(2) Justification "under the law"
Another major difference between Paul and Qumran on justification is that for Qumran, righteousness is “under the law,” whereas for Paul it is “apart from the works of the law.” We may speak of the nomistic basis of righteousness according to the Qumran sect.
The nomistic basis of righteousness at Qumran is made clear in the oath that prospective members of the community must take in order to join the group.
1QS V, 7-13: “Every initiant into the society of the Yahad is to enter the Covenant in full view of all the volunteers. He shall take upon himself a binding oath to return to the Law of Moses (according to all that He commanded) with all his heart and with all his mind” (cp. CD XV, 7-12; XVI, 1-6; 1QH VI, 17-18; 1QS I, 7-8, 16-17).
The foundation of salvation is grace, but the basis of acceptance and eternal life is perfect obedience or works; repentance and the forgiveness of sins, for Qumran, merely set one back on the path of perfect obedience, but perfect obedience is the ultimate ground of acceptance before God, salvation from hell, and the obtaining of eternal life in the age to come.
Perfect obedience to the Mosaic Law is required:
CD II, 15-16 (“living perfectly in all His ways”); VII, 4-6 (“all who conduct their lives by these laws, in perfect holiness”); CD XX, 2, 5-7 (“the men of holy perfection”); 1QH VIII, 16, 26 (“a perfect heart”); XII, 30-32 (“walk in the perfect way … to perfect a way”); 1QS I, 8 (“all who volunteer to live by the laws of God … so as to … walk faultless before Him, according to all that has been revealed”), 13 (“according to the perfection of His ways”); II, 2, 9-11 (“to walk faultless in all the ways of God”); IV, 22 (“those following the perfect way”); V, 24 (annual promotion/demotion based on “perfection of walk”); VIII, 16–IX, 2 (“walk blamelessly,” distinction between intentional and unintentional sins); IX, 5-9 (“blameless behavior”), 18-19 (“the secret Way is perfected … walk blamelessly”); X, 20-21 (“until their walk be perfected”); XI, 2, 11, 17 (“the perfection of way … the way made perfect”).
Once "perfection of way" is achieved by living within the community, then one will be accepted by God:
1QS III, 8-10: “Through an upright and humble attitude his sin may be covered, and by humbling himself before all God’s laws his flesh can be made clean .... Let him order his steps to walk faultless in all the ways of God, just as he commanded for the times appointed to him. Let him turn aside neither to the right nor to the left, nor yet deviate in the smallest detail from all of His words. Then indeed will he be accepted by God.”
1QH XII, 21-22: “Those who are in harmony with You shall stand before You for ever, and those who walk in the way of Your heart shall be secure for evermore.”
Not only acceptance before God, but escape from God's judgment at the last day is secured by obedience to the Law:
1QpHab VIII, 1-2: “This refers to all those who obey the Law among the Jews whom God will rescue from among those doomed to judgment.”
CD XII, 22: “If the seed of Israel lives according to this law, they shall never know condemnation.”
CD XIV, 1-2: “As for all who live by these rules, God’s covenant stands firm for them, delivering them from all the traps of hell.”
And finally, even resurrection life is predicated upon one's works of righteousness under the Law, though one's attainment of such righteousness is not a human achievement but a result of God's sovereign electing will ("if it please you"):
1QS XI, 16-17: “Establish all of his works in righteousness; raise up the son of Your handmaiden – if it please You – to be among those chosen of humankind, to stand before You forever.”
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