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If it's True That Justification by Faith ...

Instead, most scholars believe it was 1 Thessalonians.
Which is quite likely since the Church was established in Thessalonica well before the gospel reached Rome and any organization thereof was established. Jews from Rome are mentioned to have been present at Pentecost (Acts 2) but the next mention of Rome in Luke's early Church history of Acts is in chapters 18 and 19 when the Jews are commanded by Caesar to leave Rome and Paul later reports his intent to visit Rome. He was not directed to go to Rome by God until chapter 23 and it is not until the end of Acts that Luke reports their arrival. With Thessalonica we find that Paul visited the city in Acts 17 and there were already Jews there who'd heard the gospel from Berea. Paul taught in the synagogue, as was his custom, and many Jews believed. The Church in Thessalonica was well-established before Rome's.
At least Martin Luther was consistent in this that he placed Romans as the first written epistle
Luther was speaking ordinately, not chronologically.
 
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Justification by faith ALONE is and always has been the foundational issue.
If understood properly, Justification by Faith alone means Justification by Christ alone ! If His Blood that Justifies the elect b4 God, and Faith will embrace that fact, that fact is revealed to Faith via the Gospel Rom 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17For therein[The Gospel] is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
 
If it's true, that 'justification by faith' is the article by which the church stands or falls, then why did not Paul write the book of Romans first, since the book of Romans is foundational to the article of justification?
Instead, most scholars believe it was 1 Thessalonians. At least Martin Luther was consistent in this that he placed Romans as the first written epistle
I , in looking for certain wirings and when they happened ran across this and am just posting it for info. No other reason

Just a comment.

Not knowing when any book was truly written I saw this and thought I would post it

1 Thessalonians was likely written around 49 to 51 AD, during the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey. It is considered one of the earliest letters in the New Testament.

The Book of Romans was likely written by Paul the Apostle between AD 55 and AD 57 while he was in Corinth.

Then I found this.

Paul, Apostle of Christ​

The Gospel of the Gentiles
The Gospels are certainly the most important of the New Testament writings, but they were not the first to be composed. As early as the year A.D. 50, some young communities of former Gentiles were receiving Letters from an “apostle,” namely, Paul, who had not belonged to the Twelve or to the circle around Jesus. Of the great figures of newborn Christianity, this “first Christian author” is the most remarkable one known to us, and he remains such through the testimony he has left us in his writings.

Chronological Order of the Letters​

Modern criticism has come to the following conclusions in this area.

A first series of Letters was written at intervals during the fifties and sixties; there is practically no one who doubts that Paul was their author.

1 and 2 Thessalonians: The first two Christian writings that have come down to us. They were surely written in Corinth between A.D. 50 and 52, in order to encourage a recently founded community and to clarify some points of doctrine (although some scholars have questioned the authorship of 2 Thessalonians).

1 and 2 Corinthians: Two Letters written in A.D. 56, during Paul’s time in Ephesus. They contain rather spirited interventions occasioned by disorders and divisions in the community.

Philippians: A Letter that is especially cordial in tone. It is the first Letter that Paul wrote from prison and can be dated to A.D. 56, although others place it with the Letters of Paul’s Roman captivity between A.D. 61 and 63. We know that Paul was imprisoned more than once.

Galatians: A fiery Letter to a Church in full crisis; probably written in A.D. 56 or 57.

Romans: A lengthy theological writing, covering at greater length, and in a more serene tone, the same themes the writer had dealt with in the Letter to the Galatians. It may date from A.D. 57 or 58.

A second and later series of texts is known as the Captivity Letters (which may include the Letter to the Philippians, as noted a moment ago). They can be attributed to Paul, although a bit tentatively, and dated from A.D. 61 to 63, the period of his imprisonment in Rome.

Colossians: A Letter that encourages authentic faith and authentic Christian life in face of the commingling of religions and new ideas.

Philemon: A short note of recommendation for a fugitive slave.

Ephesians: A circular Letter inspired by a profound theology and mysticism.

