The book promotes a serious examination of the attributes of God and his desire to impart specific aspects of his divine nature into the renovated hearts of his adopted children through the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:4) to the end that their renovated lives will glorify God the Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16). It can be thought of as three books in one: Part 1 (Chapters 2-12) examines and discusses the attributes of God as they are described in Scripture and Stephen Charnock's The Existence and Attributes of God, first published in 1682. Part 2 (Chapters 13-20) discusses the biblical concept of the heart and the interaction between the distinct spheres of the heart - the mind, desires/passions, and will. And Part 3 (Chapters 21-27) describes what a maturing renovated life might look like as the Holy Spirit is imparting aspects of the divine nature into the hearts of God's adopted children in different spheres of life - dating, engagement, marriage, rearing a family, singleness, business, politics, and the world at large. Each "book" could stand alone but together they provide understanding into how God re-establishes in our heart the divine nature that was lost at the fall of mankind. Even though we "live and move and exist" in God (Acts 17:28) we cannot exhaustively know him, but it is nevertheless possible for his image-bearers to possess true knowledge of him and to become - by his work alone - more like him.
Teens' Guide to Identity from FamilyLife All teens wrestle with the question "Who am I?" and wonder, What makes me special? Though these questions linger for life, they are most intense in the teen years, where confusion, awkwardness, and a desperate grab for identity reign. So how does a young person answer these critical questions? Where do young men and women find their significance, worth, and value? True Identity is perfect for parents and youth workers to give to the teenagers (14-16) in their lives to help them in their journey. Drawing on experiences and wisdom from a wide array of experts, the book provides compassionate answers to help teens discover who they really are, emphasizing their identity in Christ above all other ways our culture defines them. As the book walks teens through the steps to make their faith their own, it highlights healthy independence and God-honoring relationships. The Passport2Identity curriculum launched in April 2016, and True Identity is its trade book companion.
Deification in the Greek patristic tradition was the fulfilment of the destiny for which humanity was created - not merely salvation from sin but entry into the fullness of the divine life of the Trinity. This book, the first on the subject for over sixty years, traces the history of deification from its birth as a second-century metaphor with biblical roots to its maturity as a doctrine central to the spiritual life of the Byzantine Church. Drawing attention to the richness and diversity of the patristic approaches from Irenaeus to Maximus the Confessor, Norman Russell offers a full discussion of the background and context of the doctrine, at the same time highlighting its distinctively Christian character.
The Bible has a way of shocking us. If Americans could still blush, we might blush at the words, "Rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19). But, of course, sin always tries to trash God's gifts. So we can't just celebrate sex for what God made it to be; we have to fight what sin turned it into. The contributors to this unique volume encourage you to do both: celebrate and struggle. This book has something for all-men and women, married and single-from contributors like John Piper, C. J. and Carolyn Mahaney, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, Carolyn McCulley, and others.