In the last reflection, I have harmonized the apparent contradiction between Romans 2:13 and 3:20, namely that man is justified by keeping the law vs. keeping the law does not justify a man before God. Today, I attempt to look at Paul's view on justification.
The concept of justification is tightly coupled with the concept of sin. Traditionally, we understand sins as some wrongs deliberately done against God's command. According to Paul's definition of sin in the Romans, it is the coming short of God's glory (Romans 2:23). Which means God has a certain expectation on us. Our performance falls short of His expectation. Understanding sin in this way, is it possible to "cleanse" a sinner of his sins, so to speak? If it were possible, justification would mean being freed from sins, being cleansed. I doubt such is the case. Sin is not some dirt on your clothes or body or soul. Otherwise, going to confession would be likened to entering a washing machine dirtily and emerging from the confessional a new piece of clothes. According to Paul, sin is a sort of vandalism, a damaging of God's glory. If such is the case, justification needs to be a kind of repair work. To be justified suggests repairing damages, mending fences, reconciliation and achieving a certain standard etc.
So, what does Paul mean when he says a man is justified before God? Simply put, Paul means God does not find fault with the man in question. God and sinners are reconciled, to quote the lyrics of a famous Christmas carol. This is possible in two ways. One possibility is that the man has not sinned at all, which is impossible because Paul has shown that all men have sinned, fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). The first possibility is an impossibility. So, we are left with the second possibility: that God does not impute sin to the man. However, damage done is damage done. It cannot be undone. If a man is murdered, there is no way to bring the dead back to life again. If a window is smashed, it is nearly impossible to piece all the debris back together. As a Chinese idiom says, "Poured out water is difficult to retrieve.覆水難收" So, how can God not impute?
Since damage cannot be undone, to be fair, compensation has to be paid until the plaintiff is satisfied. Unluckily, we are living in a causal universe. The immediate consequence of an action will ripple, causing further long term consequences which no measure can satisfactorily contain. Therefore, when we commit a sin, it is hopelessly impossible for us to compensate the damages till God is satisfied because we are finite creatures. Therefore, no man can find justification through work, in terms of money or labour or prayers or deeds of the Law or what not (Romans 3:20). So, how can man be justified? According to Paul, man is justified through God's grace, not because of the merits of the sinner or any good things the sinner has done (Romans 3:24). Grace is something a sinner receives undeserved. Christ's passion and resurrection has earned for us this grace. In order to receive this grace, a sinner only needs to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus has died for him. Jesus' blood on the cross has saved him (Romans 3:25). This is how faith enters into the equation of justification.
Paul quotes Abraham's story to illustrate the relation between faith and justification. Unlike Christians, Abraham did not have Jesus to believe in. Abraham believed directly in Yahweh. Though he was nearly 100 years old, he believed that Yahweh was faithful. Yahweh would fulfill the promise He made to him. Abraham was a legendary warrior. In his seventies, he led an "army" of 300 servants to save his nephew Lot. Paul showed his admiration towards this patriarch. Yet Abraham could have nothing to glorify about before God (Romans 4:2). Paul further argues that the reward paid for the work done is a "debt" a master owes the worker for the service the worker renders (Romans 4:4). However, no amount of work is capable of satisfying the damage done by a sin. Therefore, God does not owe us any debt. When God does not impute sin to a man, it is the generosity, the grace of God. Paul further quotes two penitential psalms of David to show the grace of God.
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin (Romans 4:7-8).
"Blessed" means the person is full of grace. Quoting these two psalms, Paul links together grace and the forgiveness of sins. We are forgiven by the grace of God, not by the work we have done. The passion and resurrection of Christ is the fountain of this grace. Through faith, we draw from this salvation fountain the water of grace which flows into everlasting life. From the cases of Abraham and David, Paul concludes that justification (forgiveness of sins) comes from faith in Jesus, not from the works of keeping the Law. Yet, bear in mind that Paul upholds the Law.
Dear Lord, the Holy Week is at hand. May we partake your Passion and rise again with You this Easter. Amen.
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