Romans bible study

[smkw]

The point that Jesus redemptive work on the cross is the unearned source of salvation is crucial. No one earns salvation.

The faith and works that are necessary for our salvation flow from the work of Jesus on the cross and are the result of grace.

Abraham’s faith is reckoned to him as righteouness in an anticipatory fashion in relationship to Jesus salvific work on the cross. The promise to Abraham is of descendents even though he and Sarah were beyond child bearing age. The impossibility of these descendents is made clear by Paul in his comments about Abraham and Sarah, yet God promises them descendents and Abraham believes.

Abraham’s faith is reckoned as righteousness, but his faith is completed in his works. Abraham, by faith, had marital relations with Sarah and thus fathered Isaac. If Abraham had not completed his faith in the promise, then he would not have had the descendents and the promise would have been void. Likewise, this would have represented disobedience to the promise, and his faith would have been dead and incomplete. Such faith would not have been reckoned as righteousness.

It is crucial to see these things from this perspective to understand that Paul is not saying that we are saved by “faith alone.” Paul makes it clear that Abraham is not justified by “circumcision” or works of the law. Paul makes it clear that Abraham is saved by his “relationship” with God and his obedience of faith. Abraham has a completed faith through his works(i.e.marital relations in this case) rather than a faith that is an acceptance and mental ascent alone.

 

[Nita]

The point that Jesus redemptive work on the cross is the unearned source of salvation is crucial. No one earns salvation.

The faith and works that are necessary for our salvation flow from the work of Jesus on the cross and are the result of grace.

Abraham’s faith is reckoned to him as righteouness in an anticipatory fashion in relationship to Jesus salvific work on the cross. The promise to Abraham is of descendents even though he and Sarah were beyond child bearing age. The impossibility of these descendents is made clear by Paul in his comments about Abraham and Sarah, yet God promises them descendents and Abraham believes.

Abraham’s faith is reckoned as righteousness, but his faith is completed in his works. Abraham, by faith, had marital relations with Sarah and thus fathered Isaac. If Abraham had not completed his faith in the promise, then he would not have had the descendents and the promise would have been void. Likewise, this would have represented disobedience to the promise, and his faith would have been dead and incomplete. Such faith would not have been reckoned as righteousness.

It is crucial to see these things from this perspective to understand that Paul is not saying that we are saved by “faith alone.” Paul makes it clear that Abraham is not justified by “circumcision” or works of the law. Paul makes it clear that Abraham is saved by his “relationship” with God and his obedience of faith. Abraham has a completed faith through his works(i.e.marital relations in this case) rather than a faith that is an acceptance and mental ascent alone.

Thanks for the above Pax.
When we read of Abraham’s faith in God’s promise, it may seem like it would be easy for Abraham to believe - since what was promised was desirable. But, when one puts oneselves in Abraham’s shoes, imagines being as old as he and Sarah were, and then being given the promise, - well, I wonder how many of us would truly have believed, trusted, and lived waiting for it to happen.

 

[savedsinner]

I read where Abraham believed and trusted in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
But when I go back and read Genesis, I see that even though God promised Abraham a decedent through Sarah, Abraham takes Hagar to produce a child. It seems to me that he didn’t trust God in this situation after all.
Does this mean that our faith can be very weak, and God will still be faithful to us, understanding that we are weak humans?

 

[smkw]

I read where Abraham believed and trusted in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
But when I go back and read Genesis, I see that even though God promised Abraham a decedent through Sarah, Abraham takes Hagar to produce a child. It seems to me that he didn’t trust God in this situation after all.
Does this mean that our faith can be very weak, and God will still be faithful to us, understanding that we are weak humans?

 

[smkw]

smkw:
I think it does. I think God has patience with us while we “figure it out”. God’s promise was fulfilled when Abraham trusted God, not when he took Hagar and had a child not of the promise.
But looking at history…it seems his lack of faith had some serious consequences!

 

[Pax]

I read where Abraham believed and trusted in God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
But when I go back and read Genesis, I see that even though God promised Abraham a decedent through Sarah, Abraham takes Hagar to produce a child. It seems to me that he didn’t trust God in this situation after all.
Does this mean that our faith can be very weak, and God will still be faithful to us, understanding that we are weak humans?

This is a great point and it may very well be related to the fact that Abraham is clearly justified on more than one occasion.

