More about faith vs. works

Does the Epistle of James contradict Paul's teachings about Faith and Works of the Law? This Green Room class from James 2:14-2:26 clears up the confusion and reconciles the apostles. This class has implicatons for how we read and understand Galatians, Romans, and Paul's theology. Also includes an interesting discussion on Rahab of Jericho. Download the handout from the 2011 class below.

The Torah is not of Faith

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.

Faith Versus Works

Have you ever heard of faith versus works? The theological argument about whether God saves a person by grace alone or if a person's obedience and good works are a necessary part of the equation is old as the New Testament itself. This teaching offers a resolution of the classic faith-versus-works debate through exploring Paul's theology of justification for the circumcised and the uncircumcised.

Order the book, Holy Epistle to the Galatians.

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.

Father of the Faith

Are you a son or daughter of Abraham? Abraham is the father of us all, right? Does being a "child of Abraham" make you the same as a Jewish person? Romans chapter four introduces Abraham as the father of our faith for both Jews and Gentile believers in Yeshua. This teaching contains discussion on Paul's one rule for all the churches and the apostolic teaching regarding distinction between Jews and Gentile believers.

Mind over Mitzvot

Romans 14 leads some people to believe that the Sabbath and kosher laws may be willed away, since "each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." But can the reality of Torah be shaped and molded by our thoughts? Find out what Paul's statement "nothing is unclean" teaches us about differences of opinion within the Jewish community and the fellowship of Messiah's followers.

Repentance from Dead Works

Are "dead works" the "works of the Law"? Does the book of Hebrews tell us to repent from Torah observance when it speaks of "repentance from dead works."

What are the basic teachings of Messiah mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-3? Discover the meaning of repentance from dead works in this eighteenth installment of sermons on the epistle to the Hebrews.

Repentance from Dead Works II

Does repentance mean to change your mind or to turn from sin?

More thoughts on repentance from dead works as an essential part of the gospel and one of the elementary teachings of Yeshua. Evangelism is not like making toast. Discipleship and evangelism entail an ongoing process. This teaching includes excerpts from a blog in which an Evangelical pastor explains why he does not preach repentance.

Faith toward God

The second elementary teaching of the Messiah in Hebrews 6:12 is called faith toward God, but how does “faith towards God” function as a distinctive, unique, hallmark of first century Messianic Judaism? All sects of Judaism believed in God. Even the Sadducees believed in God. Find out how Yeshua transformed the faith of his followers, and get a fresh handle on what it means to believe in Jesus and to be born again.