Here is My @TGC Conversation with Nancy Guthrie about How to Teach the Book of Romans
When it comes to understanding the gospel of salvation by grace alone, there are few books more foundational than Romans.
It was Romans that Martin Luther was reading when the light clicked on regarding justification: “The righteous shall live by faith” (1:17). And it was Romans that Augustine read when he heard the child’s voice say tolle lege: “So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (13:12).
That very verse led to Augustine’s conversion.
The impact of Romans has been felt in every generation of the church. And, of course, we can’t forget Martin Lloyd-Jones’ legendary series preaching through Romans … Continue reading...
Taking Back Christianese #5: “Just Ask Jesus into Your Heart”
Some of us grew up in churches where it seemed every Sunday included an atlar call. Congregants were invited to walk the aisle and to make a “decision” for Christ.
During these occasions, very specific language would be used to explain how a person becomes a Christian. “Just ask Jesus into your heart,” was the common refrain, usually followed by an appeal to Rev 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.”
Thus, we come to the next installment in the “Taking Back Christianese” series. Our purpose here is to evaluate … Continue reading...
This Book Really Needed to Be Written and Finally Someone Has Done It
Every once in a while a book comes along that meets such an important need that it makes you wonder, “Why hasn’t someone done this before?” Richard (Dick) Belcher, OT Professor and Academic Dean at RTS Charlotte, has written just such a book: Prophet, Priest and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today (P&R, 2016).
Of course, in the Reformed world, the idea that the work of Christ can be divided into his three “offices” (prophet, priest, and king) has a long lineage. Although it appears in a number of places in the early fathers, the Reformers were the ones who expounded on … Continue reading...
Taking Back Christianese #4: “We Have Freedom in Christ”
The wildly popular song “Let it Go,” from the movie Frozen, has the following lyrics:
It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me I’m free!
No doubt this captures the sentiment of much of our culture. People are looking to break through any last vestige of rules in our modern world. And they define the lack of rules–no right or wrong–as freedom.
Christians sometimes use a phrase that captures (or at least can capture) a similar sentiment, “We have freedom in Christ.” And Christians use this phrase in drastically different ways. Indeed, it … Continue reading...
All 42 Episodes of My Romans Bible Study (in HD) Are Now Available On Youtube
As many of you know, this past Spring I finished two years of teaching through the book of Romans in a community Bible study held here on the RTS Charlotte campus.
The Romans study was held every Wednesday morning for women in the Charlotte community. I had the idea for this study a few years ago as I was looking for an opportunity to connect with the people in the city of Charlotte outside the formal classroom setting. A lot of people are too intimidated to take one of the standard seminary classes, but I thought they may be willing to come on campus an participate in “normal” Bible Study.… Continue reading...