Jarvis J. Williams, Ph.D.

ERLC Lectures on The Gospel and Race

The Intersection of Race, Gospel, and Racial Reconciliation in Paul’s Theology

Lecture la

The Complexity of Soteriology in Paul’s Theology

1. Introduction
In my two lectures today, I want to accomplish three things. First, I will argue that the
category of race should not be narrowly defined to refer to groups of people with so-called
biological distinctions (e.g. physical features, skin color hair, etc.), but should be broadly defined
to include any kind of “other” (male, female, slave, free, Jew, Gentile, etc.). Second, I want to
argue that the category of gospel should NOT be narrowly defined as entry language (i.e.
justification by faith) but should be broadly defined to include maintenance language (i.e.
walking in the Spirit). Third, I want to argue that soteriology should not be narrowly defined as
deliverance from God’s wrath, but should be broadly defined to include obedience. These three
arguments will support my thesis that racial reconciliation is a gospel issue because it is a
soteriological issue in Paul’s theology.

Race and Gospel-Centered Racial Reconciliation 1

I. Introduction
How does the bible understand the category of race?
First, I will argue that the category of race should not be narrowly defined to refer to
groups of people with so-called biological distinctions (e. g. physical features, hair, etc.), but
should be broadly defined to include any kind of “other” (male, female, slave, free, Jew, Gentile,
etc.).

A. The Categories of Race and Racial Reconciliation are Biblical Categories (Eph 2: 1 1-22).
B. Racial Reconciliation is part of the Gospel (Gal 2:11—14). It is NOT an implication of the
gospel.
C. Defining Race and Racial Reconciliation in Paul

II. “A” Definition of Ethno-Racial (i.e. Otherness) Identity in the Biblical World of Paul
A. Thesis
Defining ethno-racial identity in the biblical world is complex, and defining ethno-racial
identity in the modern world is complex, because the biblical world did not classify groups of
people and did not use the same vocabulary words as modems to classify groups of people. As
we’ll see in a moment, when we use the word “race,” we often mean a group of people
classified by their skin color (6.g. black or white). When we use the word “ethnicity,” we often
mean something different from race such as groups of people who might have the same skin
color but who are from different ethnic groups. When we use the term “culture,” we often mean

1This portion of the paper overlaps with my 2010 book on racial reconciliation, and it incorporates new material
from my forthcoming book on race with Crossway. My major book on race will be published by Crossway. For a
concise exegetical and theological discussion of racial reconciliation in the Pauline corpus, see Jarvis J. Williams,
One New Man: The Cross and Racial Reconciliation in Pauline Theology (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2010).
 groups of people from different regions (e. g. Latin American versus North American).
But the biblical world did NOT identify otherness or distinguish between groups with this
kind of modern precision. In my view, the biblical world used all sorts of words and phrases to
talk about otherness and to distinguish races/kinds/ classes/sects/groups of people from other
races/klnds/sects/classes/groups of people. I use the phrase ethno-racial identity as an umbrella
under which to place otherness vocabulary in the biblical world in order to communicate how I
think Paul classified a kind/class/sect/race of otherness-identity.
My thesis is that there was an ethno—racial category of “otherness” in the biblical world, and
this category of “otherness” in the biblical world was based on skin color. Based on
evidence in many texts, the following characteristics determined one’s ethno-racial identity:
dialect (e. g. Greek, Hebrew, etc), theological ideas (6. g. monotheism, henotheism, poly-theism),
political ideas (e. g. monotheistic theocracy, polytheistic theocracy, etc), social/geographical
boundaries (Athenian, Galatian, Roman, Egyptian, etc), and behavior patterns based on these
things.
Thus, I define the category of ethno-racial identity in the biblical world in the following way:
any theological, political, social, moral, cultural, lm'guistic, and geographical characteristics
that would distinguish one group’s identity from another group’s identity (e.g. Jew versus
Gentll'e, apostate Jews versus Torah-observant Jew, Greek versus barbarian, slave versus
free, etc.). In our modern discussions of ethno-racial identity, we define ethnicity and race (and
culture) as different categories. For example:

B. Modern Def‘mitions of Ethno-Racial Identity Vocabulary

Race: One modern definition of “race” states that “race” refers to a “family of human beings
divided into a number of biologically distinct groups,” so that the color of one’s skin, one’s hair
type, one’s facial features, and other biological particularities determine one’s racial identity.
Ethnicity: A modern definition of “ethnicity” states that “ethnicity” refers to someone who is
part of an ethnic group that shares a common language, a corrnnon set of beliefs, or other cultural
characteristics that ___p_y*__don’t
m'clude hsical considerations.
Culture: A modern definition of “culture” suggests that the term refers to the —g_social heritae
(e. g. Thanksgiving Holiday in the US) of a person or group.
However, neither Paul nor others in the biblical world made these kinds of distinctions
when they discussed ethno—racial otherness. To the contrary, the ethno-racial category of
otherness existed in the biblical world, and this category had NOTHING to do with skin color.
Rather, the ethno-racial category of otherness in many texts in the biblical world referred to
groups of people that shared or possessed specific theological, political, social, moral, cultural,
linguistic, and geographical characteristics that would distinguish one group’s identity
from another group’s identity (e.g. Jews had the law of Moses, Greeks had phil'osophy,
etc.).

