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Romans Commentary Chapters 1-8  /  Romans 5:13-21 Sin, Death, and the Promise of Eternal Life  /  Discussion Questions
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Question 3
Justin Martyr says God keeps people “free from death and from punishment” if they choose what is acceptable, but “will punish each one as he sees fit” if they do evil; how do you reconcile that early Christian “each one” emphasis with modern evangelical ways of speaking about assurance, salvation as a past event, and judgment “for believers”?
Another way to ask: Justin Martyr says God rewards or punishes each person based on their choices—how does that fit with modern talk about being “assured,” being “saved” as a past event, and judgment being different “for believers”?

Direct Answer Based on the transcript, early Christian language emphasized ongoing moral responsibility and God’s individualized judgment—“each one”—rather than framing salvation mainly as a past event that removes concern about punishment. Reconciling this with modern evangelical instincts would require re-centering the discussion around continued free will, continued ability to do evil, and God’s just assessment of persons.

Support from Transcript:

  • Justin Martyr: “Each one has committed personal transgressions…God wishes…free will…If they choose…He will keep them free from death and…punishment…if they do evil, he will punish each one as he sees fit.”
  • Bercot says second-century Christians did not develop dogma on the fall, but they did stress that “each person is responsible for his own sins.”
  • Chrysostom is later quoted in the same spirit: “A man would not deserve punishment if it were not from his own self that he became a sinner.”
  • The “death passed to all men because all sinned” reading is reinforced by the Oecumenius-type comment: death comes for “his own transgressions.”
  • Even Latin writers who taught a fallen nature (e.g., Tertullian) still emphasized “man is free with a will either for obedience or resistance.”
Discussion Follow-ups The transcript doesn’t directly address “assurance” language. How might “each one” accountability reshape how your group talks about perseverance, warnings, and God’s judgment without denying God’s grace?

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