Reflections on Peter T. O'Brien's Class

I have a privilege to sit under the feet of Peter T. O’Brien and learned Justification by faith in Pauline Epistles. He firstly comments and critics on the leading scholars like E. P Sanders, G. D. Dunn, and N T Wright on New Perspective. He concludes that they (the mentioned scholars) look too narrow and don’t aware of the wider scope of the Bible. He points out that justification and covenant of God which Sanders, Dunn, and Wright develop has only a few connections in the Bible. But justification has much more connection with the justice or righteousness of God rather than the covenant of God. According to his statistic only one hundreds (25%) out of eight hundreds has connection with the covenant of God. The rest seven hundreds have connection with justice of God.
Then, he compares the faith of Abraham and the faith of today’s Christians which really strike me a lot. God says it can’t come through any other except Abraham and Sarah only. Humanly speaking it is impossible. God’s promise is something and circumstance is the other. Did Abraham believe in circumstances or promise of God? He believed in the promise of God. Many of the believers today may believe in circumstances not in the promised of God. Abraham did not know how it is going to happen, but just trust in the promise of God. He trusts that God is going to bring something out of nothing. It was like raising out of the death. Abraham believed in God who raised the death and who created something out of nothing. Although it seemingly impossible from human perspective his faith is stronger and stronger. Paul is talking faith in the God who raised the death. God is the one who will raise us in the last day. Paul is saying that Jesus is raised from the death. And we Christians believe and trust in the same God. Abrahams’ faith was credited to him as righteousness and not him alone but also to us who put our trust in the Lord. Our sins are forgiven, God no longer credit sin against us. Past, present and future sin is forgiven.
O'Brien did an exegesis of Romans 4:16-31. Based on v.22-23, all are equally sinful and equally in need of God's righteousness. His teaching is really inspiring and challenging. He made me realized that I am a debtor to my people and others just as the apostle Paul says he is a debtor to the Jews and the Gentiles. His class challenged me to pray and decide to teach God’s word to my people in Kuala Lumpur. My people in KL, though they say they are Christians, they never go to church; their spiritual life is really withered. They really need spiritual nourishment. Truly, I am a debtor to my people.