III. A Few Ethno-Racial (i.e. Otherness) Identity Terms Available in Paul’s World and
Used by Paul and Other NT Authors2
The following lists eight (out of thousands of) ethno-racial identity terms available in Paul’s
world and not one bases ethno-racial identity on skin color.

zThe above ethno-racial terms are likewise used in non-ethno-racial contexts. My pom't is that these terms likewise
Speak with reference to specific classes of people that share the same values, religion, etc.
 1. Genos—r—ace, kind, sect, or class (OT Gen 11:6—the Lord calls humanity one genos
[—r—ace, kind, sect, or class of people] before he confused their speech at the Tower of
Babel; Gen 17: l4—the uncircumcised are cut off from their kind/race [=the
uncircumcised; Gen 26: IO—the race of Abimilech; Exod 1:9; 5:14; Lev 20: l 6—
race/kind from the sons of Israel]; Gal 1:14—Paul talks about advancing in Judaism
beyond many in his Jewish genos (race/kind/sect/class in Judaism); Phil 3:5—Paul talks
about his Jewish genos (race/kind/class/sect) of which he was proud prior to faith in
Christ; 1 Pet 2:9—Peter calls Christians a chosen genos (race/kind/sect/class [same
language applied to Israel in Exod 19:5-6])3

2. Ethnos=Gentile, nation, Jewish nation, people, km'd (Exod 1:9—Pharaoh says to his
“nation” [ethnos] that the Israelite genos [race/kind/class/sect] is greater than his people;
Lev 18:24—the Lord commands the people not to be defiled as the Gentiles whom he
will send out of the land before them; Matt 28:19—refers to non-Jewish people; Acts
9:15; 10:45; 13:46; Rom 2: 13; Gal 1:16; Gal 2:14—Paul asks Peter why he was
compelling Gentiles to become Jewish; of Acts 2:5—refers to Jews from different parts
of the world and who spoke different dialects) (for a different word with the same
meaning, see also Matt 5:47; 6:7; 18:17; 3 John 1:7—refers to pagans [i.e. non-Jews] and
to non—Christians)

Some Examples of Ethno-Racial (i.e. Otherness) Identity m‘ the Bible“: ________yIn

Deuteronom
7:1-24'_____, Moses constructs Israel’s ethno-racial identity based on geographic, theological, and
ethical boundaries. These identity markers distinguish Israel’s identity from the identities of the
other nations. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the translators use the word g_enos
to classify non-human parts of creation as a group/race/class/kind and to classify human beings
as a different race/group/class/kind. …… are called a race/kind/class/ou searate from
_______Q____=___=other translation of Genesis 1:11-25 . God made male and female
asects of creation (_______________)_Greek
afier his image into a human race/kind/group/class (English Genesis 1:26-27) uniquely distinct
from other races/kinds/groups/classes of God’s creation. Although there were many different
kinds/races/groups/classes of human beings prior to Genesis 11:6 (e. g. men, women, children,
young old, poor, wealthy, etc.), Genesis 11:6 identifies humanity as one race/group/ldnd/class of
people (Greek Translation of Genesis 11:6).
In the New Testament, Luke identifies Aquila as a Jew from the race/kind/ class/group of
Pontus (geographical identity) (Acts 18:2). Both Jew and Pontus are ethno-racial categories that
focus on different aspects of Aquila’s ethno-racial identity. In a similar way, Luke identifies
Apollos as a Jew from the race/ldnd/group/class of Alexandria (Acts 18:24). From Luke’s
perspective, Apollos’ race was Jewish and Alexandn‘an. To make matters more complicated,
Luke mentions other ethno-racial features that both Aquila and Apollos either shared or that
distinguished them from one another (Christian, human being, male, tentmaker [Aquila],
rhetorician [Apollos], etc. [Acts 18: 1-28]). Judaism (a movement connected to the law of Moses)

3The same definition is applied to Jews and Gentiles throughout much Second Temple Jewish Literature as well.
4The following Greek and Roman historians connect ethno-racial identity not with skm' color, but with a common
language, a common blood/heritage, common idols and gods, common customs, foreign nations, and geography
(e. g. Herodotus (Herodotus, Histories 8.144; of. also Dionysius, Antiquities of the Romans 1.29-30; Diodorus,
Biblical Ηι΄είο;γ 2.38.1; Strabo, Geography 2.5.26).
 is also called a race/kind/class/group (Gal 1:14). Christians are called a chosen
race/ldnd/group/class (1 Pet 2:9). Most shockingly, Peter applies to Christians the exact same
ethno-racial identity language that Moses applies to Israel in the Old Testament (compare
Exodus 19:5-6 with 1 Peter 2:9).
Thus, the category of race in the bible is much more elastic than it is today. And the
category of race is constructed m' the bible in different ways in comparison to our modern social
construct in the US. This evidence suggests that race was socially constructed at least in certain
places in the bible apart from any identification of skin color because humanity is identified as
one race (Greek Translation of Genesis 11:6) and because racial identity is constructed in the
New Testament apart from references to complexion. I don’t have time to discuss this, but the
Greek term ethnos overlaps much with g_enos. Both terms function as ethno-racial categories
(compare, for example, the above texts with Exodus 1:9). However, the plural term “Gentiles”
(_ethnik0i[Matthew 6:7], e__tlme' [Matthew 28:19]) LT1W 5 refers to non-Jewish people and/or
______Jme§.non-Jewish
τα…" in the New Testament—hence,tetransationenlesornainin
ή?

people groups, but in general to non-Jewish groups and/or non-Jewish territories (see Matthew
6:32; 12:21; Acts 10:45; 11:1; etc.).

