Does James contradict Paul? This is one of the big questions that has been asked of his letter and it is the primary reason why some people have been suspicious of the letter. Paul has been keen in his letters to argue that we are saved by grace alone and justified by faith. In Ephesians… Continue reading James and Paul: Law, grace and faith
Tag: Grace
When the car crash has happened – guilt and shame revisited
In our look at 1 Corinthians 10, I used the example of someone pushing the boundaries, taking risks with their faith being like a driver taking corners at speed close to the cliff edge. They risk plunging off of the edge into a deep ravine. 1 Corinthians 10 offers a warning against taking risks, falling… Continue reading When the car crash has happened – guilt and shame revisited
What kind of church? A free church (1 Corinthians 9)
We sometimes get into disputes about how Christians are to relate to “The Law”. Are we under Law or under grace? Now, for obvious reasons, there doesn’t tend to be much discussion or debate about whether or not we are under any requirement to not murder or steal. So, the focus when it comes to… Continue reading What kind of church? A free church (1 Corinthians 9)
Should Christians keep Sunday as a Sabbath day?
When I was younger, the UK still had very strict rules on things like Sunday trading and sport. However, the Thatcher government was in the process of seeking to liberalise most rules. There was a prominent movement seeking to resist the arrival of Sunday trading including organisations such as The Lord’s Day Observance Society (now… Continue reading Should Christians keep Sunday as a Sabbath day?
Paedobaptism and the mediator problem
The Bible insists that there is one mediator between God and man, his name is Jesus. Therein lies a crucial problem with paedobaptism. There are some churches where babies are baptised and it is understood that this is symbolic, the baptism is in effect an expression of hope that the child will grow up to… Continue reading Paedobaptism and the mediator problem
The pearl of great price -another perspective
In Matthew 13, Jesus tells two parables about valuable treasure. First he describes a man finding a a field with buried treasure in it. He sells everything in order to purchase the field and so own the treasure in it (13:44), then in the following verse he tells of a merchant who finds a pearl… Continue reading The pearl of great price -another perspective
True Freedom
Have you ever had one of those dreams where you are trying to escape from a scary place where you are trapped. You get through to the other side, only to realise your efforts were in vain, you are still captive. It’s a common theme, it invades our worst nightmares and is often picked up… Continue reading True Freedom
The danger of legalism
A big theme throughout Galatians is that we are no longer under subjugation to The Law. This meant that Galatian believers were not to be subjected to the rituals and ceremonies of Judaism. It also meant that people were not to be excluded from belonging and fellowship on that basis. So, an important application from… Continue reading The danger of legalism
What is legalism? Faithroots Podcast
When the way forward is the way back
We got off the aeroplane at Beijing airport and jumped into a taxi, giving the driver the details of our hotel in the centre of the city. After over half hour of driving, we assumed that we must be getting close to our destination. Except my mum looked out of the window and said “We’ve… Continue reading When the way forward is the way back
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