How relevant is the New Perspective (and other controversies)?

Our church are just starting a series on Galatians.  Different people will be preaching a chapter each week and we’ll be following up in a bit more detail in our life group studies and with some blog posts here on Faithroots.   Galatians is a controversial letter, controversial because Paul himself was writing polemically to respond… Continue reading How relevant is the New Perspective (and other controversies)?

What is justification all about?

One of the key themes that seems central to Paul’s argument in Galatians is that we are justified by faith.[1] In recent years, there’s been much discussion and dispute about what justification really means, especially since the emergence of the New Perspective. Whilst the reformed position since Luther and Calvin has been that justification is… Continue reading What is justification all about?

What is the Gospel?

Paul’s big concern for the Galatian church was that they risked being captured by a different Gospel.  The other day, I wrote something about this and observed that if we are to avoid falling for different, false Gospels, then we need to know what the true Gospel is. Now, we might assume that the answer… Continue reading What is the Gospel?

Introducing Galatians

Our church are about to embark on a teaching series on Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Here are some introductory notes. When was the book written? Nowadays it is usually viewed as an early letter, if not the earliest of Paul’s letters. Some reformers including Luther considered it to have been written later though, seeing… Continue reading Introducing Galatians

Galatians Reconsidered (Book Review)

Much ink has been spilt over a little controversy amongst New Testament Theologians, the so called New Perspective on Paul. Neil Martin believes that he has found a way through the impasse to enable us to be enriched by Paul’s teaching, especially in Galatians. The New Perspective was a response to the traditional Protestant position,… Continue reading Galatians Reconsidered (Book Review)

Law and Spirit: A COVID Parable

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Imagine this: it’s summer 2021.  After extensive trials and tests, the COVID-19 vaccine is available.  It has been internationally confirmed to be reliable, safe and effective. Here in the UK it is available to you for free. What would you say to someone who is choosing to refuse the vaccine and instead is insisting on… Continue reading Law and Spirit: A COVID Parable