Justification By Faith In Christianity

Justification by faith is a fundamental Protestant doctrine that condenses the key elements of the Christian belief system that are the most substantial elements of Christianity. While the concept is simple, the underlying implications have created division and strife throughout the history of the Church. To analyze how this doctrine influences Christianity at large, there must be clear understanding and definition of the word “justification.” Paul begins the Epistle to the Romans as a legal argument emphasizing that justification is a “forensic action.” Working in these initial verses, he establishes his credentials and occasion and provides the basic truths of his writing. In the original language, the words “righteousness” and “justify”

It refers the Law of Moses and identifies the requirements God gave to the Jews through Moses. The word appears in many ways in the New Testament but in a pure form, it is the all of “God’s requirements for holy living.” These requirements are often explained as the written commands as recorded by Moses but occasionally refer to those general moral laws God places on one’s heart and conduct since men can only be judged based on light that is available to them. In verse 10:5 of Romans, Paul unmistakably clarifies the word law by referencing Moses to establish it to the meaning and teaching of the Pentateuch not the misrepresented legalistic thinking the Jews had come to use it

First the word “faith” refers to someone 's ability to believe having commitment and trust. Paul presents early that his master is Jesus Christ, his office as an apostle, and his purpose is to proclaim the gospel of God. Further, he is able to summarize that he has come to call from all of the Gentiles to the obedience of faith. (Rom 1:5) This faith (Greek pistis) is the foundation for the obedience. If genuine, the believer will have obedience as the outcome but that obedience must also be accompanied by that faith. The second word to examine is works. These are the actions or deeds of that have the idea of accumulating merit. When these are added to our prior definitions then the implications become apparent. Justification by faith is the righteousness that God gives to the sinner as gift due to the faith they have responded to Him with (CITE). In contrast to justification, the Law is observed by works. The harsh realization of the Law is found in the inability of someone to live by and carry out the mandates it presents. Evaluation of definitions requires research to justification’s ability to replace the Law. Paul plainly rejects this notion, declaring the Law is not replaced and explains that if had not been for the Law he would not have fully know what was sin (Rom.