Thank you, Clint. In last night's class we were in Galatians 3, so I brought in Genesis 15, Romans 4, and James 2. Abraham is upheld as the example of faith for pre-Mosaic Law, Judaism, and Christianity because he exhibited real faith (i.e. faith that is completed by works). He believed in a God who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5), which implies the impossibility of salvation by works (in the sense of perfect adherence to a divine law code), since, by definition, the "ungodly" are transgressors of divine law. Once human imperfection manifests, the only possibility for eternal life is a God who justifies the ungodly, which implies grace (the divine reaction to ungodliness) and faith (the right human reaction to grace). Thanks for spelling out the non-contradiction between James and Paul.
Thank you, Clint. In last night's class we were in Galatians 3, so I brought in Genesis 15, Romans 4, and James 2. Abraham is upheld as the example of faith for pre-Mosaic Law, Judaism, and Christianity because he exhibited real faith (i.e. faith that is completed by works). He believed in a God who justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5), which implies the impossibility of salvation by works (in the sense of perfect adherence to a divine law code), since, by definition, the "ungodly" are transgressors of divine law. Once human imperfection manifests, the only possibility for eternal life is a God who justifies the ungodly, which implies grace (the divine reaction to ungodliness) and faith (the right human reaction to grace). Thanks for spelling out the non-contradiction between James and Paul.
Good article, Clint. Clearly and simply stated.