Tom is Wright and Wrong

Tom Wright is correct in identifying the context for Paul’s teaching on justification as the status of the Jew and the Gentile regarding God and each other.  He is right to see that Paul is dealing with the issues facing the original Christians, Jews to a man, who were being required to treat the believing Gentiles as full equals in the church, and before God.  The teaching on justification by faith alone apart from works has as its purpose the demonstration that being Jewish and a descendant of Abraham means nothing in the matter of forgiveness.  Both Jew and Gentile are under sin, both are condemned by it, and it follows that neither Jew nor Gentile can be justified before God by works.

Bishop Tom is wrong in his actual doctrine of justification.  He drags works into it, and, in so doing, he completely overthrows the gospel of free grace.  He roots the declaration of forgiveness in part upon the whole life lived.  Justification by faith alone means justification apart from works, so Bishop Tom is teaching justification by faith and works.  That is heresy.

An Examination of Trent

Reading Chemnitz’s Examination of Trent.  He devastates it.