Testing Tradition

Note: In the development of my thinking unpacked in this post, I am indebted to Andrew Rillera and what he has written in his superb book: Lamb of the Free , specifically the penultimate chapter (Chapter 7: When Jesus' Death Is Not a Sacrifice).  Before reading his book, the Greco-Roman understanding of hilasterion he discusses there had never been brought to my attention. [21] But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—[22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation (hilasterion) by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. [26] It was to show h...

A couple of years ago I read Getting the Garden Right by Richard Barcellos. It's a well-written book with great insights, especially as he draws a biblical theology of Adam's vocation and its fulfillment in Christ as the last Adam. But one of the things that I found myself provoked by was a constant return to the idea that all human beings by nature have the law written on their hearts.  This is something the London Baptist Confession of Faith states in 19.1 and 19.2 (referencing Romans 2:14-15) and which Barcellos repeats again and again and is foundational to the argument for a covenant of works in the Garden. [14] For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. [15] They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:14–15, ESV) From what I can see, there ...

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:28–29 He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Romans 2:6–8   [Beginning at 3:30] Any theology that makes Paul contradict Jesus is BAD theology.

Note: I'm indebted to Joshua Jipp and his excellent work in his paper Rereading the Story of Abraham, Isaac, and Us in Romans 4 for the insights on Romans 3-4 in particular and to Matthew Bates and his conceptualization of pistis in the New Testament as embodied fidelity as developed in his two excellent books Salvation by Allegiance Alone and Gospel Allegiance . I'm convinced that Romans 1:17 is the banner that flies over Romans: δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν , καθὼς γέγραπται· Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται. In [the gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from pistis [of Christ] for pistis [of the nations, 1:5, 16:26] , as it is written "The righteous from pistis shall live." Notice how Romans 3:26 starts to explain how this works: ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ   It was to show his righteousness at the present tim...