"faith alone" in what: part 2
how a misunderstanding of "works of the law" hurts our Christian unity
In the last article I outlined how the reformers changed an understanding of what our “faith alone” ought to be in. In short, the reformers believe faith alone in “Jesus alone” means Christians are to rest in - and receive - the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, by grace. The Westminster Confession of Faith states, “But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace.” (14.2)
Why do they believe this? A large part of the reason why is because Luther, Calvin, the Reformers, and 500 years of those who follow in their footsteps: 1) misunderstand what Paul means by “works of the law,” and 2) misunderstand and misrepresent what Catholics *actually* teach.
In short, they created a response to a false problem.
Now that ^ ^ is a big claim, but here’s what I mean… if you read reformed protestants on the subject I am discussing in this article, they are so committed to “imputed righteousness of Christ = justification” and an “inability to lose your salvation” (which I discussed two articles ago), because those things are so essential to the Gospel, that they have to read these passages in light of those certain truths. They know their answer before they work through the problem, so it will always say what they need it to say.
So, I invite you to just read this article, and these texts and let is say what it does. I am working my way to the imputed righteousness component of this “justification-problem” but I’m not there yet.
Here are the main verses in play:
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…28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:21-22, 28)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
(Paul says he has a) righteousness not of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith. (Phil. 3:9)
16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. (Gal. 2:16)
Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Galatians 3:6 quoting Genesis 15:6)
A large part of my journey towards the Catholic Church was tearing down “straw-men” arguments against Catholicism, and this article exposes one. The Reformers used these passages - and modern day reformed ministers (like the late RC Sproul and John McArthur) - to push against those damn Catholics who exist in a theological system of “works righteousness” where they try and earn their salvation through their good works.
And that’s not what Catholics believe. So let me explain over the next few weeks…
A few important questions stem from these texts:
What does Paul mean by “works of the law?” What are those works? And what law is he referring to?
What is righteousness?
Do Catholics teach “righteousness received from the law” which is what Paul puts in opposition “faith?”
Do these passages teach, faith = receiving and resting in the imputed righteousness of Christ?
I’ll tackle the first question in today’s article…
What are the works of the law?”
For those who don’t nerd out on theology for fun (the vast majority of you), I want you to know the question: “what does Paul mean by works of the law” is one of the most divisive and hotly debated questions of the past 50 years in all of Christian theology. Don’t think I’ve come to save the day. I’m not that smart. And really smart people are at serious odds with this. For example, two of my theological heroes over the past 15 years, John Piper and N.T. Wright have written books about this topic and fought about it online, and many people have weighed in on the fight. My former denomination put together a year-long committee to study this topic, and anyone who agreed with N.T. Wright - and his New Perspective - wasn’t allowed to be ordained. You can read the PCA’s long and informative report HERE. It’s worth the skim, at least.
This “works of the law” debate is commonly known as the Old vs. New Perspective on Paul, which began by E.P. Sanders, James Dunn and has continued by (popular Anglican Bishop) N.T. Wright. The “old perspective” timeline is post-Luther until E.P. Sanders, and the “new perspective” began with James Dunn’s 1983 book titled, The New Perspective on Paul. They’ve arrived at new conclusions because in the last 50 years New Testament scholars have learned a lot more about the sociological and theological world of 1st century Judaism, therefore gaining new context and understanding of what “works of the law” really were.
(this is a simplified description of the argument, but here we go)
Old Perspective: Their Argument
At the time of the Reformation, a divide occurred which has become more extreme over the years. Works and obedience became opposed to faith. Law and biblical commands became opposed to grace. Luther separated Jesus from Moses, and Christianity from (his misunderstood version of) Judaism. Which is perhaps why his treatise, On the Jews and Their Lies (1543), contains vehemently anti-Jewish rhetoric, such as, “First, set fire to their synagogues and schools and bury and cover with dirt whatever will not burn, so that no man will ever again see a stone or cinder of them again." But I digress.
These passages are a large part as to how this divide came to be.
