Session 81: Romans 2:12-3:28

Paul is clear in Chapter 12 that our works are an essential part of our salvation.

V12-16  Even those that know nothing about God understand the Natural Law,
(actions that are intuitively bad) so they will still  be judged by God according to their  “works.” (What they DO.)

V17-24 Paul says that for the Jew,  since he has knowledge of the law, will also be judged by their “works.”

2:25-29  To the Jew, Paul then talks about another type of “works”....keeping Jewish ceremonial law, in these verses, circumcision.  Paul says these works will not save you.

3:9-20 We are all sinners, and none of us “deserves” salvation.  We are saved by God’s grace! (V24)  (But we must choose to cooperate with this gift of grace. ) God even gives us the grace to cooperate, but we have free will to accept grace or not. 

This takes us to 3:28.  Luther added to scripture by saying that we are justified by faith “alone.”  It simply doesn’t say that!!!  (See Chapters 1 and 2 for context.!!!!) To be sure, we must have faith, but that faith is not merely an intellectual assent;  it is a faith lived out in our actions.  (Remember the “wheelbarrow” story!)  And, faith is never alone!  (Remember the “hot dog” story!)

More on this issue of salvation and 3:28 next session.