Grace Has Taught Our Hearts to Fear

SI Filings

“Attempting to hold tensions in balance, the fearsomeness of God seems to get the short end. The Lamb, too often, undoes the Lion. With this, God is robbed of worship, and we of rejoicing.” - Desiring God

Discussion

Does God Repent, or Doesn’t He? Part 2: Toward an Answer

DOlinger

What do we make of the fact that the Bible says both that God repents and that he doesn’t?

I think the key to what’s going on here comes from the passage about God’s rejection of King Saul. I don’t know whether you noticed this in the previous post, but this event appears in both the list of statements that God doesn’t repent and the list of examples of his repenting.

In other words, the passage says both that God doesn’t repent and that he does.

Discussion

What Does It Mean to Stand with Israel? (Part 3)

Paul J. Scharf

Read the series.

What are some specific things that we can do to stand with—that is, bless (Gen. 12:3)—the people, nation and land of Israel?

As we documented in the previous installment, we certainly have good reason to desire to do so. As Jesus told the Canaanite woman, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). And as He reminded the Samaritan woman, “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).

Discussion

Surprising New KJV-Only Arguments! (Part 3 of 3)

SI Filings

“…the one argument that most surprised and delighted me. It takes real knowledge of biblical studies to come up with an argument like the one you’re about to hear. … a concept that he uses, ‘hapax legomena.’” - Mark Ward

Discussion

What Is the “New Perspective(s) on Paul”? (Part 2)

TylerR

Read the first article in this series.

What does “justification” mean?

Dunn explains that “justification by faith” means trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, and not relying on obsolete Jewish boundary markers as covenant preconditions for God’s acceptance (i.e., “works of the law”). Jesus is enough. According to Dunn, Paul’s target is not grace v. legalism, but grace v. outmoded nationalism.

Discussion

Tasting Roman Wine from the Time of Jesus

SI Filings

“Many other Roman-era techniques would have separated Roman wine in the time of Jesus from what we drink today, including natural fermentation. Additionally, while Roman wine could come in a wide range of colors, the Roman world lacked the modern distinction between red and white wines” - Biblical Archaeology

Discussion

What Is the “New Perspective(s) on Paul”? (Part 1)

TylerR

The “New Perspective on Paul” (NPP) is a re-calibration of the traditional Protestant understanding of “justification.” NPP has now been a force in New Testament and Pauline scholarship for about three generations. This article aims to present a positive statement of NPP. It is a summary, not a critique—so there will be no critical interaction.

First, we briefly sum up the traditional Protestant understanding of “justification.” Next, we survey five aspects of the NPP that differ from the traditional framework.

Discussion