods 4. As we continue, remember this about the Gentiles D. Romans 2 1. Romans 2:1-5: condemnation of those who stand in judgment a. Those who judge and yet are guilty of "the same" all refer back to Romans 1:18-32; these people are those who sit in judgment of the darkened unbelievers but who actually perform similar deeds b. Likely a veiled reference to the Jews 2. Romans 2:6-8: the basis of the judgment a. Here again we see a clear reference to works b. Those who by patience in good works sought glory, honor, and immortality receive eternal life c. Those who in self-seeking obey unrighteousness: wrath and fury 3. Romans 2:9-11: racial/ethnic/national equality of judgment a. The same comments made on an universal scale in Romans 2:6-8 are repeated again with direct reference to the fact that both Jews and Greeks will receive judgment on the same basis: their works b. Romans 2:11 states that God is not partial c. NB: by "Greek" Paul refers to all Gentiles d. The historical significance of this statement is enormous, for the Gentiles did not like the Jews and the Jews loathed the Gentiles; the Jews especially prided themselves on their "superiority" to the Gentiles. Paul is overthrowing thousands of years of racial/ethnic bias with this statement 4. Romans 2:12-16: "a law to themselves" a. Paul here deals with the question raised by Romans 2:6-11: how can the Gentiles be judged by their works when they did not receive the Law of Moses? b. Paul explains that the law is done despite not hearing it and therefore demonstrates that this law is written on the heart, and confirms that it is not merely hearing of the law that justifies, but rather the actual doing of the law. 5. Romans 2:17-24: the arrogance of the Jews a. Paul now has fully turned to the Jews, those to whom the Law was given and who were very confident in themselves because of it b. Paul chastises them since while they may uphold portions of the law they violate others c. Thus it is demonstrated that the Jews also require salvation in Christ 6. Romans 2:25-29: the nature of circumcision a. Paul then speaks about the one ritual of Judaism that embodied Jewish distinctiveness: circumcision b. Paul "spiritualizes" circumcision, demonstrating that "circumcision" is nothing if there is not faith and obedience to God; "circumcision" can become "uncircumcision" and likewise "uncircumcision" can become "circumcision" if one is not physically a Jew but yet obeys God c. Thus Paul demonstrates that those in Christ are the new Israel E. Historical Excursus: History of the Jews 1. As we see in this passage and throughout much of Israel's history, the Jews prided themselves in being God's people and considered themselves worthy of salvation because of that 2. After all, God had promised them the land and that He was their God; for a large portion of their history (and indeed, during Paul's own time), a temple existed in Jerusalem where they were able to make the requisite sacrifices to God 3. The Jews did not do those nasty deeds of the Gentiles; they were a people separated for God. 4. The Jews, therefore, believed more in their own "sanctification," being a people set aside and different from the rest, and therefore believed that salvation was entitled to them for their religious and ethnic heritage 5. Remember this also as we continue F. Romans 3 1. Romans 3:1-8: Advantages of the Jew? a. Paul first establishes that the Jews had the advantage of having the Law b. Yet no Jew (save Christ, of whom he has not yet spoken) had ever kept the Law; is God therefore unjust? Or is God not faithful? c. Paul then demonstrates to the reader's relief that the actions of men by no means nullify the sovereignty and justice of God 2. Romans 3:9-20: the depravity of man a. As the natural conclusion of the criticisms of both the Gentiles and the Jews in Romans 1:18-2:29, Paul demonstrates that all men have sinned, using Psalms 14:1-3, 53:1-3, 5:9, 140:3, 10:7, Proverbs 1:16, 3:15-17, Isaiah 59:7-8, and Psalm 36:1 as evidence b. Paul's conclusion: since all men have sinned no work of man is inherently in and of itself able to justify a man before God 3. Romans 3:21-26: Jesus is the solution a. We have seen that all therefore have sinned and no work will save a man, and now Paul reveals that Jesus Christ is the answer for mankind b. His blood was the propitiation for our sins c. God's righteousness is Jesus Christ and this sacrifice 4. Romans 3:27-31: What about law? a. As if immediately recognizing the questions that would arise in the reader's mind, Paul then establishes that law is not dispensed with, and that the law is not of works but of faith, and that this law of faith upholds the righteousness of God G. Romans 4 1. Romans 4:1-8: the example of Abraham a. Partly to counter potential dissensions and also to help explain this to us, Paul speaks of Abraham and his faith b. Abraham believed in God and it was counted to him as righteousness c. Paul explains the nuance between justification by works vs. justification by faith with the example of wages vs. trust: one who works for wages works to earn his wage, yet the one who trusts and thus acts, to this one righteousness is counted d. A more modern example would be our own lives: we will work for wages for an employer and we feel that we earn the pay we make; we also, however, work at home for our loved ones and do not expect reward 2. Romans 4:9-25 explains how