The Old Perspective teaches that the “works of the law” refer to any Scripture commanding our obedience. Paul writes to the Romans, Philippians and Galatians telling Jewish and Gentile converts to quit looking to / worrying about your obedience to the law, your status, security and salvation is secure! All that matters is faith (in the imputed righteousness of Christ)! In the opening of Luther’s commentary on the book of Romans he states, “The first duty of the gospel is to call us from law to grace, and to teach us how to obtain forgiveness of sins." The law exposes sin whereas the Gospel forgives sin.
Luther says in his commentary on Galatians, “The true purpose of the law is to drive us to Christ, so that through faith in him we may be justified.” He states in his catechism, “The law is a mirror to show us our sin, that we may know what we are to seek and what to flee, to recognize that we cannot attain righteousness by our own efforts and works, and to turn to God's mercy and seek his grace.” In his book, Freedom of a Christian, he states: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none.”
New Perspective: The Argument
Sanders, Dunn and Wright emphasize different parts of this new perspective, but they all believe we’ve misunderstood Paul’s 1st century concern. I agree with this New Perspective - as does the Catholic Church, with two big differences (which I’ll explain) - so I’ll use the first person as I write, and give a defense.
In 1977, biblical scholar Ed Sanders published Paul and Palestinian Judaism, where he analyzed various Jewish texts from the time of Jesus. Historically, Christianity viewed Judaism as a religion focused on accumulating good deeds to outweigh bad ones for salvation. Sanders' research challenged this assumption by demonstrating that first-century Judaism emphasized God's grace for salvation, with obedience as a response to grace rather than a means to earn it. This understanding aligned Judaism more closely with Christian views on grace and obedience.
James Dunn took it from there showing that Paul wasn’t fighting against jewish legalism and a “if good outweighs the bad then you are eternally saved” mentality… the 1st century problem was ethnic exclusion, which is opposition to the oneness and unity we have in Christ. “Works of the law” are used eight times by Paul and they are always connected to badges of covenant identity (namely circumcision, diet and strict Sabbath keeping), social exclusion and social pride.
It’s similar to someone starting a Church today and the pastor forcing everyone to vote politics a particular way. In this example, your unity is found politics instead of your faith in God. This is what the Jewish leaders were doing: forcing circumcision to show you are really God’s people, thereby creating unity by exclusion. And Paul is saying, no! We are God’s people by faith, not by circumcision! A secular example would be similar to what happens during pride month in America, where people wear clothes and wave flags as a way to identify themselves with a particular group (the “good” side, in their mind) as a way of attaining social righteousness. These were the things going on - the Jews had wrong ideas about covenant participation and identity.
The New Perspective deals with these passages differently. The “slam dunk” passage for reformed theologians is Romans 3:28, "For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.”
But look how Paul continues…
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Not only does he command we uphold the law (3:27, 31), but he is clearly concerned not with people who are obeying to earn God’s favor, but with Christian unity. God is the God of Jews and Gentiles!
We see the same thing in Galatians… in chapters 2-4, Paul is making one big argument for the life of faith opposed to a life of “works of the law.” And chapter 5 begins:
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
So what is Paul concerned with? Jew / Gentile division caused by circumcision, which is a “work of the law.”
In short, all eight times this phrase is used, it’s clear that Paul has issue with the Jews who demand all Christians identify themselves by their circumcision. Paul clearly wants them to cut it out (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun). The Jews were looking to the “works of the law” as this declarative righteousness that they were God’s chosen, covenantal people. They wrongly believed you must abide by these specific works of the law to receive God’s blessing (and if you obey one law - you must obey them all! - Gal. 5:3), and Paul insists the blessing of God only comes by faith. You are not justified because you do these external works, but only by faith. The Gospel unites, it does not divide.
In Summary:
What are the works?
OP: Any obedience to God. Prayer. Almsgiving. Fasting. Sexual morality. Circumcision. Baptism. Communion / Eucharist. Giving to the poor. Attending Church. These things are good, but they do not, and cannot, justify.
NP: External 1st century Jewish identification markers, namely circumcision, sabbath and diet.
What is the law?
OP: Any command in the whole of Scripture.
NP: The Mosaic law.
What’s my take?
The Old Perspective comes at these passages with a conclusion already at hand. They read things into the texts because it helps their case.
