Index is Finished

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Thanks to the Alabama women’s softball team requiring three games to dispatch the Oklahoma women — winning Alabama’s fourth national championship of the year! — I’ve had plenty of time to get the new index in order.

I’ve also reworked the Pages widget to the right, removing the old index system (which was broken) and some other rarely used pages. Continue reading →

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Faith That Works/Available Light: An Interpretation of Romans II, Part 2

Posted on June 9, 2012 by Jay F Guin

But if you call yourself a Jew …

(Rom 2:17-24 ESV)  17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God  18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;  19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,  20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth — 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?  22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.  24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

In this section, Paul bursts the bubble of those Jews who claim moral superiority to the Gentiles. In fact, he accuses them of violating the Ten Commandments despite their superior opportunities due to their having the Torah. Continue reading →

Posted in Available Light, Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Faith That Works/Available Light: An Interpretation of Romans II, Part 1.5

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Jay F Guin

In the comments to Part 1 of this series, Keith Brenton has mentioned some additional passages that arguably support the “available light” theory —

(John 3:18 ESV) 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

(Heb 11:6 ESV) And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

(Mat 7:8 ESV)  8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Keith further argues,

The question is whether God shows unmerited favor to a person who has lived a life that speaks of faith, even without knowing (fully) the One in whom that faith exists. Continue reading →

Posted in Available Light, Faith That Works, Grace, Uncategorized | 40 Comments

Faith That Works/Available Light: An Interpretation of Romans II, Part 1

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Jay F Guin

I’ve written quite a bit on the “available light” theory over the years. But reader and regular commenter Price has suggested I need to do a better job of explaining how Romans 2 fits into my understanding. I think he’s right.

For those new to the discussion, the “available light” theory is that, for those who’ve never heard the gospel, God will judge them based on what portion of God’s will they know and not hold them accountable for that portion of God’s will they’ve not become aware of — either through the Scriptures or from Christians, their culture, their own moral natures, or observing nature.

This much I think is true and clearly demonstrated by a close reading of Romans, especially Romans 5. We are only accountable for so much of God’s will as has been revealed to us. Continue reading →

Posted in Available Light, Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 20 Comments

Faith that Works: Peter and James

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Jeopardy and Assurance

Now, of course, human nature and our relationship with God is bit more complex than contra-positives and logic. After all, even if I have the Spirit within me, I have a choice. I can follow his lead or I can refuse it.

Refusing may eventually cause the Spirit to leave me, placing me outside the camp, alone in the desert, but until then, I remain saved and must make a choice every day whether to follow. Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Uncategorized | 25 Comments

Faith that Works: Judgment According to Works

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Other Approaches to Works

Long before we get to James, we really have to see what else Paul says about being judged by our works. This will get confusing before it gets (I hope) clear.

Wright writes,

Paul, in company with mainstream second-Temple Judaism, affirms that God’s final judgment will be in accordance with the entirety of a life led – in accordance, in other words, with works. He says this clearly and unambiguously in Romans 14.10–12 and 2 Corinthians 5.10. He affirms it in that terrifying passage about church-builders in 1 Corinthians 3. But the main passage in question is of course Romans 2.1–16. … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 32 Comments

New Index

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Over in the right column, you’ll notice a new Index, similar to the old Pages entry. I’ve decided to take the time to re-index the entire site based on categories. It’s a lot of trouble, but it’ll be far easier going forward.

But due to the recent hacking, the old Pages system was broken. Some of the pages had missing elements. Some of the pages were missing altogether. And besides, there were only 3,067 posts to index — which is awful, but it would have been just as awful to rebuild the old manual system.

I’m about 1/3 of the way through — thanks to Alabama’s softball team being in the finals of the World Series. It’s something to do while watching …

If you have any suggestions for a better organizational structure, let me know. It’s not hard to re-arrange the elements.

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Faith that Works: The Paradox of Grace; Lazy Christians

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Reflections on the Paradox of Grace

So let’s be honest. Paul gives us a very good reason not to fall away by becoming transgressors — fear of damnation. But when it comes to why not be lazy? why not do the least possible? why not take it easy and rely on grace? Well, Paul doesn’t make any real threats.

I think there are actually really good things to fear with that attitude, but that’s not Paul’s approach. He just keeps teaching grace. And to legalistic ears, that’s nonsense and so we look for ways to fix Paul — such as by inserting a passage from James or refusing to teach salvation by faith without including a long litany of warnings that severely erode grace. Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Grace, Uncategorized | 11 Comments

Faith that Works: Paul Defends Himself in Galatians 2

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Galatians 2

We’ve skipped some of my favorite parts of Romans, but covered quite a lot of the book, all in search of the answer to: If we’re saved by faith, why bother to obey?

We now turn to Paul’s direct answer to that question in Galatians 2, but with a deeper, richer understanding of Paul’s theology to help us understand.

(Gal 2:17 ESV) 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not!

Yes, Jesus saves sinners — who remain sinners. We don’t stop sinning just because we’re saved. Does that mean Jesus serves sin? Does he condone or encourage sin? “Certainly not!” Continue reading →

Posted in Faith That Works, Galatians, Grace, Romans, Uncategorized | 31 Comments

Galatians III:27- III:28, Review and Supplemental Material (Monday, July 23, 2012)

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Jay F Guin

Galatians 3:26-27

Eight Week

Monday

July 23, 2012

We’re going to take a week to focus on these verses because they raise challenging questions about the role of women and baptism.

Of course, in one week, we can hardly do justice to these topics. But we can at least try to fairly assess what these key verses say on the topic — recognizing that there are other passages that must be considered.

In other words, this is not the end of the study, but the beginning. But there’s no better place to begin than Galatians. Continue reading →

Posted in Galatians, Galatians, Uncategorized | 2 Comments