Final answer:
The student's question pertains to the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans, which states that a person is not justified by works of the Law, but by faith alone, a central tenet in Protestant theology.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the student's question is that a person is not justified by works of the Law according to the Apostle Paul's teaching in Romans. This is a tenet that was central to Martin Luther's arguments during the Reformation and is foundational to Protestant theology. Luther's understanding came from a critical reading of Romans 1:17, which states, "The just shall live by faith." This was in contrast to the Catholic Church's stance at the time, which emphasized the necessity of doing good works as part of the process of salvation.
Justification by faith alone implies that God's grace and forgiveness cannot be earned through good deeds or observance of the Law; instead, they are given freely through faith in Jesus Christ. This concept shaped many reformation theologies and continues to be a distinguishing feature between various Christian denominations. Good works, in this view, are not the means to salvation but are the evidence of a genuine faith and a transformed life.