Justification Through Faith

I have been reading through the first few chapters of Romans with the motivation of trying to better understand the relationship between faith and works. Although I do not have, perhaps, the greatest hermeneutical skills, I see clearly how Paul is arguing for justification by faith alone. I find Paul's arguments convincing. He argues in Romans 2 that those who were not Jews could be found righteous by God without the works of the law if they believed in Christ. He asks then in Romans 3 whether it thus is any advantage to being a Jew with the law at all? If people do not need special ceremonies or an institution to be saved, why perform the ceremonies or belong to the institution at all? Paul believes there is a purpose to being a Jew, but it seems to not be an advantage that comes from having the correct ceremonies but rather further evidence for the supremacy of faith over human works. Paul argues that the advantage to being a Jew is that "unto them were committed the oracles of God" (3:2). In other words, God sent the prophets unto the Jews and not unto other peoples. He chose the Jews so that they would believe on him. This is important to Paul because it shows that it was God's will that the Jews were chosen and not the will of the Jews. God's 'faith'--his grace and mercy--is stronger than the Jews actions. He proves this seemingly by playing on the Jewish sentiment that even the worst Jew is better than a heathen since the Jew chosen by God must retain some merit despite his unworthiness. Paul asks "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (3:3). God's grace is greater than our works even to the point that once we are chosen, our works cannot overrule God's decision.

I find this very interesting from a historical point of view. Paul wrote in a context where the emphasis on the efficacy of the ceremonies and institution were being trumpeted against a more progressive approach where the old institutions of Judaism were being challenged by the newness of the Christian doctrine. Later groups, the Lutheran and Calvinist reformers, would make use of Paul's arguments as they found themselves in a similar situation opposing an institution that emphasized ceremony and exclusion for both dogmatic and political reasons. I accept both extremes--non-institutional salvation and ceremony--as necessary aspects of human nature.