A third series of Letters is addressed no longer to communities but to individuals, pastors of souls, and is lavish with recommendations and guidelines for the exercise of their responsibilities. These are known as the Pastoral Letters and must be dated to A.D. 66 or 67 at the latest, if they are to be attributed to Paul. Some exegetes think the Letters may be the work of disciples and written around the eighties.

1 and 2 Timothy: Two Letters.

Titus: One Letter.

Toward the end of the 1st century a final writing supposedly by Paul was in circulation, but the attribution is most uncertain. It was written by someone else who remains anonymous.

Hebrews: A lengthy piece of theology and exhortation, written either just before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or much later, between A.D. 80 and 90.
 
Hebrews: A lengthy piece of theology and exhortation, written either just before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or much later, between A.D. 80 and 90.

Very interesting @Rella - I would definitely date Hebrews prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, but your whole list is very interesting.

Thank you for sharing it!
 
I , in looking for certain wirings and when they happened ran across this and am just posting it for info. No other reason

Just a comment.

Not knowing when any book was truly written I saw this and thought I would post it

1 Thessalonians was likely written around 49 to 51 AD, during the Apostle Paul's second missionary journey. It is considered one of the earliest letters in the New Testament.

The Book of Romans was likely written by Paul the Apostle between AD 55 and AD 57 while he was in Corinth.

Then I found this.

Paul, Apostle of Christ​

The Gospel of the Gentiles
The Gospels are certainly the most important of the New Testament writings, but they were not the first to be composed. As early as the year A.D. 50, some young communities of former Gentiles were receiving Letters from an “apostle,” namely, Paul, who had not belonged to the Twelve or to the circle around Jesus. Of the great figures of newborn Christianity, this “first Christian author” is the most remarkable one known to us, and he remains such through the testimony he has left us in his writings.

Chronological Order of the Letters​

Modern criticism has come to the following conclusions in this area.

A first series of Letters was written at intervals during the fifties and sixties; there is practically no one who doubts that Paul was their author.

1 and 2 Thessalonians: The first two Christian writings that have come down to us. They were surely written in Corinth between A.D. 50 and 52, in order to encourage a recently founded community and to clarify some points of doctrine (although some scholars have questioned the authorship of 2 Thessalonians).

1 and 2 Corinthians: Two Letters written in A.D. 56, during Paul’s time in Ephesus. They contain rather spirited interventions occasioned by disorders and divisions in the community.

Philippians: A Letter that is especially cordial in tone. It is the first Letter that Paul wrote from prison and can be dated to A.D. 56, although others place it with the Letters of Paul’s Roman captivity between A.D. 61 and 63. We know that Paul was imprisoned more than once.

Galatians: A fiery Letter to a Church in full crisis; probably written in A.D. 56 or 57.

Romans: A lengthy theological writing, covering at greater length, and in a more serene tone, the same themes the writer had dealt with in the Letter to the Galatians. It may date from A.D. 57 or 58.

A second and later series of texts is known as the Captivity Letters (which may include the Letter to the Philippians, as noted a moment ago). They can be attributed to Paul, although a bit tentatively, and dated from A.D. 61 to 63, the period of his imprisonment in Rome.

Colossians: A Letter that encourages authentic faith and authentic Christian life in face of the commingling of religions and new ideas.

Philemon: A short note of recommendation for a fugitive slave.

Ephesians: A circular Letter inspired by a profound theology and mysticism.

A third series of Letters is addressed no longer to communities but to individuals, pastors of souls, and is lavish with recommendations and guidelines for the exercise of their responsibilities. These are known as the Pastoral Letters and must be dated to A.D. 66 or 67 at the latest, if they are to be attributed to Paul. Some exegetes think the Letters may be the work of disciples and written around the eighties.

1 and 2 Timothy: Two Letters.

Titus: One Letter.

Toward the end of the 1st century a final writing supposedly by Paul was in circulation, but the attribution is most uncertain. It was written by someone else who remains anonymous.

Hebrews: A lengthy piece of theology and exhortation, written either just before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 or much later, between A.D. 80 and 90.
Very interesting @Rella - I would definitely date Hebrews prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, but your whole list is very interesting.