God justified Abraham while yet uncircumcised and thus demonstrated that justification by faith is not dependent on the Law of Moses or the covenant of circumcision and thus can come to all men H. Before we attempt to tie up all the many loose ends we have in this chapter, let us first examine a portion of Galatians 3 1. Galatians 3:10-14: another explanation of works and faith 2. Those who rely on works of the law alone are cursed since even one infraction renders a guilty verdict 3. Christ, therefore, had to be the curse for us if we are going to be able to be saved in this way the righteous will be able to live by faith I. Let us now tie everything together to understand this issue III. Faith, Works, and Grace A. What shall we say then? B. We must first remember our foundations from Romans 1:5 and Romans 1:16-17 1. Paul's intent is to foster obedient faith in all men 2. The Gospel is the power of salvation to all men, both Jew and Greek 3. The righteous shall live by faith C. How, then, do faith, works, and grace work together? 1. Romans 1:16-3:20 prove that man has sinned and fallen short; these and Galatians 3:10 demonstrate that a man cannot be justified by his works if there is sin to his account 2. Since all men have thus fallen short, and man himself was not capable by himself to bridge the gap, God bridged the gap with the sacrifice of His Son for the remission of our sins: this was the manifestation of His grace to us 3. Faith is the belief in the truth of Jesus Christ paired with obedience to His will D. The Protestants of course will object to this definition of faith since it would require works and they see Paul saying that works cannot save E. What shall we say to these things? F. Let us again review the history of the people to whom Paul speaks 1. We noted that the Gentiles practiced an orthopraxic religion that emphasized right works over all things 2. We also noted that the Jews were proud of their distinctiveness and trusted in their salvation based on this distinctiveness 3. Paul's responsibility, therefore, is for each group to understand that works or birth or any such thing can justify a man 4. Jesus Christ is the only one who can justify 5. This is why Paul speaks throughout Romans 1:16-4:8 and Galatians 3:1-28 that works by themselves do not justify nor can they save; but again, Paul emphasizes that he speaks of works alone! 6. As Paul says in Romans 2:6-11 and 3:27-30, this does not mean that works are not to be done and that we will be saved by factors of which we have no control, for our judgment and destiny are determined by what we have done G. The difference is what Paul spoke of in Romans 2:6-10 and Romans 4:4-5 1. Works done for self and done in the hope to merit salvation condemn 2. Works done not to merit salvation but compelled by belief in Jesus Christ in patience, seeking His honor and glory and immortality will save H. As explained in Galatians 3:10-14, Christ became as the curse of the Law to us so that we might live by faith and be thus accounted as righteous IV. Conclusion A. Despite 500 years of controversy, we see that there is no contradiction in the Gospel message B. All men have sinned and fallen short of God, and therefore the works of man in and of themselves can never and will never save (Romans 1:16-3:20) C. God demonstrated His grace to us by sending His Son to die upon the cross to be the curse of the Law and allow our salvation (Romans 3:21-26, Galatians 3:10-14) D. Our response to the manifestation of God's grace is belief and faith, and that faith is an obedient faith, the one by which the righteous live and whose works, done not for merit but in response to trust and belief in God to salvation (Romans 1:5, 16-17, 2:6-11, 3:27-31, 4:1-8) E. There is no disharmony in any of these passages or in Ephesians 2:8-10 and James 2:14-26 F. Believe in this truth and accept Jesus Christ in humble obedience, for your works will never save you G. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Through whom we received grace and apostleship, unto obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake (Romans 1:5). Paul preaches the Gospel unto the obedience of faith among the nations. Paul will have much to say about faith, works, and grace in Romans, and we do well to remember that it is all for the goal of obedience in faith among the nations. Let us obey the Lord Jesus Christ! 2: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). People among the nations turned away from God and served the creation and not the Creator. They are indicted for their sins and encouraged to turn away from the idea that right practice could save them. Let us trust in God in Christ and not in the idols of the world! 3: Because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20). Many in Israel put their trust in their status before God and their observance of the Law for their salvation. Paul makes it clear that such people have sinned as well and the Law will not justify them since they have transgressed. Let us not try to trust in a law for salvation! 4: For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16). The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Jesus died for our sins since we could not save ourselves. We trust in God's grace in Christ and then serve Him; such is how we obtain and maintain reconciliation with God in Christ. We are saved by grace through faith manifest in works!