Of Justification by Faith by John Calvin

1. I trust I have now sufficiently shown how man’s only resource for escaping from the curse of the law, and recovering salvation, lies in faith; and also what the nature of faith is, what the benefits which it …Read More

Jesus’ Perspective on Sola Fide by John MacArthur

Many who have embraced “the New Perspective on Paul” are also proposing a different slant on the doctrine of justification by faith. When the text of Scripture is interpreted in the new light, they say, Pauline support for the principle …Read More

A Reformed Critique of the New Perspective by Richard Gaffin Jr.

The New Perspective on Paul, as it has been called, raises serious questions for Protestants committed to the doctrine of justification by faith. This school of thought does so in two ways. On the one hand, it questions the Apostle …Read More

The New Perspective on Justification by Richard Phillips

At the last meeting of this presbytery, I was commissioned to present a paper on the theological movement known as the New Perspective on Paul as it relates to the doctrine of justification. This request notes a growing movement that …Read More

A Defense of the Old Perspective on Paul: What Did Paul Really Say? by Phil Johnson

The following is transcribed from a seminar given by Phil Johnson at the London Reformed Baptist Seminary, meeting at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, on 10 January 2004. In this hour, I want to give you a brief critique of a …Read More

N.T. Wright on Justification by C.E. Hill

There is so much in this book that is good and should elicit a loud “Amen!” A balanced review of What Saint Paul Really Said by N.T. Wright would focus on both its strengths and weaknesses. Here, unfortunately, I …Read More

The Attractions of the New Perspective(s) on Paul by Ligon Duncan

Many intelligent Christians are puzzling today over what is being called “the new perspective on Paul.” Seminary students run across it in their New Testament course reading and perhaps class lectures. Pastors hear about it from fledgling theologues wanting to …Read More

N.T. Wright and the New Perspective on Paul by Ligon Duncan

The term “new perspective” was coined by J.D.G. Dunn in 1982 to describe the new approach to Paul’s theology he was advocating which was built on the work of several earlier scholars such as E.P.Sanders …Read More

Five Arguments Against Future Justification According to Works (Part II) by Richard Phillips

Argument #4: The future judgment of believers consists only of reward and praise. Those who support future justification according to works will cite the numerous Bible passages that in one form or another state that we must all stand before …Read More

Five Arguments Against Future Justification According to Works (Part I) by Richard Phillips

The year 2009 witnessed a publishing event of real interest to many Christians: the publication of N.T. Wright’s Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision. Wright is widely considered the most provocative writer on justification today and …Read More

Two Birds, One Stone by R.C. Sproul Jr.

FROM TABLETALK | February 2010

When error comes into the church we face a set of obligations. First, we must confront the error. The world has embraced a live-and-let-live relativism that will accept any foolishness, but will not accept the wisdom of calling foolishness by …Read More

Salvation and the Life After Life by Paul Helm

FROM TABLETALK | February 2010

How do we estimate what a person is primarily interested in? Perhaps by seeing how often they return to the subject, or what they mention on important occasions. And perhaps, also, by the manner in which people write about things …Read More

Christ, Our Righteousness by Roger Nicole

FROM TABLETALK | February 2010

N.T. Wright in his advocacy of a “new perspective” on Paul and his teaching makes a special plea that “justification” should relate to the question “who belongs to God’s covenant with the world?” rather than “how can you …Read More

The “Nonsense” of Justifying the Ungodly by David Mathis

FROM TABLETALK | February 2010

There are at least three problems with N.T. Wright’s claim that imputing God’s righteousness to a defendant is a category mistake and “makes no sense.” First, Wright’s definition of the righteousness of God is too shallow …Read More

Wright Is Wrong on Imputation by Thomas Schreiner

FROM TABLETALK | February 2010

Is the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the believer an artificial construct, an idea from systematic theology that does not truly come from the Bible? N.T. Wright argues that the traditional view of imputation veers away from the …Read More