Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: math1h3@jetson.uh.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Justification by Faith (was: The New Revised... Message-ID: Date: 9 Jun 90 02:42:28 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Houston Lines: 51 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article , cms@dragon.uucp writes: > In article , cattanac@casca.cs.uiuc.edu (Scott Cattanach) writes: >> emory!dragon!cms@gatech.edu writes: > (quote of 1 Cor 13: 1-13) > It's interesting that this > discussion of Paul's is centered on gifts; Paul considered faith to be a gift > just the same as tongues, healing, prophecy, teaching, etc. are gifts. Exactly right; it is not a discussion of justification! But the faith Paul discusses as a special gift of the Spirit is not the same as the saving faith which all christians (by way of definitian of 'christian') have. Saving faith is also a gift of God (see Ephesians 2:8,9) - so that no one can boast that he saved himself by obtaining faith or by deciding to believe. But the special that is a gift of the Spirit, in this context, is a special, strong faith that can 'move mountains'. Such faith is not given to all christians (as must be evident). Paul is urging the corinthians to seek the important gifts, primarily love, more than the outwardly miraculous gifts such as speaking in foreign, unlearned languages, 'moving mountains', prophecy, etc. > Thus, > faith is a gift from God; we must accept the gift of faith to be justified. I believe in 'objective justification': Jesus died and rose again for the justification of all men. But we must believe to receive the benefit of this justification, to make it our own. But perhaps this is nit- picking. > > Martin Luther said, paraphrased, "If you read this chapter every day for a > month, it will change your life." > > Comments? Evidently Luther read this chapter very seriously, but drew different conclusions regarding justification. David H. Wagner Thro' Jesus' blood and merit A confessional Lutheran I am at peace with God; What, then, can daunt my spirit, However dark my road? My courage shall not fail me, For God is on my side; Tho' hell itself assail me, Its rage I may deride. (Ich bin bei Gott in Gnaden, Siman Dach, 1651) My opinions and beliefs are not likely to coincide with any held by The Universtiy of Houston.