Articles

Browse select Tabletalk articles and columns exploring themes and topics across a spectrum of relevant issues.

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  • Our Bloody Religion by Anthony Carter

    It has been said that Christianity is a bloody religion. This reference is usually made by critics who point to the wars, inquisitions, trials, and executions carried out over the years in the name of Christianity. While we must admit …Read More

  • Our Pasts Don’t Have to Matter by R. Fowler White

    During our election cycles in the U.S., we see a lot of headlines and hear a lot of talk about the past of candidates for public office.  We wrestle with and quarrel about the question, Do their pasts matter? Usually, …Read More

  • Sovereign Restoration by Kim Riddlebarger

    In one of the least known books of the Bible, Zephaniah, we find one of the most amazing prophecies. Writing during the reign of King Josiah (640–609 BC), Zephaniah speaks of the coming day of the Lord (Zeph. 1:7): “Be …Read More

  • Christ Our Church by Kim Riddlebarger

    There are a number of Old Testament passages that figure prominently in the New Testament. In Galatians 3:10–14, several of them are quoted by the apostle, and he uses these Old Testament passages as proof texts for the doctrine that …Read More

  • The Law of God in the Hearts of Men by Ken Jones

    Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is typical of his correspondence to other churches in that the first half of the letter is devoted to outlining the various doctrines that are constituent parts of the gospel message. Throughout his letters, the …Read More

  • Christ, Our Righteousness by Roger Nicole

    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 be saved?” …Read More

  • Justification and Ecumenism by Michael Horton

    One of the great connections that N.T. Wright emphasizes in his work is the one between soteriology (how we are saved) and ecclesiology (the church: who are the true people of God?). He properly (and repeatedly) reminds us that Paul …Read More

  • Salvation and the Life After Life by Paul Helm

    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

  • What Does Justification Have to do with the Gospel? by Sinclair Ferguson

    There is a striking plausibility about saying that “justification by faith is not what Paul means by ‘the gospel.’” After all, as N.T. Wright elsewhere observes, we are not justified by believing in justification by faith but by believing in …Read More

  • “Works of the Law” in Paul by J.V. Fesko

    The definition of Paul’s phrase “works of the law” is one of the more significant disagreements between N.T. Wright and the Reformation understanding of justification by faith alone. On what basis can Wright claim that Paul does not have worksrighteousness …Read More

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