3. Judean, Jew (Zech 8:23—Jew in contrast to other nations; Matt 2:2—king of the Jewish
people; John 1:19—those who reject Jesus in John’s gospel; Acts 2:11—refers to Ethnic
and religious Jews in contrast to Gentile converts to Judaism; Rom 2:28-29—refers to
Jewish and Gentile Christians)

4. Judaism (Gal 1:13-14—Refers to the religion of zealous God-fearing Jews who violently
persecuted the church)

5. Uncircumcision (Gen17:14; Lev 12:3; Jos 5:3—un-circumcision cuts one off from God’s
covenant people or is the mark of non-covenant membership; Gal 1:16; Eph 2:11-12—
refers to non-Jewish people; Acts 11:3—refers to Gentiles in contrast to the Jewish
people of God; Gal 2:7)

6. Circumcision (Gen 17:13; John 7:22; Acts 7:8—mark of the covenant people; Gal 1:16—
refers to Jewish people)

7. Christian (Acts 11:1-26; esp. 11:26—refers to Jewish and Gentile Christ-followers; 1 Pet
2:9—Christians are a new race/kind/sect/class of people [genos]; 4:16—suffering as a
Christ-follower)
8. Judaize (Gal 2:14—refers to a Christ-following Jew compelling Christ—following
Gentiles to be Jewish)

Summary: There are several other ethno-racial terms or categories that I could discuss to
demonstrate that the concept of ethno-racial otherness was present in the biblical world
and that this concept had NOTHING to do with skin color. But I think (I hope?) that you
get the point.
IV. Ethno-Racial (i.e. Otherness) Identity m' Selected Texts from Paul’s Sermons or Letters
1. Ethno-Racial Identity in Paul
Within the ethno-racial category of Gentile otherness, there are many different groups of
people (e. g. Greeks, Romans, Barbarians, Scythians, Galatians, slave, free, male, and
female, etc.). But Paul uses the term Gentile as an ethno-racial category to describe a kind
of otherness distinct from both Judaism and Christianity, and he uses the ethno-racial
category of Judaism to distinguish between Judaism and Christianity.

a. The Gentil'es’ Ways (Acts 14:1-16; esp. 14:16):

“In past generations, God allowed the Gentiles to follow ____y_their
own was (Acts
14:16)”. . .
b. The Gentil'es’ Behavior: The Gentiles’ moral behavior (Rom 2:14; 1
Corinthians 5:1)
c. The Gentil'es’ Theological Perspective (Rom 2:24; 1 Corinthians 1:23—they
think the gospel is foolish)
d. The Gentll'es’ Theological Practices (1 Cor 12:2—they were pagan idol
worshippers)
e. Jewish Traditions and Ways (Gal 1:14; 2:11-14; Phil 3:5-6): In Philippians
3 :5, Paul boasts in his Jewish ethno-racial identity that he experienced before he
had faith in Christ. He states that he was “circumcised on the eighth day, from
the ΓΔ… enos of Israel, from the —J_tribeof Ben'ann'n, a Hebrew of Hebrews,
and a Pharisee, and in accordance with zeal he persecuted the church, and with
respect to the righteousness in the l_aw—b1ameless.” His boast was in a particular
heritage and right behavior resulting from that heritage.
Summary: Paul uses the term Gentile as an ethno-racial category to describe a kind of
otherness distinct from both Judaism and Christianity.

Conclusion (4 Thoughts)
1. My Definition of Ethno-Racial Identity in Paul’s World: I do not limit
ethno—racial identity in Paul’s world to skin color or to any other modern
criterion used to define racial identity. Instead, I define ethno-racial identity in
Paul’s world in the following way: any theological, political, social, moral,
cultural, linguistic, and geographical characteristic that would distm'guish
one group’s identity from another group’s identity.

2. Paul and Ethno-Racial Reconciliation: Paul, the Christian, after he

encountered the crucified and resurrected Lord Jesus Christ on the Damascus
Road, redefined ethno-racial identity as a unique identity that belongs to both
Jewish races/kinds/sects/classes of people and Gentile
groups/classes/races/sects of people 111' Christ regardless of their natural
identities outside of Christ (Gal 2:11-21; 3:28; Eph 2: 1 1—22).
When I discuss Paul’s understanding of ethno-racial reconciliation, I will be
referring specifically to the division between all of humanity, which I generally
summarize as Jew and Gentile division. In my view, ethno-racial reconciliation
as Paul defines it in Eph 2:11-22 refers to the need for Jewish and Gentile
classes/kinds/races/sects of people to be reconciled first to God and secondly to
one another because of sin and because of the religious, linguistic, theological,
political, social, moral, cultural, and geographical distinctions that sin uses to
divide them from one another.

3. Application of Paul for Today: When I apply Paul’s 1St century

understanding of ethno-racial reconciliation to our 21St century ethno-racial
divisions, I will universally apply it to all people scattered throughout the world
that are alienated from God and from one another because of their sin and
because of their natural ethno-racial identities regardless of the reasons for
which they’re divided (e. g. skin color, religion, social status, etc.).
I, therefore, do NOT and will NOT limit the need for racial reconciliation to
groups of people who alienate themselves from one another due to skin color,
because I think the problem of racism and the need for racial reconciliation is
SO MUCH BIGGER than the skin color divide! In fact, it is my view that to
limit racism to alienation due to one’s skin color or to reduce the need for
ethno-racial reconciliation to people with different skin colors minimizes the
universal power of sin over all ethno-racial groups, because all have sm'ned
and have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), and, therefore,
everyone on the planet needs to be reconcll'ed first to God and second to
one another.

