N T Wright – Justification – post 2

[up to p.37]

Okay, so I haven’t gotten much farther, but I do have more to say.

Style and Method

This book is one of the most understandable and readable and pleasant books I have ever picked up in theology.  Wright is always a master of extended metaphor.  His understanding of the way that Paul writes comes out in the way he himself writes, always drawing in narrative, always alluding to controlling narratives.

As to method, I just intend here a comment about the question “Will Wright cut to the chase?”  It seems that Wright is being direct, and intensely clear about his views.  He is also keeping the gloves off and not pulling any punches.  While I never see Wright being mean, he is not putting on pleasantries in order to converse in a friendly way at a dinner party.  Wright is doing what he needs to do at this point.  He is actually saying, “So and so theologian gets x wrong and misses x passage.”  So my hope, up through page 37, is that the book will continue to speak so plainly.

When I was first encountered Wright in 2000-2003, I kept wondering “Is he not aware of what people are saying about him over here, in America?”  I wondered this because, most times when I heard a fellow reformed christian criticizing Wright, the criticism was about works-based salvation [which, make no mistake, he thoroughly repudiates and denies].  But I never seemed to read him saying anything about it.  The fact that it wasn’t a concern for Wright to deal with such a matter just seemed to fuel many fires and make people say that he was in fact a gospel-denier – a works preacher….

But, like Augustine retracting his disbelief in miracles after many miraculous proofs, I have now heard and seen Wright speak about this so many times I have to say “He absolutely is not what they all think he is.”

Now, Instead of wondering whether he knows that they are blaming him of Pelagianism, I wonder, “Does anyone know that Wright has answered this question satisfactorily MANY times?

This book should only make that answer louder and more accessible to the public.

Grace not Works in Old Testament

Sometimes Christians mistakenly think that the Old Testament saint was saved by keeping the law.  This is a destructive mistake, because it makes us separate ourselves from the Old Testament based on a false claim.  I review Psalm 130 to show that grace, not works is the way of salvation in the OT.

See Winepress Films!

Law and Gospels – part 1

First let’s survey a summary of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20.1-21, Deuteronomy 5.)

–  1  Purity of Devotion: No other gods

–  2  Purity of Worship: No idols

–  3  Sanctity of God’s Name: Not taken in vain

–  4  Sabbath: Remember the “Rest” to keep it holy

–  5  Honor father and mother

–  6  Honor God’s image: Do not murder

–  7  Purity of Marriage: Do not commit adultery

–  8  Sanctity of property: Do not steal

–  9  Sanctity of speech: No lies to harm your neighbor

–10  Guard your heart: Do not covet

SCOPE OF THE LAW

The scope of the Decalogue – the Ten Commandments – is far reaching.  It addresses your

Internal Relation to God                 Internal Relation to neighbor

1                                                    10

External Relation to God                External Relation to neighbor

2, 3, 4                                             5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Interesting to note that #10 Covetousness, leads to #6-8: Murder, Adultery, Theft.

When we look in the next post to the Sermon on the Mount, we will need to key in on the fact that God was ALWAYS concerned with internal heart motivations.  Not just outward actions.  Jesus is making a big deal of this fact.