The “New Perspective on Paul” refers to a theological movement that has gained popularity in recent decades. It seeks to re-interpret the writings of the apostle Paul, particularly regarding his teachings on salvation, grace, works, and the law. The traditional Protestant view sees Paul rejecting any role for human works or merit in salvation, which is solely by God’s grace through faith in Christ. The New Perspective argues that Paul was not opposing “good works” but rather the Jewish identity markers of circumcision, dietary laws, and Sabbath observance as the basis for righteousness. This new view claims Paul’s writings have been misunderstood, especially his letters to the Romans and Galatians. So is this New Perspective biblically accurate? Let’s look at what the Bible says.
Paul’s Own Words on Salvation by Grace
In Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul unambiguously states, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Here Paul clearly attributes salvation to God’s grace, excluding human works as playing any contributing role. He repeats this teaching in 2 Timothy 1:9, saying God “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace.” Titus 3:5 also echoes this: “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.” Passages like Romans 3:20-28, Romans 4:1-5, Romans 9:30-32, Romans 11:5-6, Galatians 2:16, Philippians 3:9 all reinforce salvation is by grace through faith, not based on human merit or works.
Paul uses the example of Abraham in Romans 4 to make this point. Abraham was declared righteous by God before he was circumcised or had done any good works (Gen 15:6). His right standing was by faith alone. Paul argues this demonstrates that righteousness comes through faith, apart from works of the law (Rom 4:9-12). Abraham is the spiritual father of all who believe, both circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles (Rom 4:11-12). Righteousness is credited to those who have faith like Abraham did, apart from works (Rom 4:13-25).
In passages like Galatians 3, Paul argues that no one is justified by the law; Christ redeemed us from the law’s curse that we might receive justification by faith (Gal 3:10-14). The law came later and cannot nullify the earlier covenant of promise that was by faith (Gal 3:15-18). The law was a guardian leading to Christ so that we might be justified by faith, for all are sons of God through faith (Gal 3:19-29). This echoes Romans 3:21-22, “The righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.”
Paul could not be more explicit that salvation, righteousness, and justification are by God’s grace through faith in Christ, not by works of the law. He repeatedly and adamantly excludes human effort, merit, or performance as playing any contributing role in salvation. It is solely by God’s grace.
Addressing Key New Perspective Arguments
1. Paul’s Polemic Against “Works of the Law”
New Perspective proponents argue Paul’s rejection of “works” refers narrowly to circumcision, Sabbath, and dietary laws that served as Jewish identity markers and boundary markers from Gentiles. So Paul was not rejecting moral effort or good works, just the specific identity markers of Judaism that separated Jews from Gentiles. But this argument fails to persuade for several reasons.
First, in condemning “works of the law,” Paul does not qualify or limit it to circumcision, Sabbath, and dietary laws. He broadly condemns relying on any works of the law for justification. Second, when Paul wants to specifically target circumcision, he says so directly, as in Galatians 5:2-6, 6:12-15. He does not hide behind the phrase “works of the law.” Third, Paul’s argument in Romans 4 about Abraham shows he had the broader category of moral works in view, not just circumcision. Fourth, in passages like Ephesians 2:8-9, Paul excludes moral effort or good deeds from having any role in salvation. The context is broader works, not limited to so-called Jewish identity markers. Fifth, in Galatians 3 Paul argues that no one is justified by the law, period. He does not qualify that he just means parts of the law. So Paul appears to reject any human works as contributing to salvation, not just circumcision, food laws, and Sabbath.
2. Paul’s Polemic Against Jewish Ethnocentrism
Some New Perspective advocates propose Paul was not arguing against salvation by good works, but rather against Jewish ethnocentrism and exclusion of Gentiles from covenant membership. So Paul was opening the door of salvation to Gentiles by faith, not denying good works have a role in salvation. But again, this view fails to convince. Paul’s letters indicate he was combating a works-based righteousness, not just ethnocentrism. Passages like Romans 4 and Ephesians 2:8-9 show Paul rejects human effort altogether, not just as a boundary marker. Paul taught salvation is equally available to both Jew and Gentile by faith alone through God’s grace. He was not just expanding covenant membership but articulating the exclusive basis on which anyone is saved – by grace through faith.