 

[SyCarl]

Romans 4:1-25 NASB
(1) What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found?
(2) For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.
(3) For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Paul indicates that whatever works might do, they do not justify before God. Abraham obeyed God, but that did not bring him glory. His faith was counted as righteousness without works. The promise of descendants through Sarah was made many years before Isaac was born. Yet Abraham was counted as righteous right from the time he believed. Origen writes:

Was Abraham justified just because he had faith to believe he would be given a son? Or was it because of all the other things which he had believed previously?..Before this point, Abraham had believed in part but not perfectly. Now however, all the parts of his earlier faith are gathered together to make a perfect whole, by which he is justified.-Origen (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Gerald Bray, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament VI: Romans (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1998), p. 107.))

Unlike earlier passages, Paul here refers just to works and not works of the law. The works he refers to are completely separate from those of the Mosaic Covenant as those laws would not be given until hundreds of years after Abraham’s death.

(4) Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due.
(5) But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,

No matter how many works we may do, we can never stand before God on the basis of those works. The only wages we deserve would be God’s wrath. But Paul tells us that even one who does no work is justified by faith.

Disagreements exist between many Protestants and Catholics as to whether righteousness is actually infused into the believer and he becomes righteousness or whether righteousness is simply imputed. I believe that elements of both are involved, with much misunderstanding taking place because Catholics and Protestants use the same term with different meanings. Much of what Catholics see as part of justification falls under regeneration for Protestants. In regeneration we are given a new nature and are freed from the slavery of sin. We are able to love God and pursue righteousness. However since we are not perfect in this life, justification involves an imputation that we are righteous. While our sins are forgiven and we can pursue righteousness, we still have part of our sinful nature inside us and can sin. Hebrews tells us that if we were perfect we would have no consciousness of sin.

For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?
(Hebrews 10:1-2 NASB)

Even though this deals with Old Testament sacrifices, it does tell us that if we were perfect we would have no consciousness of sins. Since we do, we are not perfectly righteous.

(to be continued)

 

[SyCarl]

(continued)

Thomas Aquinas seems to recognize that there is at least an element of imputation involved when he sets out what Paul means by “it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

1. First, therefore, he says that to him who works the works of justice, the reward of eternal recompense—concerning which Isaiah 4010) says, “Behold his reward is with him”—are not reckoned as a gift [secundum gratiam] only but as his due: “Did you not agree with me for a denarius?” (Mt 20:2).

But on the contrary it is stated below (6:23), “The free gift [gratia] of God is eternal life,” and again: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18). Therefore, that reward is not made as due, but as a gift.

The answer is that human works can be considered in two ways. In one way, according to the substance of the works, and considered this way they do not have anything deserving [condignum] that the award of eternal glory should be given.
In another way, they can be considered according to their source, namely, insofar as they are performed under God’s impulse in accord with the intention of God who predestines. And in this respect the aforesaid reward is due them by debt, because, as is stated below (8:14): “All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God”; “and if sons, then heirs” (8:17).

1. Then (v. 5) he shows how the eternal award is related to faith, saying, but to one who does not work outward works, for example, because he does not have time to work, as in the case of one who dies immediately after baptism, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, namely, in God, of whom he says below (8:33): “It is God who justifies,” his faith is reckoned, i.e., faith alone without outward works, as righteousness, so that in virtue of it he is called just and receives the reward of justice, just as if he had done the works of justice, as he says below (10:10): “Man believes with his heart and so is justified,” according the purpose of the grace of God, i.e., accordingly as God proposes to save men gratuitously: “Who are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28); “He accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph 1:11)
   .
2. Another explanation refers those words to man’s justification.

Then to the one who works, i.e., if anyone be justified by works, the justice would be reckoned not as a gift but as his due: “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (Rom 11:6). But to him who does not work, so as to be justified by his works, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith will be reckoned as justice according to the purpose of God’s grace, not that he merits justice through faith, but because the believing itself is the first act of the justice God works in him. For from the fact that he believes in God justifying, he submits himself to his justification and thus receives its effect.

