I’m teaching Romans and 1 Corinthians this semester, so I’m giving some thought to spiritual gifts.  Paul speaks of these throughout both letters. It seems to me that “spiritual gift” talk among evangelicals has been hijacked by the Disney ideology—what’s important is that I am given opportunities to exercise my giftedness.  I need find fulfillment, […]

In Romans 4:5, Paul identifies God as the one “who justifies the ungodly.”  Those who read this passage as an abstract discussion of the mechanics of justification will conclude that Paul is stressing the purely passive manner in which justification is received by morally unworthy people.  It does not come as a result of anything […]

In Romans 4, Paul sets Abraham before his audience for consideration.  Why does he do this?  Is it to give an Old Testament example of justification by faith?  Not exactly. Following the grammar in vv. 13-16, it’s apparent that Paul calls upon Abraham to advance his argument that the divided factions in the Roman church […]

Over the last few weeks I’ve noted that Paul’s letter to the Romans is a pastoral letter to a church struggling to maintain unity in the midst of developing conflict. Paul’s narrative of the human body from corruption to transformation runs through the letter as a subtext.  It supports his contention that all Christians in […]

Over the last few days, I’ve heard from good friends in various places facing different kinds of troubles.  Psalm 13 is a prayer of one in despair (Common English Bible): How long will you forget me, Lord? Forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I be left to my own […]

* I used to open our Midtown services with a welcome that clarified why we gathered, who we were, and whose we were. Welcome to Midtown Christian Community.  Welcome in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who died but now lives and reigns from heaven. Jesus Christ is our life, and he is on […]

I wrote yesterday that Paul’s narrative of the human body from corruption to transformation is a subtext of Romans.  It serves his analysis of the situation in the Roman church and supports his argument that no group has any basis to judge another.  Because bodies have been hijacked by the cosmic power of Sin, ethnic […]

Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day; and though I am poor, today I believe. Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day; and though I am weak, today I believe. Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day; and though of anxious heart, today I believe. Lord, […]

Paul writes quite a bit about bodies in Romans, both the human body and “the body” of gathered Christians in Rome. “Body” language pops up throughout the letter, and in some very interesting places.  One could even argue that at the subtextual level, Paul narrates the journey of the human body from corruption to transformation. […]

We began a new semester this week, in which I’m teaching Romans, 1 Corinthians, and New Testament Biblical Theology–I’m seriously living the dream! With every new semester, I think of this prayer for Bible study from the BCP.  I used it to begin our NT Biblical Theology class last night. Blessed Lord, who caused all […]