Issue
The Art of Self-Justification
Vol. 16, No. 5 • Sep/Oct 2007
In civil courts and in human judgment, issues about rights or debts are certain, and mercy is uncertain. But the matter is different in God’s judgment. Here mercy has a clear and certain promise and command from God. (Apology to the Augsburg Confession, III, 224). It would make a great episode of Perry Mason or […]
All Articles (16)
God Is Just
In civil courts and in human judgment, issues about rights or debts are certain, and mercy is uncertain. But the matter is different in God’s judgment. Here mercy has a clear and certain promise and command from God. (Apology to the Augsburg Confession, III, 224). It would make a great episode of Perry Mason or […]
Assumed Evangelicalism
You may have heard the story of the Mennonite Brethren movement. One particular analysis goes like this: the first generation believed and proclaimed the gospel and thought that there were certain social entailments. The next generation assumed the gospel and advocated the entailments. The third generation denied the gospel and all that were left were […]
“Hoping for Something Better: Refusing to Settle for Life as Usual” by Nancy Guthrie
I’ve been hoping for something better from evangelical Bible studies for women, and Nancy Guthrie’s 10-week study of Hebrews almost delivers. With a confident, winsome voice, Guthrie conducts the reader through a verse-by-verse exposition of this epistle, combining biblical instruction with personal anecdotes and application in a very appealing way. Guthrie’s emphasis on in-depth study […]
Why Sola Fide is the Chief Article
Sola Fide: Crucial Then, Crucial Now? As a faithful Roman Catholic, Martin Luther (1483-1546), the father of the Protestant Reformation, strove with all of his might to attain salvation while serving as a monk in the little town of Wittenberg. He prayed earnestly, studied tirelessly, held countless vigils, recited numerous masses, and harshly mistreated his […]
Patristric Texts on Justification
Out of an abundance of patristic texts on justification, I have selected a few typical examples from the East and a few from the West to show exemplary expressions of clear, explicit pre-Protestant, authentically Pauline justification teaching. Early Eastern Voices on Justification Key textual evidences from Origen, John Chrysostom, and Theodoret of Cyrrhus show that […]
Does Justification Still Matter?
Once upon a time, the label evangelical identified those who were committed not only to historic Christianity but to the doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone. In our day, however, that can no longer be taken for granted. Increasingly, evangelical scholarship is challenged by trends in biblical studies […]
Theology
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50 Difficult Theology Questions Answered in 50 Minutes
Pastor Adriel Sanchez joins producer Aaron Simon to answer some of the most common questions about Christianity.
What Is the Ordo Salutis? Explaining the Reformed View of Salvation
“The basis of our justification isn’t our sanctification, but Christ’s righteousness..” How are Christians saved? The Ordo Salutis, meaning “order of salvation,” describes the order by which Christians receive salvation. Pastor Adriel explains why it serves as a helpful tool in understanding the differences between Protestant and Catholic traditions.
Help! Saved but Still Sinning
Sanctification isn’t effortless. The act of dying to sin implies spiritual battle and life-long war against sin. Living unto righteousness implies costly, intensive labor that daily says “no” to sin and “yes” to Christlikeness. So what do we do when we fail yet again? How can we overcome feelings of failure, defeat, and self-loathing when we sin?
God’s Gift of Rest to You
Nobody really knows what to do with the Sabbath anymore. A frequent point of contention between Jesus and that group of ultra-religious elites was what was lawful or unlawful to do on the Sabbath. Even a quick perusal of the Gospels reveals how common this conflict was. From healing the man with a withered hand […]
