When You Fail to Distinguish Second and Third Use of the Law–A Response to Tullian Tchividjian
Last week, Jen Wilkin wrote a very helpful article on TGC entitled “Failure is not a Virtue.” The purpose of her article was to push back against those who advocate what she calls “celebratory failurism.” She says, “Celebratory failurism asserts that all our attempts to obey will fail, thereby making us the recipients of greater grace. But God does not exhort us to obey just to teach us that we cannot hope to obey.”
Put differently, Jen was concerned about those who view the law only negatively (as a means of exposing failure), and rarely discuss how Christians are empowered to obey it.
Just recently, Tullian Tchividjian has … Continue reading...
Justification and Sanctification at T4G
Last week I was privileged to participate in a panel discussion at T4G with my fellow RTS professors Chad Van Dixhoorn, Derek Thomas, and Scott Swain. The panel was chaired by RTS’s chancellor, Ligon Duncan.
The topic was the relationship between justification and sanctification and how that relationship is played out (in good and bad ways) in the modern reformed and evangelical church. In particular, the focus was on how many churches (and pastors) today offer what could be called a “justification only” model of ministry. In an effort to protect and preserve the gospel of grace (a worthy goal), some churches significantly limit (if not cease entirely) any discussion … Continue reading...
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...
Mark Dever Giving the Harold O.J. Brown Lectures at RTS Charlotte
Two years ago we began our annual Harold O.J. Brown lecture series here at RTS Charlotte. This lecture series honors Dr. Brown not only because he was a faculty member here in Charlotte for the final decade of his career (and much loved by the students), but because of his larger and wider impact one evangelicalism in the United States. In addition to publishing many important books, Dr. Brown (along with C. Everett Koop) had a tremendous influence on the pro-life movement in the United States.
When Dr. Brown passed away in 2007, I gave an interview to Christianity Today about his career and legacy. See here for that interview … Continue reading...