This is the literal explanation and accords with the intention of the Apostle, who lays special stress on the words, “it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6)” a saying which is used when that which is lacking on someone’s part is reckoned to him gratis, as if he had accomplished the whole.
That is why the Apostle says that such reckoning would have no place, if righteousness were from works, but only as it is from faith…

Such original sin is said to be forgiven, because the reatus passes with the coming of grace, but the effect remains in the form of fomes or concupiscence, which is not entirely taken away in this life, but is remitted or mitigated.-Aquinas, Lectures on the Letter to the Romans, Chapter 4, Lecture 1

aquinas.avemaria.edu/Aquinas_on_Romans.pdf

Notice that the person is called just as if he had done the works required. That which the person lacks was freely reckoned to him as if he had wholly accomplished it. There is also the recognition that during this life concupiscence remains with us so that we are not perfect.

(to be continued)

 

[SyCarl]

(continued)

Augustine also recognizes that the righteousness that we have in this life does not meet God’s ultimate standard of perfection.

Therefore the first commandment about righteousness, which bids us love the Lord with all our heart, and soul, and mind (the next to which is, that we love our neighbour as ourselves), we shall completely fulfil in that life when we shall see face to face. But even now this commandment is enjoined upon us, that we may be reminded what we ought by faith to require, and what we should in our hope look forward to, and, “forgetting the things which are behind, reach forth to the things which are before.” And** thus, as it appears to me, that man has made a far advance, even in the present life, in the righteousness which is to be perfected hereafter, who has discovered by this very advance how very far removed he is from the completion of righteousness**.

Forasmuch, however, as an inferior righteousness may be said to be competent to this life**, whereby the just man lives by faith**, although absent from the Lord, and, therefore, walking by faith and not yet by sight,—it may be without absurdity said, no doubt, in respect of it, that it is free from sin; for it ought not to be attributed to it as a fault, that it is not as yet sufficient for so great a love to God as is due to the final, complete, and perfect condition thereof….And do they prove this to be wrong which is written, “In Thy sight shall no man living be justified?” and this: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us?” and, “There is no man that sinneth not;” and again, “There is not on the earth a righteous man, who doeth good and sinneth not” (for both these statements are expressed in a general future sense,—“sinneth not,” “will not sin,”—not in the past time, “has not sinned”)?—and all other places of this purport contained in the Holy Scripture? Since, however, these passages cannot possibly be false, it plainly follows, to my mind, that whatever be the quality or extent of the righteousness which we may definitely ascribe to the present life, there is not a man living in it who is absolutely free from all sin; and that it is necessary for every one to give, that it may be given to him; and to forgive, that it may be forgiven him; and whatever righteousness he has, not to presume that he has it of himself, but from the grace of God, who justifies him, and still to go on hungering and thirsting for righteousness from Him who is the living bread, and with whom is the fountain of life; who works in His saints, whilst labouring amidst temptation in this life, their justification in such manner that He may still have somewhat to impart to them liberally when they ask, and something mercifully to forgive them when they confess.-Augustine (On the Spirit and the Letter, Chapters 64-65)
newadvent.org/fathers/1502.htm

Now, so far as I can see, this statement was made in accordance with a certain standard of conduct, which is among men held to be worthy of approval and praise, and which no human being could justly call in question for the purpose of laying accusation or censure. Such a standard Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth are said to have maintained in the sight of God, for no other reason than that they, by walking therein, never deceived people by any dissimulation; but as they in their sincerity appeared to men, so were they known in the sight of God. The statement, however, was not made with any reference to that perfect state of righteousness in which we shall one day live truly and absolutely in a condition of spotless purity.-Augustine (On the Grace of Christ and on Original Sin, Chapter 53)
ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf105.xv.iii.liii.html?scrBook=Rom&scrCh=1&scrV=17#xv.iii.liii-p8.1

(to be continued)

 

[SyCarl]

(continued)

(6) just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
(7) "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED.
(8) “BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.”

Paul then emphasizes his point by quoting from David in Psalm 32. Note that not only is the word forgiven used, but so are the words “covered” and “will not take into account”, both of which suggest imputation.

(9) Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
(10) How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;
(11) and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,
(12) and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.
(13) For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
(14) For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;
(15) for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.
(16) For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
(17) (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Paul then goes on to show that Abraham was justified by faith before he was circumcised to show that both Jews and Gentiles are covered by the promises. Note that the blessing of being reckoned as righteous was complete even before Abraham was circumcised so that it is not dependent on the works that he would do afterwards. The sign of circumcision was given as a seal of the righteousness that had already been reckoned to him.