4. My Definition of Racism: If what I’m suggesting is correct, then it should

change the way that we (=Christians) view racism. In my view, sm’ce ethno-
racial identity did not pertain to skin color in Paul (e. g. Eph 2:11-12) and sm‘ce
all ethno-racial communities need to be reconciled first to God and second to
those withm' and without their natural ethno-racial communities, then every
ethno-racial group outside of faith m' Jesus Christ is a racist group because
their' sm' alienates them f_1rst from God and s_yecondl from others both
withm’ their natural ethno-racial group and Without their natural ethno-
racial group, regardless of the group.

In my view, the gospel of Jesus Christ, when faithfully preached, believed, and
lived in both church and in society will eradicate all forms of racial hostility
and will create the kind of ethno-racial reconciliation that promotes God-
centered, Clu’ist-exalting, and Spirit-filled joy and unity in love amongst
diverse ethno-racial commum'ties scattered throughout the world by recreating
these groups into one new race 1n' Christ and by incorporating them into the
same beh‘evm'g community of faith and by giving them the same _p___siritual
priv1l'eges and Christian identity m' Christ without totally eradicatm'g their
God-given differences (Gal 3:28; Eph 1:3-14; 2:1-22).
If I’m right, then only Christians have the supernatural power and the
supernatural ability not to be racists, and only Christians have the supernatural
power and the supernatural ability to eradicate racism throughout the world
withln' Christian communities that have been recreated in Christ, because
Christ is God’s solution to the ethno-racial divisions that alienate every
natural ethno-racial community from one another due to sm"s universal
 power over the entire creation.
The View of ethno-racial reconciliation that I’m proposing has massive
theological and practical implications for both church and society, and this
view of ethno-racial reconciliation is exactly what I think' Paul teaches in Eph
2:11-22. God offered Jesus to reconcile Jewish and Gentile sinners to himself
and to reconcile Jewish and Gentile sinners to one another because of the
universal power of sin, and he recreates Jew and Gentile sinners through Christ
into one new race.

Lecture 2a
A. What is the gospel?
Gospel (=euaggelion) and To Announce the Good News (=euaggeliz'o')
Second, ψ…will are that the osel should not be narrowl defined as on] ent
'1__1g_%=lan
a e, but shW’Moueroady defined to include maintenance language. In bothppoular and
scoary discussions about the concept of gospel, many interpreters wrongly reduce the
definition of gospel to entry vocabulary. That is, when some define gospel, they describe it as
justification by faith or repentance and believing. Others define gospel as the message about the
cross and resurrection of Jesus. Although these are certainly aspects of Paul’s gospel, they do not
exhaust what he or the bible means by the concept of gospel. Paul’s gloss of this concept with
certain words is complex and rooted in the OT scriptures, and the meanings he attaches to the
concepts are much broader than the way Evangelicals usually use the category of gospel. In
Ephesians, the Greek words euaggelion, euaggeliste‘s, and euaggelizo‘ to refer to the gospel, but
there are numerous other gospel concepts in Ephesians that should shape how we understand the
category in the letter.
The noun euaggelion occurs in pagan literature to refer to the Emperor cult. The birth of a
new Emperor was euaggelion (“gospel”) because it ushered in a new era when the new heir to
the throne was announced. That a_________tnnouncemen was euaggelion (“gospel/good news”).5 A form
of this noun (euaggelia) occurs only once in the Septuagint (=LXX) in 2 Kgs 4:10 (Hebrew and
English 2 Sam 4:10). There it refers to the good report that a messenger thought he was giving to
David about Saul’s death until he seized and killed the messenger. Euaggelion occurs in
numerous places in Paul to refer to the announcement about Jesus (Gal 126-7, 11 ; 2:2, 5, 7, 14).
The verb euaggelizo‘ occurs approximately 20 times in the LXX. The verb refers to the
announcement about the death of Saul (LXX l Kgs 31 :9—as good news; LXX 2 Kgs 1:20—as
bad news; 4: 1 O—someone thought Saul’s death was good news). The verb refers to an
announcement that God delivered David from his enemies (LXX 2 Kgs 18:19). The verb refers
to an announcement of good news to the king (LXX 2 Kgs 18:26, 31). The verb refers to the
proclamation of good things (LXX 3 Kgs 1:42). Jeremiah uses this verb to refer to his birth as
the announcement of bad news (LXX Jer 20:15). However, closer parallels to Paul’s use in
Galatians are places in the LXX “where the verb refers to the announcement of Israel’s judgment
and salvation.
Euaggelizo‘ refers to the announcement of the Lord’s judgment. In LXX Psalm 95, the
psalmist praises the Lord for his judging acts. He proclaims that he’s a glorious God who will
come in judgment against the nat1'ons._InwLXX_ 95:2 (Eng. 96:2), before the psalmist expresses
the coming judgment of the Lord against the nations, he exhorts the people of God to praise the
Lord and to announce (euaggelizo‘) his salvation. In light of LXX Ps 95:10 (Eng. 96:10), the

5Brown 1971: 108.