Thank you for sharing it!
Yes, when it comes to dating the Epistles and Books, there are many open-ended questions. Take Revelation for example.
 
Faith & Justification

Faith has no manner of causality in producing Justification; as it is God's Act, whether it be that gracious sentence, first as conceived in his mind from Eternity; or secondly, as promised to Christ the sinner's Surety at his resurrection; or thirdly, as this Act is terminated on the sinner’s conscience. For the act of God, as qualified in the last sense is the Object that Faith lays hold upon and therefore must be in order of nature complete before the Act; and conversant act adds nothing to the completeness of the Object. Nor secondly, has it any causality in producing the matter of our Justification, as that is the Complete performance of Covenant Conditions, upon which complete performance of Covenant Conditions, the Justifying of God judicially passes; which complete performance, &c., as engaging such a Justifying Act at the Tribunal of Justice, was done by Christ our Surety perfectly many hundreds of years ago; and therefore the sinner's faith can add nothing to the benefit thereof. So that justification, the object of faith, cannot have the least instrumentality from faith, or produce its being. Whence we conclude that faith does not and cannot justify instrumentally, as an instrument subservient to the being of the thing. Richard Davis {Vindication of the Doctrine of Justification and Union before Faith, 1698.} https://supralapsarian.com/Richard_Davis.htm
 
Why Justification by Faith ?

Those who are Justified before Faith before God, based upon The Divine Purpose which includes the blood of Christ in covenant, slain from the foundation Rev 13:8, foreknown before the world began 1 Pet 1:20, based on the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb 13:20. They all shall be Justified by Faith in time at their call by the Gospel Rom 8:28-30

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Its at this Call they do receive a sense and knowledge of it [Justification], they now know themselves Justified in their consciousness to be Justified before God through Spirit wrought Faith 1 Cor 6:11

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

For Faith is a fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22, and men do not have it [Justifying Faith] by Nature; and men by nature [even the elect] have no way of knowing of such a spiritual blessing as Justification before God until they capacitated by the fruit of Faith from the Spirit, and only to those is the Gospel sent to reveal this Justification / Righteousness to Rom 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

This Righteousness revealed to Faith is the basis of their Justification before God.

So its only proper in the arrangement of Salvation in the Divine Purpose, that those Justified before Faith, are Justified by Faith or through Faith knowingly and consciously. For what comfort or peace can come from it [Justification before God] if its never made known to the one who is. For Justification by Faith is the beginning of the assurance of Faith Heb 10:22

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Without Justification by Faith there would be no Joy and Peace in Believing Rom 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
 
Why Justification by Faith ?

Those who are Justified before Faith before God, based upon The Divine Purpose which includes the blood of Christ in covenant, slain from the foundation Rev 13:8, foreknown before the world began 1 Pet 1:20, based on the blood of the everlasting covenant Heb 13:20. They all shall be Justified by Faith in time at their call by the Gospel Rom 8:28-30

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Its at this Call they do receive a sense and knowledge of it [Justification], they now know themselves Justified in their consciousness to be Justified before God through Spirit wrought Faith 1 Cor 6:11

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

For Faith is a fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22, and men do not have it [Justifying Faith] by Nature; and men by nature [even the elect] have no way of knowing of such a spiritual blessing as Justification before God until they capacitated by the fruit of Faith from the Spirit, and only to those is the Gospel sent to reveal this Justification / Righteousness to Rom 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

This Righteousness revealed to Faith is the basis of their Justification before God.

So its only proper in the arrangement of Salvation in the Divine Purpose, that those Justified before Faith, are Justified by Faith or through Faith knowingly and consciously. For what comfort or peace can come from it [Justification before God] if its never made known to the one who is. For Justification by Faith is the beginning of the assurance of Faith Heb 10:22

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Without Justification by Faith there would be no Joy and Peace in Believing Rom 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Justification is simply the declaration of sin's remittal (salvation) which is by faith, therefore making justification also the result of faith.
 
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