Roman's chapter 1-6 from a Catholic perspective; please!

[WillKC4]

I really liked this posted by tobinatorstark

“when St. Paul speaks of works that are incapable of justifying us, he speaks not of the works of moral righteousness, but of the ceremonial works of the Mosaic law, on which the Jews laid such great stress as necessary to salvation.”

To me, it is excruciatingly important to remember the context that these letters were written. Indeed, Paul wrote them to communities and generally was addressing faith issues. If we take into account why these letters were written, we can understand them better.

 

[Abu]

MGV12
It is vital to remember that Jesus of Nazareth has redeemed us – made it possible for us to be saved. Our salvation depends on our cooperation in believing and acting as best we know in doing good and avoiding evil.

The Church is “the pillar and bulwark of the truth (1 Tim 3:16).” St. Paul says also, “through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places (Eph 3:10).” The Church teaches even the angels! This is with the authority of Christ! We are redeemed by Christ’s Passion and Death (heaven was opened); we are not saved until we co-operate with Him.

We should heed St Paul: “I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body which is the Church.” (Col. 1:24). What is lacking in Christ’s suffering is precisely what only we can do – take up our cross and suffer, repent and ask forgiveness, following the dictates of our conscience. We see here that Christ’s Catholic Church (the Bride of Christ) is His Mystical Body through whom all salvation comes.

 

[TimothyH]

I’ve been following this thread and it is interesting. I’d like to throw my thoughts into the ring - with a big nod to Scott Hahn - regarding the reality of being a Christian in the first and second century and how it may relate to the term “Faith” as used in Scripture.

Most non-Catholic Christians, especially Evangelical “Pop-theology” Christians, read scripture without a basic understanding of the social, political and economic conditions under which the authors wrote. Even the intended audience is ignored and the assumption is made that the author is writing to us personally, two thousand years later.

Recall that Roman subjects were required to take an oath of allegiance to the emperor and that the emperor was considered to be a god. One broke his oath to the Roman emperor under the penalty of death. When Paus says “Your faith”, he is likely referencing a willful renunciation of the oath of allegiance to the emperor and subsequent baptism into the Body of Christ - both with very dire consequences. Professing faith in Jesus Christ then was more than just a statement which would raise some eyebrows in the break room at work. For ancient subjects of Rome, a public profession of faith in Jesus Christ was an almost certain death sentance. At a minimum, your family would ostracize you, you would not be able to engage in commerce, etc.

These people wern’t martyred becuase they loved their neighbor, gave up carousing, and had some new radical form of worship. They were martyred in part because they engaged in a willful act of treason to a dictatorial god-man emperor!

“Faith” therefor, was not just a feeling of love for Jesus in one’s heart. Faith was more than a belief in God’s providence as many see it today. “Faith” for the early Christian had a very concrete, willful and definite reality to it. This is the context under which we must read any statement about “Faith” in the first or second century.

-Tim-