 *…ουποΘ…Θof the Lord’s salvation is an announcement that the Lord currently reigns as king.
This similar idea occurs in the Pseudepigraphal work the Psalms of Solomon 11.
There the psalmist praises God for his faithfulness, petitions the Lord to keep being faithfiil, and
exhorts Israel to be holy. In Pss Sol 1 1 :1, the psalmist urges the people to announce in Jerusalem
with the voice of one who announces (euaggelizomenou) that God has been merciful to Israel by
means of watching over the nation.
Euaggelizo‘ refers to the announcement of the Lord’s salvation and the promise of the
Spirit in the LXX. LXX Joel 3:5 connects God’s salvation with the announcement (euaggelizo‘)
of his salvation (i.e. the announcement of good news). Before Joel promises salvation, he warns
that the Lord will come in judgment (LXX Joel 221-17). After this, Joel announces that Lord’s
promise of salvation for his people (LXX Joel 2218-322). This announcement includes the
promise of the Spirit. Immediately thereafter, Joel announces that God will come in judgment
(LXX Joel 3:3-4) and that everyone who calls out to the Lord will be saved (LXX Joel 3:5), just
as the Lord promised. And Joel states that the one who is saved and those who announce
(euaggelizomenou) this salvation will be survivors in Jerusalem and Zion.
Euaggelizo‘ refers to the announcement of the Lord’s judgment of the nations in the LXX.
The minor prophetic book Nahum is an oracle ofjudgment against Nineveh. The oracle begins
with both the prophet’s announcement of the Lord’s judgment _~_)(LH Nah 121-6 and with the
announcement that he shows mercy to those who seek their refuge in him L~___1LXX Nah 1:7 .
Before Nahum promises Israel again that the Lord will destroy his enemies (__________LXX
Nah 128-14;
2: 1-3: 19), Nahum urges the people to see that upon the mountains (above the destruction that
will fall upon Nineveh and all of the Lord’s adversaries) stands the feet of the one who
announces (euaggelizo‘) good news (LXX Nah 2:1). This announcement is the good news that the
Lord will save Judah from his judgment that he has reserved for Nineveh and all of his enemies.
LXX Isaiah is especially helpful for Paul’s use of euaggelizo' in Galatians sm'ce either
directly quotes or alludes to Isaiah throughout the letter. In DOC Isaiah, euaggelizo‘ refers to the
announcement of Israel’s salvation in the midst of the reality of the Lord’s judgment. In LXX Isa
40:9, 52:7; 60:6, and 61 :1, the verb refers to the announcement of the Lord’s salvation of Israel.
In LXX Isa 40:9, Israel is exhorted to get on a high mountain to announce this salvation (of. also
LXX Nah 2:1). In LXX Isa 52:7, the Lord himself announces Israel’s salvation to Israel and to
the nations. In LXX Isa 52:7, the Lord himself announces the good news of Israel’s salvation and
that he reigns over her. His message of salvation stands in authority over those upon whom he
promises to bring judgment. Thus, the bearer of this announcement (i.e. the good news of
salvation from judgment) is described as beautiful because he brings a message of salvation in
the midst of his announcement ofjudgment. The announcement of salvation is a promise that
Lord will deliver from his destruction those who hear his announcement of salvation and
judgment and believe by faith in the promise of salvation. In LXX Isa 60:6, the nations announce
Israel’s salvation. In LXX Isa 61 : 1, the Lord anoints someone with his Spin't to announce the
good news of salvation (cf. Luke 4: 18-19). Thisomes to Israel as the prophet
Isaiah pronounces her imminent judgment in exile. Alongside of the announcement of a future
exile for Israel, the Lord gives the nation good news of salvation.
In summary, in each of the above examples, euaggelizo‘ is connected with the
_____________y_____,____Lgr_______p_e§____announcement
of the Lord’s merc or salvation and the d himself is rent in the
kauncement. This means that the heralds of the announcement are not simply proclaiming
what the Lord will do for his people and or what he will do against his enemies, but they also
proclaim the Lord himself. When the gospel of the Lord is announced, the Lord himself is there
 in the announcement m' order to affect both the salvation and the judgment that the
announcement proclaims. The verb euaggelizo‘ refers to the act of announcing the message of
salvation and judgment in the LXX. The noun euaggelion refers to the content ofthe
announcement. But does the preceding analysis hold true in Galatians?
verb and the noun in Paul carr the same force and conve the same idea as in the
T______________‘__y________y____~______he
LXX—“Greek OT—the only difference is, of course, euaggelizo‘ is a verb and euaggelion is a
T—IH—doun.Eph(Eph 1:13) and in Galatians, euaggelion refers to the report/announcement about
Jesus: he is the Lord and Messiah who fulfills God’s promises of salvation to Jews and Gentiles.
These promises of salvation include deliverance from God’s wrath (Eph 2:1-10), new creation of
Jew and Gentile in Christ as the people of God because ofthe death of Jesus (Eph 2: 1 1-22; 3:2-
7), forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7), the universal rule of Jesus Christ over all things in heaven and
over the earth because of his sacrificial death and his victorious resurrection (Eph 1:7, 20-22; cf.
Gal 1:1-6:15), the gracious gift of God’s spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph 124-14), and the
supernatural ability to live out what God has done for us in Christ in the power ofthe Spirit (4:1-
6:20).
The mystery of the gospel is an important theme in Ephesians (1 :9-10). Paul defines this
mystery as the unification of all things in Christ (1 :10) and “the gospel of your salvation” (1 :13).
Evangelicals often narrowly define gospel as entry language (justification by faith, repentance).
But the category is more complicated than some Evangelicals are willing to admit. Gospel
includes both entry language and maintenance language. Its entry language tells one how to enter
into the believing community by faith (justification by faith in Christ alone) (Rom 3 :21-4:25,' Gal
2:15-21). Its maintenance language tells one how to live in the power of the Spirit the reality of
what God has done for him in Christ (Gal 5:16-6:10; Eph 2:11-6:20).
In 2:11-22, Paul argues that the gospel (-t—he unification of all things in Christ) includes
the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles (different races—more about this in lecture 1b) into one
new man (’r—ace). Paul calls this unification of all things in Christ the mystery (1 :9), the word of
truth (1 : 13), and the gospel of our salvation (1:13). Eph 3:2 refers to the stewardship of the grace
of God given to Paul. Eph 3:3 describes that stewardship as a mystery that was made known to
Paul by a revelation. Eph 3:4 further describes this mystery as the mystery of Christ. Eph 3:5
states that the mystery was revealed to Paul by the Spirit. Eph 3 :6 explicitly states the content of
the mystery is Jew and Gentile inclusion as equal participants in and equal heirs of God’s
promises of salvation by means of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, through the gospel. That is, the
mystery of the gospel is that God has reco_nc.1l'ed.lew.s and..G.entiles to. God and to, each other into
a new race by means of the bloody death of the Jewish Messiah, Jesus Christ. Eph 3:8 connects
racial reconciliation to the gospel by stating that God graciously called Paul to proclaim' as good
news the inexpressible riches of Christ to the Gentiles. The inexpressible riches of Chn'st refer to
the totality of What God has done in Christ to unify all things in him (1 :3-3221). This um'fication
of all things in Christ includes our receivingtVhewblessings of all of the spiritual blessings in the
heavenly places in Christ (1 :3), _w.,"hic_h at leastincludes election (1:4), predestination (1:5),
adoption into God’s family (1 :5) hearing and believing the gospel (1 :13), and racial
reconciliation (2: 1 1-3 :8).
Galatians: The noun euaggelion (=gospel) occurs seven times in Galatians (1:6-7, 11;
2:2, 5, 7, 14). The verb euaggelizo'_(,=I announce as good news) occurs six times in Galatians …. ,
(1 .'8-9, 11, 16, 23; 4: 13). How Paul uses euaggelion and euaggelizo‘ depends both on Isaiah 40-»
66, since Paul alludes to or quotes Isaiah throughout the letter, and on the context of his
argument in Galatians. Paul links the gospel-vocabulary in Galatians with soteriological themes
 10

