Dr Paul Allen

The Works of the Law by  Thomas R. Schreiner, Graham A. Cole, Oren R. Martin The apostle Paul emphasizes that we are not justified by “works” or the “works of the law,” the question before us is what Paul means when he speaks this way. Paul emphasizes that we don’t receive the Spirit and aren’t justified by the works of the law (Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:2, 5, 10; Rom. 3:20, 28). The works of the law refer to the entire law.  The New Perspective on Paul argues that the works of the law focus on boundary markers like circumcision, food laws, and Sabbath, but it is more natural to think that the entire law is in view. This is supported by Galatians 3:10, “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’”  Paul emphasizes here that we must do everything written in the law to be justified, and thus works of the law more naturally refer to the fundamental law. The Galatians a

In the early fifth century, a theological controversy occurred that would forever shape the thinking of the church. In his  Confessions , Augustine of Hippo wrote in the form of a prayer the words, "Give what Thou commandest and command what Thou will." The British monk Pelagius was upset by these words, believing that they would give Christians an excuse for not obeying God. Pelagius believed that if God commanded something, man was naturally (apart from grace) able to do it. He believed that this was possible because he also believed that Adam's sin had only affected Adam. All human beings are born in the same state in which Adam was born, capable of either obeying God orIn the early fifth century, a theological controversy occurred that would forever shape the thinking of the church. In his  Confessions , Augustine of Hippo wrote in the form of a prayer the words, "Give what Thou commandest and command what Thou will." The British monk Pelagius was upse