Categories
hermeneutics human salvation scripture study

What Is Faith (According to The Bible)?

What is faith? I’ve seen answers that range from another religion (for example “one of many faiths”) down through some sort of fairy-tale opinion that stands opposed to science.

In the Bible, we’ll see all sorts of usage on “faith” and “belief”—sometimes even referring to when someone adheres to the doctrines that make up Christianity. One of the best usages of faith is the one that is tied to the concept of justification.

Faith is just an archaic word for trust. What I love about seeing faith, or trust, tied to justification in texts like Romans 4 (see more of the Romans study), that it explains the nature of the concept even while using, basically, case-law. No more fuzzy lessons grounded in someone’s personal trust issues, but rather taking the structure of Hebrews 11:1 where it says “faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen” and garnishing it with doctrinal meat.

Categories
romans study

Best Commentaries For Studying Romans: Case Study

I’ve been doing this series on Bible Study tools and was focusing on commentaries. In this post, I am going to list my commentary methodology, and a recommendation, with one book of the Bible: Romans.

I’ve read it quite a few times. Repeatedly. Taken notes on my perfect Bible and backed them up. Each time I find myself thinking “well, still don’t fully get it!” Paul had quite the brain.

Categories
dispensationalism hermeneutics

Words and Romans

Way back I noted that words are important but especially within their context; they are intended to communicate immediate meaning to the reader. Literary methods are also used as vehicles for this meaning: markers that unite ideas (structure) are accentuated with repetition (patterns) and are all used for carrying through the overall idea (the flow of thought).

Categories
romans

Rejoice In Tribulations (Rom 5:3)

Should Romans 5:3 καυχώμεθα εν ταίς θλίψεσιν (rejoice/exult/boast in tribulations) be limited in scope to only specific type of tribulations—as in the afflictions that come about from sufferings caused directly by the believer’s profession of Christ as Lord? Some students in the class removed tribulations that come about from sinning because of καυχώμεθα addressing the tribulations; they similarly removed tribulations that come about from natural afflictions because no one should rejoice in having their legs cut off.

I don’t think this exegetical decision is viable.

Categories
israel romans study

The Non-Violated Law of Romans 4:15

Tonight at the Roman’s study there was a question regarding Romans 4:15—why is it there?

The questioner was confused about the nature of violation of Law since this entire chapter doesn’t seem to be dealing with Law at all. After all, asked the student, isn’t the nature of Law to (1) prescribe and punish; and hasn’t Paul already established the (2) equality of Jew and Gentile to enter in by faith: why go back and deal with condemnation that comes about from Law breaking?