from Isaiah 40-66.

For example, Paul and Isaiah mention the redemption of sinners from the present evil age
(cf. Gal 1:4 and 3:13 with Isa 44:21; 53:1-12). Paul and Isaiah mention new creation (cf. Gal
6:15 with Isa 65: 17—25). Paul and Isaiah discuss righteous living/righteousness in the new
covenant by means of the power of the Spirit (cf. Gal 5:16-24 with Isa 5621-5; 60: 1-22). Paul and
Isaiah mention the promise of a spiritualized Jerusalem that will be set free from spiritual slavery
in the messianic age versus a physical Jerusalem that will be a slave under Torah during the
messianic age (cf. Gal 4:21-27 with Isa 54:1-17). Paul and Isaiah affirm the promise of universal
salvation of Jews and Gentiles, who have faith, by means of the Messiah/Servant (cf. Gal 2:11-
3:29 with Isa 4921-26; 52:13-53:12). Paul and Isaiah speak to the importance of hearing the
report/message about salvation and the importance of receiving it by faith (of. Gal 3:2-3 with Isa
52:7; 53:1).
In Gal 3:8, Paul uses another word for announcement/preach the good news
(proeuaggelizomai), which only appears here in any extant Greek from the biblical tradition.
Paul uses this verb to refer to the scripture preaching/announcing good news beforehand to
Abraham when it proclaims that all the nations would be blessed in Abraham (cf. Gal 3 :8 with
Gen 15:6). This blessing comes to the nations because God promised to justify the Gentiles by
faith (Gal 3:8). So, with the citation of Gen 15:6 in Galatians 3, Paul states that “gospel” and the
“announcement of the good news” in Galatians in'cludes justification by faith. Furthermore, we
see that the background behind Paul’s meam'ng for gospel/announce the good news should not be
limited to Isaiah 40-66 but m'cludes the Abrahamic promises of land, seed, and universal blessing
in Genesis 12-50. Paul understands these promises to Abraham, which were gospel promises, to
be reiterated m' Isaiah 40-66 and to be fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah/Servant and the promised
seed of Abraham (Gal 3 : 1 3-4:7). These observations are supported by the parallel soteriological
themes in Isaiah and Galatians, by the connections between Isaiah 40-66 and Genesis 12-50 (e. g.
universal salvation, divine blessing to the nations, etc.), and by Paul’s reference to Jesus as the
true descendant of Abraham, as the one in whom the Abrahamic promises find their fulfillment,
and as the one in whom the promises of salvation in Isaiah 40-66 find their fulfillment (cf. Gal
3:1-6215).

