Judgment According to Works in Romans: The Meaning and Function of Divine Judgment in Paul's Most Important Letter

7. Judgment and Justification in Romans

7 Judgment and Justification in Romans Having examined the meaning and function of divine judgment in Romans, I will now examine the relationship between judgment and justification by faith in Romans. My discussion will interact with current debates about justification in biblical and theological studies, but my goal in this chapter is not to discuss these debates exhaustively.1 Nor is it to present a solution to the tension between justification by faith and judgment according to works in Pauline theology. That tension will be discussed further in the conclusion of the book. Rather, my goal is to show how the theme of divine judgment according to works lays a foundation for Paul’s preaching of the good news of God’s righteousness by faith in Romans. First, I will show how Paul explains justification by faith within the context of the final judgment, and then I will argue that Paul speaks of justification by faith as salvation from the final judgment. Justification in the Context of the Final Judgment The thesis statement of Romans says that “the righteousness of God” is revealed in the gospel (Rom. 1:16-17). However, Paul does not directly develop the revelation of God’s righteousness until Rom. 3:21. Instead, he begins his explanation of the gospel with the revelation of God’s wrath in 1:18. Why? 1. For secondary discussions about justification in Paul, see Mark A. Seifrid, Justification by Faith: The Origin and Development of a Central Pauline Theme, NovTSup 68 (New York: Brill, 1992), 1–77. For justification in historical theology, see Alister McGrath, Iustitia Dei: A History of the Christian Doctrine of Justification, 3rd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005); see also Bruce L. McCormack, ed., Justification in Perspective: Historical Developments and Contemporary Challenges (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006). For justification in ecumenical pursuits, see John Reumann, “Righteousness” in the New Testament: “Justification” in the United States Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982); see also David E. Aune, ed., Rereading Paul Together: Protestant and Catholic Perspectives on Justification (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006). 121 Because Paul first lays a foundation for his proclamation of God’s righteousness by faith. The theme of judgment according to works lays a foundation for justification in Romans by developing the context in which justification by faith is to be understood. Outside of the letter’s thesis statement, the first reference to justification appears within Paul’s explanation of the final judgment: “For whoever has sinned without the law will also perish without the law; and whoever has sinned with the law will be condemned by the law, for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Rom. 2:12-13). Although this is only a brief mention of justification, it is significant because it sets the stage for Paul’s later development of the theme. In Rom. 2:13, we learn three things about justification: First, it is the positive recompense of the divine judgment; second, it will take place at the future day of judgment; and third, its ground is the doing of the law. First, justification in Rom. 2:13 is the positive recompense of God’s judgment, for Paul contrasts it with condemnation. Those who sin will be condemned (2:12), but those who do the law will be justified (2:13). He uses κρίνω and δικαιόω as antonyms to refer respectively to the negative and positive verdicts of the divine judgment. This antithesis crops up at other places in the argument as well. For example, the cognate nouns of κρίνω and δικαιόω appear as antonyms when Paul contrasts Adam with Jesus Christ. The judgment (κρίμα) from Adam’s transgression leads to condemnation (κατάκριμα), but the free gift leads to justification (δικαίωμα) (5:16). The result of Adam’s transgression is condemnation (κατάκριμα), but the result of Christ’s obedience is justification (δικαίωσις) (5:18). Finally, Paul contrasts condemnation and justification in 8:33b-34: God is the one who justifies his elect; therefore, no one can condemn them. Thus, in contrast with condemnation, justification is the positive recompense of the divine judgment. That is, the verb δικαιόω is associated with the courtroom or with judgment—it is “forensic.”2 2. See the OED’s definition of “forensic”: “Pertaining to, connected with, or used in courts of law; suitable or analogous to pleadings in court” (s.v., “forensic,” use A.). Note the clear connection with the courtroom in Rom. 8:33-34, where...