Justification and the Righteousness of God Research Paper

Justification and the Righteousness of God - Research Paper Example According to Paul, there is no reason of committing evil, since all men have knowledge of God2. According to Romans 1: 18-32, God hates the evil thinking and wrongdoing of men and desires for the goods of others, envy, false statements, and evil talk3. The contemporary Evangelical church has adequately maintained the relationship between the justification by faith and wrath of God concepts. Paul teaches that justification is available to all through the righteousness of God4. Historical background of justification in faith According to Genesis, Abraham believed in God and was justified by his faith. Abraham did not deserve the justification through his excellent work. Abraham acts as an example for modern evangelical church that justification should be based on faith and wrongdoers experience the wrath of God5. According to the Biblical teachings in modern evangelical churches, blessed is the man whom God does not reckon sin6. Unlike the early doctrine, where people would confess and receive forgiveness from a priest by the sacrament of penance, contemporary evangelical justification in faith requires that sinners should confess their sins and believe in Jesus Christ alone. According to early Roman Catholic theology, individuals could not merit initial grace of God that leads to salvation. In Roman Catholic Church, saints temporarily freed a person of his sins through indulgence process7. The pope would declare unusual indulgence for the sole purpose of collecting funds to build St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, so poor souls remained in the dark as regards the true grace of God8. Early Reformers Contemporary evangelical justification in faith stems from Luther’s accusations of 1517; he believed that salvation resulted from faith in God through prayers and God’s grace through Jesus Christ. According to reformers, God punishes the unrighteous and justifies the sinners, but does not take away the guilt from the sinners. According to Calvin, Jesus Christ has cleansed all faults of individuals, since he accepted to be shamed in order to cloth people with purity. Reformers asserted that justification is through faith in Jesus Christ and not only through accepting the gospel but also through personal reliance on Jesus Christ9. Early British reformers like Bishop Latimer claimed that truth of justification is in trusting Christ as personal savior. Archbishop Crammer, who died a martyr, stressed that admirable work is not the way to justification, since justification only comes through the mercy of God and freely to all individuals10. During the 16th and 17th centuries, numerous evangelical confessions appeared, such as the Augsburg Confession of 1530 approved by Luther, where individuals confessed that forgiveness of sins is obtained from God by grace through Christ, who suffered so that they may attain eternal life. Article 91 of the Church of England clearly expressed that justification is not obtainable by the excellent work o f men but through faith in God through Jesus Christ. Swiss reformed cities also believed in justification through faith in 1566, while Westminster Confession of 1649 contained justification on the basis of faith and not admirable work11. According to evangelical justification in faith, the Ancient Roman Catholic church had kept the people in dark by providing religious institutions that label people as just Christians.