Concludm‘g Observations
Based on the above analysis of gospel language, the concluding observations follow.
First, 8…ωάώωΜΠω"΄΄΄ Galatians teaches that
justification is part (a very important part) of Paul’s gospel in Galatians, a part from which the
Galatians were in danger of turning away. Second, the chiefproblem in Galatians is that the
opponents were making Torah-obedience necessary for Gentile Christians to be part of the
people of God (2: 1 1-14; 522-6; 6: 13). Paul argues that a Torah~observant and Gentile-exclusive
announcement is contrary to theannouncement of g_o_od news that he received from Jesus Christ
and God, the Father, whom he raised from the dead '(Gal 1:1, 6-9, 11-12). His announcement of
good news is both exactly the same as and the fulfillment of the one announced by God in Isaiah
40-66 and announced to Abraham in Genesis 12-50. Third, when the Galatian churches first
encountered the words euaggelion and euaggelizo‘ in Gal 126-11 upon hearing this letter read in a
worship context, I do not think that they would have thought that these words mean a turn only
from justification by faith that results in an apostolic curse. But their understanding of
euaggelion and euaggelizo‘ would have included justification by faith and at least the other
gospel/salvation themes that occur in the letter from Isaiah 40-66 and Genesis 12-50, because
 11

Paul likely proclaimed these things to them during his visit with them (cf. Acts 13: 13-1423 with
Gal 5 :2 1).
These observations have strong support in the letter of Galatians. For example, Paul says
that Peter stood condemned because he withdrew from table-fellowship with Gentile Christians,
when some from James came, because he feared the circumcision (Gal 2:11-14). Consequently,
Paul accused Peter of not walking in a straightforward manner in the truth of the gospel. In
chapters 127-2214, Paul uses the gospel vocabulary numerously without mentioning justification.
In 2: 14, Paul accuses Peter of disobeying the gospel because he broke table-fellowship with
Judaism and because he was compelling them to become Jewish and not because Peter
misunderstood justification by faith. In fact, one could argue that Peter believed all of the right
things about justification by faith with regard to Jewish salvation, but he imposed Jewish legal
demands on Gentile Christians because of the threat of Jewish persecution back in Judea.6 Thus,
Peter compelled Gentile Christians to become Torah-observant Jews. As a result, Peter was
maintaining—albeit out of fear—that both sides of salvation-history (Torah and the cross) were
necessary for Gentiles to enter into the people of God, but only the cross was relevant for Jews
since they were Jewish by nature. Hence, Paul reminds Peter in Gal 2: 15-21 that Jews and
Gentiles are justified the same way and that they enter into the people of God the same way:
namely, by faith in Jesus Christ apart from works of law. When Paul condemned Peter as
accursed in Gal 2:11, he placed Peter under both the apostolic curse and the Deuteronomic curse
because he was advocating a Torah-observant-Gentile-exclusive gospel. Paul’s gospel, instead,
announced that Jesus died for those under Torah’s curse to extend to them the blessing of
Abraham (Gal 3:10-14) and to deliver them from the present evil age (1:4). And Paul speaks of
the Deuteronomic curse coming upon those who are under Torah and who do not walk m' the
power of the Spm"t, because neither will inherit the kingdom of God (5:16-21).
The “other” gospel preached by the opponents, enforced upon the Gentiles by Peter, to
which the Galatians were contemplating a turn, and which places its followers under an apostolic
curse and the Deuteronomic curse includes a rejection of justification by faith but should not be
limited to this. In Paul’s View, one can believe in justification by faith and still stand condemned
by the gospel (e. g. Peter [2:11-14]) and not inherit the kingdom of God (5: 1 6—21). Furthermore,
my View finds added support outside of Galatians when one considers the number of times the
noun euaggelion and/or the verb euaggelizo' occurs without a reference to justification by faith.
In 1 Cor 15: 1-8, Paul discusses the gospel that he preached to the Corinthians and the gospel by
which they were saved when they believed if they, hold fast to it without mentioning justification
by faith. Instead, Paul mentions the cross and the resurrection as a summary of his gospel. Tlu's
observation acknowledges that justification is one very important part of many important
elements of Paul’s gospel.
Based on the evidence in Galatians, we can perhaps define euaggelion and euaggelizo‘ in
Galatians as We roclamation/announceme tof ’ ΄ ' ' Τ

Μωωωιεω announcement of God’s redemptive work in and through Christ for the
salvation of sinners in fulfillment of God’s OT promises of salvation for the nations. This
redemptive work m' Galatians includes at least the following: (1) the substitutionary death of
Jesus, who died representatively and as a substitute to deliver Jews and Gentiles from the present
evil age and from the curse of the law (1 :4; 3: 13), (2) God’s resurrection of Jesus from the dead
(1:1), (3) Jesus’ deliverance of sinners from the present evil age (1:4), (4) justification by faith

6This precise pom‘t is discussed in the commentary on Gal 2: 1 1-14. /

 12

alone in Christ alone apart from Torah-obedience/becoming Jewish (2:15-21), (5) the
abolishment of the Mosaic Law as the badge of covenant membership by means 0f the
fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant through Jesus, Abraham’s promised descendant (3:1—29),
(6) the reception of the Spirit by faith because of Jesus’ death and resurrection (312-5, 10-14), (7)
Abrahamic sonship (3:6-4I7), (8) the ability and freedom to live in pursuit of love in the power of
the Spirit to thereby fulfill the entire law (4:21-5:26), (9) new creation (6:15), and (10)
membership into God’s new Israel for those who have identified with Jesus Christ by faith (6:10,
16).7 Furthermore, the category of gospel in Ephesians would include racial reconciliation since
this concept is actually within and part of the gospel that Paul preached (Eph 2:1 1-3 :8; Gal 2:11-
14). According to Paul, racial reconciliation is NOT an implication of the gospel and certainly
not a social issue instead of a gospel issue! But it is a GOSPEL
.......................................

Lecture 2b
Third, I want to argue that soteriology should not be narrowly defined as deliverance
from God’s wrath, but should also be broadly defined to include obedience.

