Corpus-Paul

["Tim Gallant" <tim AT rabbisaul.com>]

> [Tim]
> > > > Even more damaging is 14.6ff, which speak
> > > > of living and dying to the Lord,
>
> [Loren]
> > > 14:6ff is precisely what points to unbelieving
> > > Israel, since "weakness" has nothing to
> > > do with the Torah's
> > > works. "Let all be convinced in their minds
> > > what is right [on the subject of works]..."
> > > 4:19-21 actually explains what
> > > "weakness/strength" is about: belief in
> > > God's ability to give life to
> > > death (Isaac~Jesus).
>
> [Tim]
> > That sidesteps the question,
>
> No, it answers the question: Paul defines weakness in
> Rom 4, and he shows what it isn't in Rom 14-15 (as I
> explained to Justin this morning). It is failing to
> believe in the resurrection (4:18-25), not about
> living by works (14-15). In other words, it is about
> being non-Christian, not about being Judean (Jewish).

In other words, just because Abraham was not weak in faith, that means that 
"weak in faith" necessarily means failure to believe in the resurrection? It 
seems to me that is a rather large assumption. It seems much more natural to 
recognize that Paul defines "weak" in ch. 14 itself - the weakness is 
characterized by believing one may only eat vegetables, for example (14.2).

> > which is simply this: does Paul see
> > unbelieving Jews as "living to
> > the Lord"? Clearly not.
>
> Clearly so. God, the Lord, are terms inclusive of
> non-Christian faith (in this case, anyway), and this
> shouldn't befuddle you. In Romans, Paul applies many
> terms to Christians in one place and then unbelieving
> Israel in the next, and both in others.

The examples you cite, however, are not parallel. Notice that terms such as 
"beloved" by God and "foreknowing" are terms describing God's purpose 
manward. But the terminology we are disputing is the reverse: the weak's 
living Godward - more specifically, "Lordward," which Paul clearly defines 
in this passage as living for Jesus.

Saying that God has chosen Israel is nothing like saying that unbelieving 
Israel is living to/for Christ. But that is how Paul describes the weak in 
Rom 14.

tim

Tim Gallant
Pastor, Conrad Christian Reformed Church

http://www.timgallant.org
tim | gallant site group