From: aj@hoqas2.att.com (Ahmad M Jrad)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Paul, Could he be wrong?
Date: 13 Aug 92 07:50:58 GMT
Organization: AT&T

In article <Aug.10.00.39.49.1992.5874@dartagnan.rutgers.edu>, Malachi.Robertson@lambada.oit.unc.edu (Malachi Robertson) writes:
= 
[...] 
= I view the resolution as coming from looking at the negative quotes in the
= context of salvation (salvation can't be earned through the keeping of the
= law) and the positive quotes in the context of the believer's conduct
= (sanctified life of obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit).  For Paul
= the law is a good standard for behavior but a bad way of salvation.  
= 
= I feel the text you bring up adequately brings out this tension.  Paul is
= telling the believers to turn to the grace of God for the end of sin in
= the life.  Being under the law (i.e. following specific commandments) will
= not release me from the life of sin.  I follow some, but I can't of my own
= power keep them all; I still sin and so the following of the law can't
= give me salvation.  Now Paul adds that being under grace involves the
= believer in a life of obedience.  Now the believer follows righteousness. 

After you look at all of Paul's writings, and read every single verse
I believe that you will find that he encourages Christians to observe
the law and not to sin, and yet he gives them carte blanche to violate
the law if they so choose, without having to be penalized for it. As
he says, Christ paid the price for all on the cross: (1-Corinthians)

15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

I am in no way suggesting that Christians sin freely. That is not the
case at all. Sincere Christians tend to follow extremely good moral
standards which no one can doubt. The only contention here is the law.
Even the most sincere of Christians tend to have a Ham dinner for
Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ, and think nothing of it.
To them eating pork is not a sin. This is a redefinition of sin
that Paul is primarily responsible for. 

Some of the reasons Paul cites for the ineffectiveness of the law to attain
salvation by itself are:

1- You will never be able to avoid all sins. You will surely sin sometime.
Yes I agree, but is that any reason to stop trying not to sin and to allow
the people to violate the law intentionally and constantly? I don't think
so. Yes you will sin, but that is where God's forgiveness and mercy could
forgive you these sins. But to resort to such measures as redefining what
sin is? I don't know if God will accept our definition of sin after we
reject His.

2- Salvation is not by works lest people might boast. But look at what we
have today. I have seen several messages where people refer to the day when
they were saved! As if they had a guarantee that they are going to heaven,
and even God is powerless to stop them from getting there? As if it is
their earned right to go there because of their belief? But isn't that
what boasting is all about? If you boast about works or faith, you are
still just boasting.

= >Matthew 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall
= >exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no
= >case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
= 
= The scribes and Pharisees relied on their own righteousness.  To exceed
= their righteousness we must aquire the righteousness of Christ through
= faith in Him

That is correct, but not by itself. You find many places where Jesus
emphasizes the importance of faith, but you can also find many places
where he emphasizes the importance of works and deeds (see quotes later)
I believe that in this context of Matthew 5:20 Jesus certainly means the
observance of the law, in addition to having faith. It is not just by faith
alone but rather the two combined. Jesus taught the world that salvation
is not by one without the other, but by both. Also, let's not forget what
James said:

James 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Matthew 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father
with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Matthew 5:20  For I tell you, That unless your righteousness surpasses
that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not
enter the kingdom of heaven.

Revelation 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book
of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works.
20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man
according to their works.

You see what I mean, "judged according to their works", to me that would
judge their works with regard to a given  standard set by God. That
standard could only be the law.

God Bless you,
Ahmad