Why do I think this New Perspective is a better understanding?
1 ) Well, not only do Scriptures teach it (as shown above), but the Fathers taught it. Jewish identity didn’t continue to be a problem for the early church, so there aren’t many Fathers directly teaching about it, but St. Irenaeus (2nd century disciple of Polycarp, who was disciple of John), in his book Against Heresies taught that the "works of the law" were the ceremonial and ritualistic practices prescribed in the Mosaic Law, such as circumcision, dietary restrictions, and other ordinances specific to the Old Covenant. He emphasized that these works were not necessary for salvation under the New Covenant established by Christ. Instead, Irenaeus highlighted faith in Jesus Christ and adherence to His teachings as the path to salvation.
And that last sentence is the most important. The Father’s didn’t draw the conclusions that Luther did. “Saving faith” wasn’t a thing, and faith was never communicated in opposition to works. None of them talked like that. For example:
"We have learned that those only are righteous who practice righteousness and who display virtuous conduct." - Justin Martyr
"Faith without love is nothing, and love without faith is no less." - Ignatius of Antioch
"Let us hasten to do good works, lest we fall into the condemnation of the slothful." - Clement of Rome
A new academic work, affirmed by protestant and catholic theologians, was recently published by Dr. Matthew Thomas, who has now significantly contributed to this discussion. You can buy and read his book (it’s intimidating, and I’ve never read it), or you can listen to his lecture HERE or listen to him interviewed HERE. He is a scholar focused on “works of the law” as understood by the Fathers. He states that the view of the Fathers and early Church was that we were saved by grace and judged by works. “To whom much is given, much will be required.” (Luke 12:48) In addition to this, nobody - and I mean nobody - taught justification as Luther and Calvin believed it. Nobody. Nope, not even Augustine. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
2 ) The second reason I accept the New Perspective is because in Scripture works are not opposed to faith. Over and over again the Scriptures teach about the necessity of works for salvation.
How does the book of Galatians - the book apparently pitting obedience to God’s commands against faith - end?
6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. - Gal. 6:6-10
We are Saved by Grace, Judged by works:
5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality. (Ro 2:5–11)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Mt 7:21)
6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Co 5:6–10)
The entire chapter of Matthew 25 is about judgment for how you spent your days.
Christians are people who desire and work to obey God’s commands because we love God:
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father…15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (Jn 14:12-13, 15)
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 Jn 2:3–6)
The only time the term “faith alone” is used:
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (Jas 2:14–26)
3 ) The third reason I accept the New Perspective is because the law is not opposed to grace.
As Christians, we obey the law of Christ! More will be expanded on this in future articles when I lay out the Catholic position on salvation, but the Catholic Church teaches that the "law of Christ" is fundamentally about love. (Matthew 22:37-40). This law of love encompasses the entire moral and ethical teaching of Christ and is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and the prophets. Catholics believe that living according to the law of Christ involves faith in Him, participation in the sacraments, and living out the virtues of charity, justice, and humility in everyday life.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” - Gal. 6:2
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Ro 8:1–2)
20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Co 9:20–23)
4 ) The fourth reason I accept the New Perspective is because here is the real problem: faith is opposed to boasting (not obedience!). THIS is what Jesus and Paul take issue with elsewhere.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. (Ro 3:27)
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. (Mt 6:1–2)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph 2:8–9)
2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness. (Ro 4:2–5)
In conclusion: I believe in the obedience of faith which bears the fruit of love. As do the Fathers. As does the Catholic Church. As do the Apostles. “Works of the law” has nothing to do with faithfulness to Jesus or obedience to the law (of Christ or Moses) but everything to do with ethnic identity creating division in the Church.
I tried to make this hotly debated topic as easily accessible as possible, and I’m certain I didn’t do it justice. But I’ll keep trucking along.
In the next article, I’ll talk about what is righteousness, how we receive it, and whether there is biblical support for faith = receiving and resting in the imputed righteousness of Christ. Then I’ll lay out whether Catholics actually teach “righteousness received from the law” which is in opposition to faith, or what it is they teach, exactly.