Chris Tilling, has created podcast on his blog, "The Gospel in Paul". In it he reflects on his rejection of an individualistic understanding of Paul's gospel. Chris suggests that Evangelicals have sometimes been guilty of thinking that the gospel is simply the means by which we go to heaven when we die. This is a fair cop. Tom Wright has challenged this reductionistic view in many of his books including his nost recent Paul: Fresh Perspectives (see my review). I left these words as a comment on Chris' blog. They were spoken by Martyn Lloyd-Jones in the early 1960's long before the "New Perspective" on Paul.
Most people in the Christian Church today do not seem to believe truly in the resurrection of the body. All they believe is that we shall continue to live in some other realm. This is not the biblical teaching, which is, that we shall live in the body on this renewed, renovated, regenerated earth...We are not to look forward merely to a vague, indefinite, nebulous spiritual state. No, we shall be in a body, and we shall be on a new earth, under a new heavens wherein dwelleth righteousness. (Exposition of Romans Chapter 8:17-39, The Final Perseverance of the Saints, 1975, Banner of Truth Trust, p 89 & 90).
Lloyd-Jones has grasped something of the bigness of Paul's gospel - the good news that God has acted to redeem the whole of creation through his Son, the Lord Jesus.
Nice quote!
ReplyDeleteI will respond to your comments tonight.