Justification Reconsidered Summary

A Review by Ryan Thom of Stephen Westerholm’s
Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking a Pauline Theme

Stephen Westerholm’s most recent work, Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking a Pauline Theme, puts forth his aim “to update and to make more widely accessible earlier work I have done” (p. viii.4). This book does a fair amount to accomplish his goal in only 99 pages and will be a fairly easy read for the lay leader or rural pastor interested in this topic of discussion.
Westerholm’s central thesis is that for Paul, the greatest problem that humans face is their sin, therefore, the greatest need humans have is divine grace and the only solution is the substitutionary work of Christ on the cross. In this discussion of Justification, Westerholm

66.4). This can be found both in 1 Cor. 4 and Romans 2. Looking at Romans 4:5 Westerhom says about Paul, “his point is striking but his language is conventional…The apostle is using language of ‘righteousness’ in ordinary ways to speak of the extraordinary divine answer to the human predicament” (p. 67.1). Because of our sin nature, we cannot come to the point of being pronounced righteous from obeying the law’s standards. The only way for this to happen is to be given the righteousness of Christ by grace through faith. For Westerholm it is impossible for Paul to mean what Wright says he means. Righteousness does not mean membership in the covenant or a seat at the family table of fellowship (p. 98.7). These are realities for the believer however they are not the definition of righteousness. Following this discussion comes a bit on the works of the law where he interacts with Dunn and New Perspective authors in general. Westerholm believes that the work of the New Perspective authors is that of boundary markers and not a real meaning of Justification. They put forth topics such as circumcision, food laws, Sabbath, etc. to show the differences between Jews and Gentiles. Westerholm would say that in Christ, faith is the marker for the regenerate believer, not the boundary markers of