3. Galatians 2 and Paul’s Rebuke of Peter
In Galatians 2, Paul recounts rebuking Peter for withdrawing from table fellowship with Gentile believers to avoid offending Jewish believers. Some New Perspective advocates claim this shows the issue was Jewish separatism, not works righteousness. But the passage indicates a works-based ethnocentrism lay behind Peter’s actions. He had been eating with Gentiles, but under pressure from the “circumcision party” (verse 12) he backed away, likely because these Jewish believers insisted Gentiles become circumcised and follow the law to have table fellowship (which would make Gentile believers into Jews). Paul condemned Peter precisely because his actions communicated that Gentile believers must take on Jewish identity markers (become circumcised, keep kosher, etc.) to truly belong to the people of God. Rather than opening the door to Gentile inclusion, Peter’s withdrawal from table fellowship communicated they still needed to become Jews, follow the law, and take on Jewish identity markers to be justified. So this passage really highlights Paul’s rejection of works righteousness and any requirement for Gentiles to take on the “works of the law” to be justified.
4. The “Curse” of the Law in Galatians 3:10-14
New Perspective advocates sometimes argue the “curse” Paul says Christ redeemed us from is not God’s condemnation for breaking moral laws but rather the curse of exclusion from Israel’s covenant blessings due to failure to keep the boundary markers of circumcision, kosher, etc. But this interpretation seems unlikely. In Deuteronomy 27-28, the curse for breaking God’s covenant is condemnation, judgment, and wrath – the judicial penalty for transgressing God’s moral commands. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 in Galatians 3:10 about the curse, so he likely has this judicial understanding of the curse in view. And in Galatians 3:13, Christ redeems us from this curse by “becoming a curse for us,” which in context likely means Christ bore God’s wrath for sin on our behalf. So the curse in Galatians 3 seems broader than just missing out on covenant blessings due to non-observance of Jewish identity markers.
5. Only One Way of Salvation for Jew and Gentile
Paul stresses there is only one way of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles. In Romans 1:16 he teaches the gospel is the power of salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also the Greek. There is no separate way of salvation for the Jew based on law-keeping. Romans 10:12 says Christ is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Galatians 3:28 declares there is neither Jew nor Greek in Christ, for all are one in Christ. So Paul forecloses any path to justification that is based on Jewish identity, law-keeping, or works righteousness. The same gospel of salvation by grace through faith applies equally to all.
Harmony Between Paul and James on Faith and Works
One objection raised against the traditional Protestant view of Paul is that it seems at odds with James 2:14-26, where James argues faith without works is dead and useless for justification. This leads some to see an irreconcilable conflict between Paul and James. But there are good solutions for harmonizing Paul and James that retain the traditional Protestant view of salvation by faith alone.
Some key factors to consider: 1) Paul and James use key terms differently. For Paul, “faith” means trusting in Christ alone for righteousness. For James, mere intellectual agreement without life transformation is not true “faith.” 2) They have different opponents and aims in view. Paul contends against legalists requiring works for justification. James contends against antinomians who separate faith from action. 3) They use “justify” in different senses. For Paul, it means to declare righteous legally. For James, it means to demonstrate righteousness practically. 4) They view works differently. Paul rejects them as the grounds of justification. James sees them as the evidence of justification already received by faith.
So in summary: Paul teaches we are justified forensically before God by faith alone, apart from merit-earning works. James teaches we are justified evidentially before others by a faith that produces good works. Saving faith will inevitably yield works, but the works do not contribute meritoriously to justification. So Paul and James are complementary, not contradictory, when interpreted carefully in context.
Conclusion
Based on Paul’s own unambiguous teaching throughout his letters, the New Perspective interpretation of Paul seems difficult to reconcile with the biblical text when examined closely. Paul repeatedly excludes human works or merit from contributing to our righteousness or justification, attributing salvation solely to God’s grace apprehended through faith alone. He makes no distinction between moral effort and so-called Jewish boundary markers – all works are excluded. While insights from the New Perspective can help in studying Paul’s writings, the traditional Protestant understanding of salvation by grace alone through faith alone based on Christ’s work alone remains truest to the thrust of Paul’s letters taken as a whole.
