When Works Meet Faith: Anabaptist Roots and Paul’s Puzzle

Jerry Eicher of Anabaptist Theological Perspectives explores the tension between Anabaptist practice and Reformed theology, tracing how early Anabaptists returned to Jesus and the Gospels instead of prioritizing Paul. The episode examines Paul’s claim in Titus 3:5, the seeming paradox of “no works” and commands to “work out your salvation,” and how misunderstanding Paul often stems from missing his Old Testament context. Eicher walks listeners through biblical examples (Cain and Abel, King Saul, Pharisees), Jesus’ parables (seed and soil), and the three Old Testament stages—sacrifice, obedience, and mercy—as the soil we prepare for God’s transformative work. He argues that Christians do contribute (preparing the ground) but not as a contractual, result-guaranteeing work; rather, we act without assurance and leave the fruit to God’s sovereign action.