Tag: righteousness

What are you wearing? Presidents, suits and fall outs

Apparently one of the things that upset some at the White House was that President Zelensky didn’t wear a suit.  Interestingly, those people don’t seem too worried that Zelensky hasn’t worn a suit to other meetings with other world leaders. It’s a shame that  Keir Starmer did not opt to forgo a suit when welcoming… Continue reading What are you wearing? Presidents, suits and fall outs

The curse

When the people of Israel came out of Egypt, God gave them The Law in the wilderness at Sinai. Then, before they were about to go into Canaan, Moses in effect set before them a choice between curse and blessings. This choice was to be enacted in a covenant ceremony.  The people were to pass… Continue reading The curse

Zeal and righteousness

In Galatians 1:14, Paul describes his extreme zeal with regards to the Law (both written and oral traditions).  Commentators associate this idea of zeal with a fascinating incident from the Old Testament.[1] The incident is referred to in Psalm 106:30-31 and described in Numbers 25:1-9.  In Numbers 24, a prophet called Balaam had attempted to… Continue reading Zeal and righteousness

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?

Generous Righteousness: The one who lavishes grace on us

The story of Ruth is also of course the story of Boaz and what an incredible story it is.  Boaz is the land owner who sees a foreign widow gleaning in his field and when he finds out who she is insists that she is protected and well treated. Of course, Boaz at one level… Continue reading Generous Righteousness: The one who lavishes grace on us

“Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament

I mentioned the other day the conversation I had with Dan James about Haggai 2.  One of the things I’ve been challenged about increasingly is the importance of preaching to the affections.  This is an old puritan phrase meaning that our preaching should speak to the whole person not just to the intellect. We don’t… Continue reading “Do you want to be clean?” Preaching to the affections from the Old Testament

No place for excuses or hypocrisy (Romans 2:1-11)

If COVID-19 has highlighted one thing, it is our ability to spot the wrong in others.  We read a newspaper report about crowds on a beach and we notice with disgust that someone has gone to that beach, expecting that they would get to be there and enjoy it for themselves, missing the irony that… Continue reading No place for excuses or hypocrisy (Romans 2:1-11)