1. Complexity of Salvation m' the NT

A. Soteriology (=doctrm‘e of salvation) m' the NT is complex (e.g. entry language [Gal Rom
3:21-26; Gal 2:16] and mam’tenance language (Gal 5:16-26)

11. Rom 8:28-30: Salvation m'cludes several different realities: foreknowledge,

predestln'ation, effectual callm'g, justification, and glorification
a. Foreknowledge=To love 1n“ advance apart from foreseen faith (Rom 8:29; see
also Deut 7:1ff)
b. Predestination to be conformed to the image of his Son=To choose in' advance
apart from foreseen faith to be hk'e Jesus m‘ spiritual maturity (Rom 8:29)
c. Effectually called to Faith=Converted (Rom 8:30)
d. Just1'fied=Declared to be not gull'ty by God both now and …' the final judgment
(Rom 8:30)
e. Glorified=Given a perfect, resurrected, and sm‘less existence at the future
resurrection when Jesus returns (Rom 8:30)

Summary: Salvation includes several different realities, and sanctification (=conformity into the
image of Christ) is one of those realities. Sanctification is part of the salvation experience.

III. Phil' 2:12—13: Salvation is both a divm‘e action and a human action!
a. Context of Ph1h"pp1'ans
,

b. Message of Phih"ppians: Obey the gospel (Phil 1:27). …

c. Context of Phih'°ppians 2: Obey the gospel by showing sacrificial love to others just as
Jesus displayed sacrificial love to us (Phil 2: 1-1 1).
(1. Phil‘ 2:12-13 m' Context: Restates the command in 1:27 by using the words work and
obey.
1. Work out your salvation=obey the gospel=be holy (Phil' 2:12)

7of course, for an exhaustive definition of gospel, one must look at the whole bible—a project that is outside of the
purview of this commentary.
 13

a. Because God has worked in you so that you would obey and he is working in
you so that would obey (Phil 2:13)

Note: See also Eph 221-10 to see the same point made in Phil 2: 12-13.

Note: The mystery of divine and human action in salvation occurs in numerous places in the OT
(e. g. Jer 3:31-33; Ezek 36-37) and in early Judaism (e.g. Dead Sea Scroll lQH).

3 Applications
1. God has saved all Christians to be holy (See 1 Peter).
2. Sanctification or holiness is both positional (=we are righteous in Christ) and progressive
and experiential (=we seek, with the help of the Spirit, to live holy lives) (positional: Gal
2:17-20; progressive and experiential: Gal 5:16-21).
3. Personal holiness is in the grasp of all Christians who are willing to pursue it, because
God has saved Christians to be holy and because he enables them to pursue holiness (2
Pet 1:3-ft).

IV. The Soteriological Reality of Sanctification

1. Introduction
a. Review: The mystery of divm'e and human agency in' salvation.
i. Salvation is a divine action and a human action (Phil 2: 12—13).
ii. Salvation has several different realities to it (Rom 8:28-30).

Note: Remember that salvation includes both entry language (i.e. justification by
faith, repentance, regeneration=the new birth, etc.) and maintenance language (i.e.
living 1n' the power of the Spirit in ways that reflect we belong to Jesus). Thus,
sanctification is a spiritual reality of salvation, although justification and
sanctification are not the same soteriological (=salvation) reality (Rom 5:8-10; 6:1-
23). Sanctification is part of the salvation experience.

2. Defining Sanctification (=Holiness) as It’s Used m' this Lecture

a. Sanctification is complex: It’s an already-but not-yet-fully realized-reality
1'. Already Realized (Rom 6: 1-5)
ii. But-A-Not-Yet-Fully realized-Reality (Rom 6:5; 8: 1 8-25)
iii. Positional Holiness/Sanctification=Righteous/Sanctified/Holy because of Our
Union with Christ by Faith (Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:2; 6:11; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 2:20;
Eph 1:1; Phil 1:1)
iv. Progressive Holiness/Sanctification (Matt 5:21-7223; Rom 1221-1533; Gal
5:16-26; Eph 4:17-6:20; Phil 1:27; 2:12-14; 3:17; 1 Pet 1:13-5:9; 2 Pet 123-11;
James 2: 14—26)

3. A Word about the Importance of Progressive Sanctification for Ma] Salvation

a. Without personal holiness, no one will see the Lord (Heb 12: 14).
b. Without personal holiness, we will not enter/inherit the Kingdom of God (Matt
5:20; 7:21-27; Gal 5:21).
c. All sinners experience justification before God by faith in Jesus Christ apart from
works of the law (Rom 3:20-4:25; 5:8-10), but without personal holiness, we will
 14

not experience final justification because our works will prove whether we trust in
Jesus and our works will either vindicate us or condemn us in the judgment (Matt
12:33-37; James 2:14-26).

6 Applications
1. Sinners are justified by faith in Jesus Christ apart from works ofthe law.
2. Once we experience and taste justification by faith, we will live out our new status in
Christ in the power of the Spirit by pursuing personal and corporate holiness in the home,
in the society, and in the church.
3. God gives us a status of holiness by virtue of our union with Christ, but God also
transforms our hearts so that we will live in pursuit of Christ.
4. God by his Spirit enables every Christian to pursue and experience personal and
corporate holiness, but every Christian must likewise work to pursue and experience
personal and corporate holiness.
5. All Christians have the supernatural ability to live holy lives and to progress in obedience
to the gospel because God has worked in them to do so (Eph 2:10), although Christians
experience personal holiness at different paces and at different levels.
Our personal and progressive holiness=sanctification is not optional, but is necessary for us to
experience final salvation

"1!.-