Quote:
Originally Posted by tdowns007  |
I didn't find the article accepting of a new Pauline perspective, although the author seems taken by some claims to new insights. He appears to be concerned with personal salvation, whereas new perspectives make the epistle's message of justification a matter of covenant community. The old perspective was as sensitive to the Jew/Gentile problem as the new perspective claims to be, so highlighting the "us" and "them" language is not really a problem. The real weakness of the article arises because the author only deals with one theme of the epistle -- justification by faith. He ignores the imperatives, and hence gives the false impression that there is no moral obligation laid upon "the Israel of God" as a matter of sanctification. The apostle was concerned with the unspiritual behaviour of the various sections of the church against each other. Therefore he urged a standard of behaviour which gave evidence of being led by the Spirit. This is what the old "Presbyterian piety" sought to do. It took the imperatives of Scripture seriously, and insisted the church of God is not a come-as-you-are, act-as-you-will, free-for-all. It is the church of Jesus Christ, and reflects that by fulfilling the law of Christ. If one reads Galatians carefully it will be seen that the apostle is not opening the floodgate to any kind of character to become a member of the Christian community, because he quite clearly states that certain men should be cut off. His concern is to show that now in the fulness of time the covenant community must be Christ-centred, resting upon Him for justification, sanctification, and glorification.