Search Results for Justification Rediscovered

One of the key factors in understanding the Bible’s teaching on Justification is history or historical context. In other words, words have meaning which are directly tied to and determined by the historical context in which they are communicated. This means, if we are going to understand what any of the given biblical authors are attempting to communicate through their writings, we must also know the history behind it. This includes religious history. And though this is a common perspective among those studying the doctrine of Justification, it is in this very area where many of the errors regarding this doctrine are made. Since that is the case, it will be helpful to consider them before establishing what is correct. There are two which are most prevalent today: A. The 16th century Protestant Reformation. B. Second Temple Judaism as a Works-based Soteriology.

One of the biggest myths within Evangelical Christianity today, is the belief that Protestants have always agreed on the definition of Justification. This is not the case now, and it was also not true for the Protestant Reformers. “I cannot regard Zwingli or any of his teachings as Christian at all. He neither holds nor teaches any part of the Christian faith rightly, and is seven times more dangerous than when he was a papist.” – Martin Luther This included even Zwingli’s teaching (or definition) on Justification. That being said, it would nonetheless be untrue and completely inaccurate to think that such diversity means that one definition has not risen to a level of popularity within Protestant Christianity far above all others.

The importance of studying this particular doctrine within the Christian Faith becomes immediately apparent when one considers its from an historical and theological perspective. The difficulty of studying this particular doctrine though not immediately apparent nonetheless becomes clear the further a person progresses through the biblical, historical and contemporary literature related to the subject. Thesis – To emancipate the doctrine of Justification from its popular evangelical understanding by: A. Demonstrating its unbiblical origins and insufficient ability to deal with the entire biblical corpus; B. Rediscovering its biblical definition, history, application and realities.