Pointing to Christ

Introduction During the height of the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin wrote in an early edition of his Institutes of the Christian Religion that justification by faith “is the chief article of the Christian religion.” [1] Many of the Reformers would have said the same. Many today, however, argue that justification is of secondary importance. The doctrine of “justification by faith” in Romans especially has been the subject of intense debate. In the first five chapters of this letter, Paul lays out the doctrine of justification by faith. Thus, in understanding Romans, one must come to grips with what Paul teaches about this doctrine throughout the book. In the first five chapters of Romans, Paul suggests that justification occurs when God, once and for all, declares righteous, on the basis of Christ’s death and resurrection, the one who believes in Jesus, leading to great peace, access into God’s grace, and the certain hope of glory. Definition In his letter to the Roma...

  As Western Civilization has become more globally aware and more religiously and culturally diverse, many evangelical Christians honestly wonder about the fate of those who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel—the unevangelized. Many ask themselves. “Will God really condemn people who have not even had the opportunity to hear about Jesus?” On account of this, some have abandoned the faith and embraced pluralism, denying the uniqueness of Jesus and affirming the salvific nature of all religions that promote good. Others, however, seek to stay true to the Bible and affirm that salvation is Solus Christus , in Christ alone. Nevertheless, not all evangelicals agree about the fate of the unevangelized. The Bible teaches that though all mankind, including the unevangelized, are dead in their sin and destined for eternal separation from God, God lovingly redeems those who, upon hearing the gospel in this life, place their faith in Jesus. Thus, hearing and believing the...