(18) In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.”
(19) Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;
(20) yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
(21) and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

Paul then shows how strong Abraham’s faith was with the result that the promise of the multitude of his descendants was fulfilled, even though from a human viewpoint it would seem to have been impossible.

(22) Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
(23) Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
(24) but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
(25) He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Paul then completes this part of his letter with the assurance that just as Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness, so will ours be who have faith in Jesus. Origen writes that this crediting does involve an element of imputation.

Paul says that the promise given to Abraham that he should inherit the world did not come from the law but by faith, which was reckoned to him as righteousness. It doubtless follows that everyone who hopes that God’s righteousness will be imputed to him hopes by faith and not by the law.-Origen (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Gerald Bray, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, New Testament VI: Romans (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1998), p. 114.))

 

[graceandglory]

Although they know the just decree of God that **all who practice such things deserve death, **they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

I think this is a scripture that is foundational for Catholic doctrine on mortal sin and venial sin.

Clearly here, and in other books, the Bible makes a difference between some sins that are mortal.

 

[Odell]

**Chapter 5

1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2
through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
3
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,
4
and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,
5
and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6
For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
7
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
8
But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
9
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.
10
Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
11
Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
12
Therefore, just as through one person sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all, inasmuch as all sinned
13
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
14
But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.
15
But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by that one person’s transgression the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one person Jesus Christ overflow for the many.
16
And the gift is not like the result of the one person’s sinning. For after one sin there was the judgment that brought condemnation; but the gift, after many transgressions, brought acquittal.
17
For if, by the transgression of one person, death came to reign through that one, how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of justification come to reign in life through the one person Jesus Christ.
18
In conclusion, just as through one transgression condemnation came upon all, so through one righteous act acquittal and life came to all.
19
For just as through the disobedience of one person the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one the many will be made righteous.
20
The law entered in so that transgression might increase but, where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more,
21
so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through justification for eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. **

 

[Odell]

I want to add something before we go further

Paul speaks of faith, he means a faith that loves, and thus a faith that is obedient, not an intellectual belief alone, and so he says that Christ seeks “the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:6, 16:26).

Paul’s teaching here both clears up an interesting confusion that seems to exist in his writings, and enlightens us as to the connection works have to love that causes James to write so highly of them. On the one hand, the apostle says that **Christians are not bound to a law **on several occasions (see Romans 7:4, Galatians 2:19, and others). On the other hand, he also writes that the law is not cancelled but upheld. For example, Romans 3:31 he writes, “do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” **The harmony between these two verses lies in his teachings that by loving, we keep the law. “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8), he commands, and again “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” **(Galatians 5:14). Here he quotes Jesus, who gave as the two commandments that we must follow to love God, and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40), teaching that these two commandments encompass all that the Law and prophets had taught before. Paul explains the same thing in Romans 13:9-10: “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” James agrees with Paul, writing, **“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well” **(2:8). If love is in keeping the commandments, this is why James writes that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:17). One who loves will express that Love in works, and so a faith without works is a faith without Love, and a faith without Love is dead.

you can see this whole article here soladeiverbum.com/gracealone.shtml

 

[ryanoneil]

Good point.

As people were discussing Rom. 4:5-6, Paul is emphasizing that works must be done in faith, not outside of faith. If they are done outside of faith, we are in a system of debt (God owes us), which Paul rejects. If they are done in faith we are in a system of grace (God rewards us). Hence, Paul accepts the works performed under God’s forbearance (grace) in:

By your stubbornness and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of wrath and revelation of the just judgment of God, who will repay everyone according to his works: eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality through perseverance in good works, but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth and obey wickedness. Yes, affliction and distress will come upon every human being who does evil, Jew first and then Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good, Jew first and then Greek. There is no partiality with God. All who sin outside the law will also perish without reference to it, and all who sin under the law will be judged in accordance with it. For it is not those who hear the law who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law will be justified. (Rom 2:5-11)

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Chapter 5

1
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2
through whom we have gained access (by faith) to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.
3
Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,
4
and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,
5
and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Protestants often point to 5:1 and say this “peace” described here is not a temporary cease fire peace, but a permanent one. They say this because they think Justification is a one time forever completed event.

While it is true this is talking about past tense and peace, that is not a problem. The problem is that you will regularly see Protestants quote 5:1, but nothing else. The fact is Paul’s thought stretches from 5:1-5 (esp 5).

