The acclaimed author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life now offers a book for all Christians whose doubt and fear are interfering with the joy and peace that faith could provide, and for pastors and counselors who wish to help them.
The saving mission of Jesus constitutes the foundation for Christian mission, and the Christian gospel is its message. This second edition of a classic NSBT volume emphasizes how the Bible presents a continuing narrative of God's mission, providing a robust historical and chronological backbone to the unfolding of the early Christian mission.
In Exodus 34 Moses asks to see God's glory, and God reveals himself as a God who is merciful and just. James Hamilton Jr. contends that from this passage comes a biblical theology that unites the meta-narrative of Scripture under one central theme: God's glory in salvation through judgment. Hamilton begins in the Old Testament by showing that Israel was saved through God's judgment on the Egyptians and the Caananites. God was glorified through both his judgment and mercy, accorded in salvation to Israel. The New Testament unfolds the ultimate display of God's glory in justice and mercy, as it was God's righteous judgment shown on the cross that brought us salvation. God's glory in salvation through judgment will be shown at the end of time, when Christ returns to judge his enemies and save all who have called on his name. Hamilton moves through the Bible book by book, showing that there is one theological center to the whole Bible. The volume's systematic method and scope make it a unique resource for pastors, professors, and students.
Throughout history millions have lived and died without hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite vigorous missionary efforts, large populations of the world today have never been evangelized. And now religious pluralism has set up shop on Main Street. The question "Who can be saved?" forces itself on the minds of Christians like never before. Is there a wideness in God's mercy? Does God reveal himself in a way that invites all people to respond positively in saving faith? Does one have to be an Arminian to believe so? Or is there a way for Calvinists to see how God might reveal and save apart from the explicit "gospel" and yet exclusively through Jesus Christ? And if so, what does this say about the role of religions within the sovereign providence of God? These are big questions requiring thoughtful care. In this intriguing study, Terrance L. Tiessen reassesses the questions of salvation and the role of religions and offers a proposal that is biblically rooted, theologically articulated and missiologically sensitive. This is a book that will set new terms for the discussion of these important issues.
Since its early beginning’s creation has been plagued by a sickness, the effects of which extend to the uttermost parts of the earth, so that none can escape it. For most, death is considered a normal part of life, something that we all must face. And while it is certainty true that no one can escape or circumvent their physical death, the Scriptures tell us that this life is but a shadow of the one to come, and that the decisions we make now will determine where we go from here: either into eternal life in the presence of the Lord, or into eternal death whereby we are permanently separated from our heavenly creator. This book seeks to address a series of key doctrinal issues with the intention of providing the reader with a consistent understanding of what the Scriptures teach regarding our eternal salvation and the role that we all must play in God’s redemptive plan.
This book examines in depth and at length what the Old Testament and the New Testament hold about the salvation of God's 'other peoples'. The Bible repeatedly witnesses to the universal scope of the divine love for all human beings and the chances of salvation that are available to them. Since the Israelites experienced for many centuries, both at home and abroad, the religion and culture of numerous other peoples, the Old Testament texts have much to say, both positively and negatively, about the religious prospects and destiny of these peoples. In its second half this book scrutinizes what Jesus, the evangelists, Paul and the Letter to the Hebrews indicate about God's loving designs for all human beings. At the end, the book breaks new ground by developing the universal presence of the risen Jesus (along with the Holy Spirit) and his role as universal Wisdom, and the full teaching of the Letter to the Hebrews on the possibility of faith for all people.
What is salvation? Why do humans need it? And what is its process? The doctrine of salvation essentially teaches how humans are condemned to an eternal hell by a just and righteous God because of their sins. However, instead of condemning all of humanity without any hope of redemption, God provided a means of salvation, so that the condemned may become righteous and dwell eternally with him in a place of blessing. In this study, we will consider salvation by exploring some of the elements within the order of its process, the gospel message, and theological issues associated with salvation such as, "Why does God elect people to salvation?" "How does a believer become more like Christ?" "Can a believer lose his salvation?" and "How does a person know if he or she is truly saved?" The intent behind studying these is that we'll be able to know the true gospel in contrast with a false gospel, gain wisdom to grow in our sanctification, develop hope in our future glorification, and increase our sense of awe and joy in the great salvation that God planned for us. Let's study it together with the Bible Teacher's Guide."The Bible Teacher's Guide... will help any teacher study and get a better background for his/her Bible lessons. In addition, it will give direction and scope to teaching of the Word of God. Praise God for this contemporary introduction to the Word of God." -Dr. Elmer Towns, Co-founder of Liberty University
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” — John 3:16 What does it mean to be saved? Can I know that I am saved? As Christians, and especially as Catholics, we face these questions on a daily basis, not only from the people we meet but also in our own hearts. Scripture provides the answer, for the Bible isn’t simply a collection of disjointed tales — it is the story of our salvation. In this Bible study, Fr. Mitch Pacwa guides us through Catholic teaching on salvation, as found in Scripture. With his characteristic wisdom, he tackles tough topics and questions, including grace and free will, repentance and faith, the role of the sacraments, and the necessity of good works. Perfect for a parish small group study or for personal reflection, each of the six sessions in Saved: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics will help us begin to discover the infinite mystery of our salvation, deepening our relationship with the God who saves us.
“If there were a Guinness Book of World Records entry for ‘amount of times having prayed the sinner’s prayer,’ I’m pretty sure I’d be a top contender,” says pastor and author J. D. Greear. He struggled for many years to gain an assurance of salvation and eventually learned he was not alone. “Lack of assurance” is epidemic among evangelical Christians. In Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, J. D. shows that faulty ways of present- ing the gospel are a leading source of the confusion. Our presentations may not be heretical, but they are sometimes misleading. The idea of “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Jesus” often gives false assurance to those who are not saved—and keeps those who genuinely are saved from fully embracing that reality. Greear unpacks the doctrine of assurance, showing that salvation is a posture we take to the promise of God in Christ, a posture that begins at a certain point and is maintained for the rest of our lives. He also answers the tough questions about assurance: What exactly is faith? What is repentance? Why are there so many warnings that seem to imply we can lose our salvation? Such issues are handled with respect to the theological rigors they require, but Greear never loses his pastoral sensitivity or a communication technique that makes this message teachable to a wide audience from teens to adults.
We are saved by faith when we trust that Jesus died for our sins. This is the gospel, or so we are taught. But what is faith? And does this accurately summarize the gospel? Because faith is frequently misunderstood and the climax of the gospel misidentified, the gospel's full power remains untapped. While offering a fresh proposal for what faith means within a biblical theology of salvation, Matthew Bates presses the church toward a new precision: we are saved solely by allegiance to Jesus the king. Instead of faith alone, Christians must speak about salvation by allegiance alone. The book includes discussion questions for students, pastors, and church groups and a foreword by Scot McKnight.