A PARTICIPATIONIST ESCHATOLOGICAL READING OF JUSTIFICATION IN GALATIANS, PHILIPPIANS, AND ROMANS

Nomos and dikaiosune oscillate in meaning whenever Paul discusses circumcision in his undisputed letters. The sarx/pneuma binary (Rom 7:14) maps this oscillation perfectly. In other words, the Torah kata sarka is not the Torah kata pneuma and righteousness kata sarka is not righteousness kata pneuma. These distinctions are cosmological, that is, participationist eschatological. Indeed, initial justification is the inchoate participation in pistis christou (the Messiah's death and resurrection), whereas final justification entails judgment according to the pneuma-empowered works of agape.