More about Legalism

Paul says, "The Torah is not faith." This seems to imply that, if you want to be a person of faith, the one thing you chould not do is observe the Torah. Does this make sense? In Galatians 3:11-12, Paul quotes Leviticus 18:5 and Habakkuk 2:4 in a manner consistent with rabbinic interpretation to establish that it is not the hearers of the Torah who will be declared righteous but the doers of the Torah.

Bewitched

Have you been "bewitched" by legalism, as Paul says: "O foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you" (Galatians 3:1)? This teaching offers a look at how Paul seemingly contrasts the Spirit with the Torah in first verses of Galatians 3.

Through the Law I Died to the Law

Paul says, "Through the Law I Died to the Law." What is that supposed to mean? Take a look at the mystical implications of Paul's death to the law as a death to relying on Jewish identity for salvation.

Works of the Law

Evangelicals often point out that we are saved by grace, not by works, but most people do not have a clear idea of what the Bible means when speaking of the "works of the law." This teaching from Galatians offers an exploration of the terms "justification," "works of the law," and "faith in Jesus Christ" as employed in the Pauline Epistles.

The Law of Sin and Death

Why does Paul refer to the Torah as "the law of sin and death"? What does it mean to say that we have "died to the law"? This teaching tackles some of the most difficult material in the Pauline epistles to try to make sense of Paul's theology regarding the Torah.

Download the attached PDF from the original 2014 class to follow along.

Under the Law

What does it mean to be "under the law"? Conventional teaching understands Paul's use of the terminology, "under the law," to mean legalism. This teaching from Romans 6 takes a completely different perspective.

What Advantage Has the Jew?

What advantage is there to being Jewish? Paul lists lots of advantages, but exemption from judgment is not one of them.

This important study on the first three chapters of Romans makes sense of Paul's discussion about the Law, the Jewish people, the Nations, and how we all stand under God's judgment and in need of atonement and salvation. The discussion reverses several common assumptions about Romans 1-3 by clearly explaining the sequence of Paul's argument, the rhetorical devices he employs, and the specialized terminology he uses such as "under the law" and "the circumcision."