If you keep reading, Paul is describing a perseverance situation, and says this is all possible because “the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit given to us”! THIS is a perfect description of sanctifying grace, and a passage which Trent regularly looks to. The context here is justification, yet v5 goes directly against imputation of an alien righteousness.

Compare this with 2 Pt 1:3-11, which is very similar.

6
For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
7
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
8
But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
9
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath.
10
Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
11
Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

These are pretty straight forward, for the most part.

One factor I think is very important to mention is the phrase “justified by His Blood” because that could shed some light on justification. Does the Bible say Christ’s blood “covers” us in an imputation sense? Here is a quote from my apologetics article:

Heb 9: 12and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal** redemption**. 13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 10: 29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean** the blood of the covenant by which he was** sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

Heb 13: 12Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

1 Jn 1: 7but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and** the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin**.

Rev 1: 5To Him who loves us and released [other translations, cleanse, wash] us from our sins by His blood

Rev 7: 14I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

The Blood of Christ “sanctifies” us! Thus “justified by His blood” clearly includes a sanctification component, and that is perfectly in line with Catholic teaching, justification is making our souls righteous by infusing grace into it.

(cont)

 

[Catholic_Dude]

(cont 2 of 2)

12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned— 13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. 15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

This passage obviously refers to Original Sin.

Why did death reign from Adam to MOSES? Did not death reign from Adam to Jesus to the second coming?

The only point Paul could be talking about is that the “problem” here is not with the Mosaic Law, because death was operating before Moses. This death is both bodily and spiritual, and started with Adam.

What is more interesting is that Paul begins to contrast “death” and “life” when the context is justification, that can only mean justification is about bringing spiritiual life back to a dead soul, and that fits perfectly with infused grace. On the other hand, it goes against imputed righteousness, because if something is dead, it cannot be brought back to life unless life is put back into it. Putting a sign that says “charged” (imputing an alien status) to a dead battery does not give the battery life.

16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. 19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

This passage fits very well in the Catholic understanding, but not in the Protestant. Paul is contrasting a state of spiritual death and bondage to sin (condemned) with a state of “justification that brings life” and being made righteous.

Imputation has no place here.

20The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

THAT’S why it’s called “eternal LIFE”!

 

[Pax]

Romans 5:19
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

The reference to “made righteous” is in this case the new creation in justification. This is an ontological change.

We do not receive Christ’s personal level of righteousness (which is impossible), but we are made righteous on His account by God’s mercy and the Lord’s work on the cross. The word “made” in Greek is “katestathesan” which refers to a real, actual, ontological change in the person’s soul. NOT a merely legal declaration.

 

[Odell]

(cont 2 of 2)

Why did death reign from Adam to MOSES? Did not death reign from Adam to Jesus to the second coming?

There has to be more to this

We have learned that the law does not bring life back on page 7 and 8 (can’t cut and past on my phone) but we did talk about this

So we know Paul is not talking about the law Moses has given brings life in that death reignd threw Adam to Moses

So can you or somebody elaborate more on this because I’m confused at what Paul may have meant

CD I know you touched some on what he may have meant but it never fails the more I learn the more confused I get

 

[Odell]

(cont 2 of 2)

Why did death reign from Adam to MOSES? Did not death reign from Adam to Jesus to the second coming?

There has to be more to this

We have learned that the law does not bring life back on page 7 and 8 (can’t cut and past on my phone) but we did talk about this

So we know Paul is not talking about the law Moses has given brings life in that death reignd threw Adam to Moses

So can you or somebody elaborate more on this because I’m confused at what Paul may have meant

CD I know you touched some on what he may have meant but it never fails the more I learn the more confused I get

 

[Catholic_Dude]

There has to be more to this

We have learned that the law does not bring life back on page 7 and 8 (can’t cut and past on my phone) but we did talk about this

So we know Paul is not talking about the law Moses has given brings life in that death reignd threw Adam to Moses

So can you or somebody elaborate more on this because I’m confused at what Paul may have meant

CD I know you touched some on what he may have meant but it never fails the more I learn the more confused I get

I’m not quite sure what you are asking.

I would add that Rom 1-2 goes over how man has the “natural law” written on their hearts, that is why death still reigned before any Mosaic Law punishments existed. Paul is saying the root problem goes back to Adam