An Overview of Paul's View of the Law as Shown Primarily in His Research Paper

An Overview of Paul's View of the Law as Shown Primarily in His Letters to the Galatians and the Romans - Research Paper Example Permitting law to be above everyone only makes one a slave. According to Paul, salvation cannot be based on one’s ability to keep the law since no one is perfect which could mean all are cursed. The law is supposed to guide but not to enslave or condemn. Pauls warns gentiles that they are accountable and will still face judgement since it is possible to be disobedient even in absence of the laws. He ascertains that the laws will also judge those who commit offences by the laws. The main theme Paul wants to clarify is that salvation from sin is through faith as opposed to the Jewish believes that it was on basis on strict observation of law. 9 Bibliography 10 Paul’s View of the Law as in his Letters to the Galatians and the Romans Introduction The term law has several definitions and denotes a number of things. It is used in reference to norms that guide the conduct of people. It is also a scheme of regulations and guidelines that govern the behaviour of people. Law can also be a description of as set of practices that binds a group of people. Paul’s view on the law and jurisdiction occupies a fundamental position as far as comprehending Pauline’s theology is concerned. ... A reason for this contradictory approach could be that Paul was trying to show the negative features of the law. He was thus cautioning the Galatians against considering observance of law as the only requirement for salvation. Paul mainly uses the term law in reference to Mosaic Law though he at times displays Abrahamic covenant as a form of guidelines that should direct Christians who are not bound to slavery by Judaism. In his letters to both Galatians and Romans, Paul clarifies that circumcision, which was a cherished Jewish tradition is not constituent of gospel of Christ. He asserts that salvation is by Gods grace and not out of our efforts, thus it is for all but not Jews alone as Judaism proposed. This paper focuses on Paul’s outlook on the law as portrayed by his letters to the Galatians and the Romans. Law in the Early Church When Paul wrote these letters, Christianity was novel and foreign to the Jewish civilization that insisted on strict observance of the law. He w rote the letters to address the different churches facing different conditions. To understand Paul’s utterances about law, it is important to have an understanding of the viewpoint of the people he was addressing in his letter. Pauline epistles were written to a society that revered Judaism, which demanded austere compliance to Jewish laws. Such laws include bodily male circumcision as a compulsory requirement for salvation. Those who did not abide were considered gentiles and unrighteous.1 Paul’s efforts to dismantle some of their customs received opposition to an extent that some went following him from church to church to revise his teaching2. Within the same Church were Pharisees who believed