Commending Clarity

Post 2 in a series on the book "By Faith, Not By Sight"
This is the first post of a series I introduced here.

"...the purpose of the lectures [is] to highlight matters which...pastors and other teachers...need to be clear on..." (Preface, BFNBS)

This book was born out of lectures Dr. Gaffin presented in 2004. The lectures had a purpose, as does the book, captured in the abbreviated quote from the preface above; to offer clarity in Paul's theology.

Clarity is needed as things have become muddled with the New Perspective on Paul, the intramural debates regarding justification and sanctification, the distinction between Law and gospel, etc. How you appropriate Paul's theology will necessarily put you somewhere on the continuum in any or all of these debates. And it will effect your understanding of, not just Paul's letters (13 of them!), but of all of Scripture. And that will inform how you preach, how you counsel, how and from what you repent, how you will pursue holiness and countless other manifestations of your call, your faith and your own personal theology.

John Calvin wrote: "Just as old or bleary-eyed men and those with weak vision...can scarcely construe two words [from a beautiful volume]...so Scripture, gathering up the otherwise confused knowledge of God in our minds...clearly shows us the true God." (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.vi.1-3) I hope that is reason enough for you to pick up Dr. Gaffin's book and read it (or Calvin's Institutes for that matter).

(For those who want to read how Calvin's quote is very practical, I highly recommend this book.)

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