Fulfilling the righteous requirement of the law is one of humanity’s paramount achievements. However, Paul's lament in Romans 1:29 reveals the hopeless condition of human agency, which is filled (πληρόω) with unrighteousness, reflecting his pessimistic view of human nature. This raises a paradox: how can those filled with unrighteousness fulfill the righteous requirements of both the law and the gospel? Paul presents a solution for the paradox: Trinitarian help. Especially, Rom 8.1-4 provides the foundation of the divine fulfilment, which is accomplished by the Trinity generating the ensemble, particularly in Christ through his incarnation, sinless life and sacrificial death on the cross. As a result, in the freedom from the law, Paul claims that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us. The freedom gently pushes believers, like a springboard, giving us momentum to jump into the new world of obedience and love. Paul continues his argument that further cooperation between the Trinity and human agency would be needed. Also, Rom 15.13-19 reaffirms the understanding of the fulfilment. And this study analyzes Paul’s logic of the fulfilment of the righteous requirement of the law by the ensemble and cooperation of divine and human agency and how human agency is absolutely dependent on the divine agency to achieve the fulfilment.
Introduction
Fulfilling Work of the Trinity and Human Agency in Rom 8.1-4
Human Agency that Fulfils the Law
Mini Structure of the Fulfilment in Rom 15.13-19
Conclusion
References