Four Views on the Role of Works at Final Judgement
I recently reviewed Four Views on the Role of Works at Final Judgement by Robert N. Wilken, Thomas R. Schreiner, James D.G. Dunn, Michael P. Barber, Alan P. Stanley, and Stanley N. Gundry.
Wilken
Wilken offers a dispensationalist perspective in Four Views on the Role of Works at Final Judgment that “reconciles” the dichotomy between the role of Works and the role of Faith in soteriology by splitting the final judgement into two judgements. First, believers (with or without “good works”) will be judged at the “Bema seat”, or Judgement Seat of Christ (Lk. 19:20-26), and that nonbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:11-15, loc, 768).
Wilken attempts to reconcile the textual disagreement between Ephesians 2:8-9 and Galatians 6:7-9 on the issue of eternal life by interpreting the Ephesians passage as “definite present possession” and the Galatians passage as “possible future possession of it as a reward for work done.” (Loc. 674). Most of Wilken’s contribution makes these types of assumptions of the text when presented with two opposing passages. Ultimately, Wilkin articulates a position that salvation is through faith alone, not of works, and is decided at conversion, and that the role of works and judgement will be played out before the “Bema seat” of Christ for additional rewards, not for eternal life.
Schreiner
As a Southern Baptist scholar, Schreiner offers the conservative perspective that “humans can not be justified or saved on the basis of their works, for they are sinners who fail to meet God’s standard.” (Loc: 1400, Rom. 3:21-26). Schreiner concludes this by examining the epistles of Paul and the book of James.
In the book of James, Schreiner draws a distinction between two different types of faith (rather than two differing types of judgement, as his colleague Wilken did). The first type, according to Schreiner, is “Saving Faith” and is “living and active; it feeds the hungry and clothes the naked” (Loc. 1620, Jas. 2:15-16). The second type of faith is “mere intellectual faith -- a notional acceptance of truths and doctrines” (Loc.1620). This second “faith” is one that has no demonstrated sanctification or behavioral change related to belief in Christ.
Schreiner’s argument for the role of works in the final judgement hinges on this distinction of two different types of faith. For Schreiner, works are proof of having the right type of faith -- the sort of faith that gets one into heaven.
Dunn
Dunn approaches the relationship between faith and works through the lens of covenantal nomism. For Dunn, all Christians will be judged by their actions on earth (Romans 2:13, 14:10-12). The distinction for Dunn is that good works serve as participation in a covenant with God. Certainly there is grace where there are shortcomings, but ultimately works are required in this perspective. A person is responsible for their works, and will be judged for them.
Dunn’s second take on the role of works is by challenging Paul’s motive for writing particular passages that seem to affirm one side of the debate or the other. Rather than attempting to synthesize all of Paul’s teaching into one systematic theology, Dunn asserts that passages were written affirming the role of works at judgement are written to contexts that needed to exhorted. The passages that emphasize the role of Christ’s righteousness in the final judgement were perhaps written to people who that needed to be encouraged and affirmed (Loc. 2478).
Barber
Barber takes a distinctly different route than his colleagues by working from the text of the Gospels rather than Pauline letters. From the outset, Barber emphasizes the role of God’s grace in rendering our works as righteousness, because “with God all things are possible” (Matt 19:26, Loc: 3022) In one of Barber’s critiques, he notes that justification is sonship and that justification happens through faith. The point drawn out from the question of works is the question of what, specifically are we being saved to rather than from. Salvation is “communion with God is Christ” -- not, “fire insurance” from hell (Loc: 3063)
Using parables in Matthew 19, Berry shows God’s mercy as judge, and that “wages are paid out in connection with labor, but not in strict proportion to labor.” (Loc. 3248). Grace is what draws us together and ultimately turns our efforts, however meager, into good works. This perspective leans heavily on God’s grace in redeeming our works for the good and resolves the question of good works in the final judgment through participation in communion with God, and judgement on the works that flow out of that relationship based on Christ’s merits and God’s grace. Participation in our relationship with God is the key.
Analysis
Four Views on the Role of Works at Final Judgment
I appreciated the thoughtful, and reasonable, articulations of four distinct perspectives on the role of works in the final judgement. I found both Wilken and Schreiner to have the weakest arguments, due to their invention of a creative out for the discrepancy in Paul’s writings. For Wilken, he splits the Final judgement into two separate judgements. For Schreiner, he splits faith into two separate categories -- assent and real/saving faith.
I most appreciated the writings of Barbur and Dunn. Together, they provided a coherent perspective to me. From Dunn’s writing, he offered the New Perspective on Paul through his introduction of covenantal nomism into the debate. What I most appreciate about the idea that we are now participating in Abraham’s covenant (in the same way Abraham was participating in it) and that we try to uphold our end -- and we will fail. Ultimately, that’s OK because Christ has fulfilled the covenant perfectly and our faith in him provides salvation. From Barbur’s perspective, I appreciated his emphasis on the role of God’s grace (especially as a Catholic theologian!) in transforming our meager works into truly good/meritorious works. Both perspectives seemed to offer a view of God that emphasized God’s role as loving Creator rather than dubious Judge. I would highly recommend this book to any college or seminary student looking to further their understanding of the role of works in salvation.