In this revised edition of his classic, R. C. Sproul helps us dig out the meaning of Scripture for ourselves. He presents a commonsense approach to studying Scripture and gives eleven practical guidelines for biblical interpretation and applying what we learn. He lays the groundwork by discussing why we should study the Bible and how our own personal study relates to interpretation.
USA Today Bestseller Christianity Today 2022 Book Award Finalist (History & Biography) "A powerful work of skillful research and personal insight."--Publishers Weekly Biblical womanhood--the belief that God designed women to be submissive wives, virtuous mothers, and joyful homemakers--pervades North American Christianity. From choices about careers to roles in local churches to relationship dynamics, this belief shapes the everyday lives of evangelical women. Yet biblical womanhood isn't biblical, says Baylor University historian Beth Allison Barr. It arose from a series of clearly definable historical moments. This book moves the conversation about biblical womanhood beyond Greek grammar and into the realm of church history--ancient, medieval, and modern--to show that this belief is not divinely ordained but a product of human civilization that continues to creep into the church. Barr's historical insights provide context for contemporary teachings about women's roles in the church and help move the conversation forward. Interweaving her story as a Baptist pastor's wife, Barr sheds light on the #ChurchToo movement and abuse scandals in Southern Baptist circles and the broader evangelical world, helping readers understand why biblical womanhood is more about human power structures than the message of Christ.
Read the New Testament from a biblical-theological perspective. Featuring contributions from nine respected evangelical scholars, this volume introduces each New Testament book in the context of the whole canon of Scripture, helping anyone who teaches or studies the Bible to apply it to the church today.
For hundreds of years Christendom has been blessed with Bible commentaries written by great men of God highly respected for their godly walk and their insight into spiritual truth. The Crossway Classic Commentaries present the very best work on individual Bible books, carefully adapted for maximum understanding and usefulness for today's believers. Perhaps there is no clearer and more systematic treatise on the gospel of Jesus Christ than that found in Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Christian believers through the centuries have fed deeply on its themes of the sinfulness of man, the richness of God's mercy, the transforming power of Jesus Christ in the repentant life, the believer's participation in the Savior's death and resurrection, and the practical implications of spiritual truth for daily life. This classic commentary is a treasure for all who desire a deeper walk with God. Whether used for supplementary reading or for careful study, it will prove profitable to every follower of Christ who avails himself or herself of its gems.
Goliath. You know the story. But why is it in the Bible? Is it just to give us a little moral pick-me-up as we seek to emulate a small shepherd boy who defeated a giant? Have you ever wondered where Goliath came from? Did you know he had brothers, one with 24 fingers and toes? Did you know their ancestry is steeped in unimaginable horror? Genesis 6. The nephilim. The first few verses of this chapter have long been the speculation of supernatural events that produced demigods and a flood that God used to destroy the whole world. The whole world remembers them. Once upon a time, all Christians knew them. But for many centuries this view was mocked, though it was the only known view at the time of the writing of the New Testament. Today, it is making a resurgence among Bible-believing scholars, and for good reason. The nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward... This book delves deep into the dark and ancient recesses of our past to bring you rich treasures long buried. It is a carefully researched, heavily footnoted, and selectively illustrated story of the giants of the Bible. There is more here than meets the eye, much more. Here you will learn the invisible, supernatural storyline of the Bible that is always just beneath the surface, lurking like the spawn of the ancient leviathan. It is a storyline no person can afford to ignore any longer. Unlike other more sensational books on the topic, there is no undue speculation to be found here. The author is a Bible-believing Christian who refuses to use such ideas to tell you the end of the world is drawing nigh. Once you discover the truth about these fantastic creatures, you will come to see the ministry and work of Jesus Christ in a very new and exalting light. Come. Learn the fascinating, sobering, yet true story of real giants who played a significant role in the bible ... and still do so today.
With extensive biblical knowledge and a fresh, contemporary perspective, Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz provide an easy-to-understand approach to God's written message as they: provide a user-friendly overview of the origin, themes, and context of the Bible pack in maps, references, learning aids, and useful details reveal God's love and plan of salvation for humankind encourage study with a personal three month plan This is a must-have resource for readers who have been planning to get serious about Bible study—longtime believers, new Christians, Bible study leaders, and even seekers who want to read the Bible for the first time. Formerly titled Bruce & Stan's® Guide to the Bible.
The Knowing the Bible series is a new resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. Each 12-week study leads participants through one book of the Bible and is made up of four basic components: (1) Reflection questions designed to help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" highlighting the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" showing how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption culminating in Christ; and (4) "Theological Soundings" identifying how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from a wide array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on each and every page of the Bible. Pastor Drew Hunter helps readers understand and apply the challenging words of the prophet Isaiah in this 12-week study. Isaiah's prophecy, which alternates between promises of judgment and restoration, reminds God's people of the magnitude of humanity's sin, the judgment that we all deserve, and how God displays his glory by saving sinners. Throughout the study, Hunter continually shows how Isaiah's promise of cosmic renewal ultimately anticipates the work of Jesus Christ, the servant-king whose death would result in new life for all who trust in him.
contents1. A Pastoral Overview of Infant Baptism2. Matthew 28: 18-20 and the Institution of Baptism3. Unto You and Your Children4. The Oikos Formula5. Baptism and Circumcision as Signs and Seals6. The Mode of Baptism7. The Newness of the New Covenant8. Infant Baptism in the New Covenant9. Covenant Transition10. Covenant Theology and Baptism11. Infant Baptism in the Reformed Confessions12. Infant Baptism in History: An Unfinished Tragi-Comedy13. The Polemics of Anabaptism: Antipaedobaptism from the Reformation Period Onward14. Baptism and Children: Their Place in the Old and New Testaments15. In Jesus' Name, Amen
In the Bible, God gives us knowledge of himself and of ourselves, so that through these two intertwined strands we may receive what Calvin called 'true and sound wisdom'. In pursuit of this wisdom, many Christians have learned to interpret Scripture chrono-logically, following the Bible's developing story from creation, through fall, to redemption, and ultimately to restoration. But what of a complementary theo-logical approach to Scripture, one which focuses on the Bible's main 'characters' - God and human beings - and the nature of their relationship? Richard Brash presents such an approach, introducing six theological keys to Scripture which help us better to know God and ourselves in the three fundamental areas of being, knowing, and acting. At each stage, he develops the theme of the gracious condescension of the infinite, incomprehensible, and holy God in his relation to finite human beings: creating us as his image, establishing a proportion between his own knowledge and ours, and overcoming sin to take a people for himself through the love-gifts of his Son and his Spirit. If you are looking for an enlarged vision of God and a renewed understanding of your own vocation before the Lord, take up this book and be refreshed in your love for God in heart, soul, and mind.
