| Justification Under Attack |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, March 15 2010 00:00 |
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For some time now I have heard of the “New Perspective on Paul,” articulated by the respected theologian N. T. Wright and endorsed by others. Recently Table Talk, the devotional magazine of Ligonier Ministries, has devoted its issue to an exposé of this interpretation. As I understand Wright’s view, the Reformation leaders have been wrong in their understanding of forensic justification. Whereas we are declared pardoned of guilt by faith in a court-like atmosphere, ultimate justification depends on our faithfulness over a lifetime. Thus, as Roman Catholics and works-righteousness legalists have long declared, no one can consider himself justified until the last day of life is lived and the books of life are opened. Wright reads faithfulness for by faith in passages such as Rom. 1:17: “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faithfulness from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faithfulness.’” He considers expressions such as faith in Christ to be capable of being translated faithfulness to Christ. Although the dative case can bear such a translation, the context and essence of the gospel message do not allow it. Paul’s example of Abraham in Romans 4, as cited from Gen. 15, does not allow it. Abraham was a heathen, called from Mesopotamia, given a promise which he believed. God declared him righteous or reckoned him justified by (not because of) his faith. This point Paul stresses in Romans 4, that Abraham was declared righteous before he had done anything, even before his circumcision. James uses an example later in Abraham’s life when he was called on to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to illustrate his faith. James says God justified him, but context suggests in the sense that his faith was declared to be a living and true faith by his obedience. Read Paul in Romans, Galatians, Philippians, read Jesus in the gospel of John, read anywhere in the New Testament and the same truth is taught, that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ’s atonement was a propitiation, that is, it provided expiation (forgiveness) of the guilt of sin and rendered the sinner acceptable to God, fully righteous, fully justified. It is a righteousness apart from law (i.e., our own obedience, Rom. 3:21). “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21), by putting “our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing law, because by observing law no one will be justified” (Gal. 2:16). I am afraid Wright is wrong! |
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