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Judgment & Justification in Early Judaism and the Apostle Paul (2006) is a book by Chris VanLandingham.

Abstract

"Is salvation a gift of God's grace or something God's followers must earn by good works? How do we reconcile the two emphases that salvation is a bestowal of God's mercy and that the final judgment will involve an assessment of the way people have lived during their time on earth? In Paul and Palestinian Judaism (1977), E. P. Sanders defined the terms and laid the groundwork for this crucial debate. Sanders's "New Perspective" sought to resolve the tension between grace and good deeds by arguing that for the Jews of Paul's day as well as for Paul himself, entrance into God's saving covenant was a gift of God's grace, while remaining in the covenant required good works done in obedience to God. Sanders's most vigorous opponents have disputed the works side of his formulation, taking issue with his contention that obedience is required to retain right standing in God's covenant. In Judgment and Justification, Chris VanLandingham challenges the grace side of the Sanders thesis, arguing that Paul's teaching on salvation, following the prevailing Jewish thinking of his time, establishes good works as the criterion for salvation at the final judgment. In making his case, VanLandingham does a text-by-text survey of early Jewish literature, interacting with a wide range of biblical scholars who deal with the themes of salvation and literature and judgment found in these texts and in the Pauline writings. VanLandingham wraps up this survey with a challenging reassessment of Paul's teaching in the light of the Jewish thinking of his time."--Publisher description.

The authors opposes Sanders' view that Paul's religion is other than Judaism. On the contrary, "Paulinism is better described as one spoke among many on the wheel that is Judaism" (p.335). Salvation in the last judgment is not based in Paul on "faith in Jesus." Works remain the only criterion of judgment. "At the time of faith, a person who has been 'made righteous' is forgiven of past sins (which then become a dead issue), cleansed from the guilt and impurity of sin, freed from the human propensity to sin, and then given the ability to obey. The last Judgment will then determine whether a person, as an act of will, has followed though with these benefits of Christ's death. If so, eternal life will be the reward; if not damnation" (p.335).

Editions

Published in Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006.

Contents

• Election, covenant, and God's grace as they relate to obedience in post-biblical Judaism
• The last judgment according to deeds and its relationship to God's grace, mercy, and covenant with Abraham
• Behavior, the last judgment, and eternal destiny in the Pauline epistles
• "Justification by faith" : a mistranslated phrase and misunderstood concept

External links

• [ Google Books]