Themelios: Issue 34-2, July 2009

by The Gospel Coalition

Publisher:

Gospel Coalition

, 2009

Contents

• "Editorial" by D. A. Carson
• "Minority Report: A Question of Accountability" by Carl Trueman
• "The Relationship Between Justification and Spiritual Fruit in Romans 5–8" by Jonathan R. Pratt
• "Sola Fide Compromised? Martin Luther and the Doctrine of Baptism" by D. Patrick Ramsey
• "The Inexhaustible Fountain of All Good Things: Union with Christ in Calvin on Ephesians" by Lee Gatiss
• "Pastoral Pensées: Power in Preaching: Desire (1 Thessalonians 1:2–5), Part 2 of 3" by Raymond C. Ortlund Jr.

Top Highlights

“First, I understand ‘fruit-bearing’ to refer to believers’ righteous responses to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in their earthly lives.” (Page 164)

“James Bannerman readily admits to his Baptist opponent that ‘if Sacraments are regarded as the causes or the means of justification, they are utterly inconsistent with the Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone.’⁴ Furthermore, he asserts that it is legalistic to make the sacraments ‘instruments of justification and the source of faith.’” (Page 179)

“A significant ramification of this essay is that Paul denies any teaching that would advocate two classes of Christians (e.g., the ‘spiritual’ vs. the ‘fleshly’).” (Page 178)

“Francis of Assisi is quoted as saying, ‘Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.’ That notion is wrong.” (Page 208)

“Scripture shows that spiritual fruit-bearing by believers is inescapable and certain. Nothing in these four chapters suggests that a second work of grace or a crisis experience of surrender or dedication is required to begin the process of fruit-bearing in the life of the believer. In fact, quite the opposite appears to be the case: those whom God justifies, he also transforms.” (Page 177)

Product Details

• Title: Issue 34-2
• Editor: D. A. Carson
• Series: Themelios
• Publisher: The Gospel Coalition
• Publication Date: 2009
• Pages: 126

About The Gospel Coalition

Brian J. Tabb (PhD, London Theological Seminary) is academic dean at Bethlehem College & Seminary and an elder of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also serves as managing editor for Themelios, published by the Gospel Coalition, and is the author of Suffering in Ancient Worldview.

D.A. Carson is a research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He has been at Trinity since 1978. Carson came to Trinity from the faculty of Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he also served for two years as academic dean. He has served as an assistant pastor and pastor and has done itinerant ministry in Canada and the United Kingdom. Carson received a bachelor of science in chemistry from McGill University, the master of divinity from Central Baptist Seminary in Toronto, and the doctor of philosophy in New Testament from the University of Cambridge. Carson is an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world. He holds membership on the Council for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Carson has also written many books that have garnered international acclaim, including his award-winning title The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism.

Daniel Strange is academic vice president and lecturer in culture, religion, and public theology at Oak Hill College, London. He is the author or coauthor of several other books, including The Possibility of Salvation Among the Unevangelised: An Analysis of Inclusivism in Recent Evangelical Theology.