Why We Need the Book of James in the New Testament Canon
In many ways, the book of James has not had an easy journey into the New Testament canon. We have few references to it in the earliest stages, it was doubted by some church fathers, and, of course, Luther himself referred to it as “an epistle of straw.”
However, we should be immensely grateful that God has preserved this book for us. Despite its detractors, the book of James provides essential theological balance for the key doctrinal debates in the church today. Several key contributions:
1. James reminds us that one can offer extended moral exhortations without being a “moralist.” In an effort to avoid the charge of “moralism,” many … Continue reading...
Does Sanctification Require Effort?
There has been a quite a vigorous debate in Reformed denominations over the last number of years regarding the nature of sanctification and the role of our own efforts in that process. Some have insisted that sanctification is really only about coming to grips with our justification. Others have given the impression that if we preach sermons about Christian obedience (what some call “do” sermons) then we are merely preaching moralism and not preaching Christ.
However, I think many of these trends miss the radical call of discipleship that Christ so plainly offers. For this reason, I was grateful to Mark Dever who recently gave the Harold O.J. Brown Lectures… Continue reading...