Is celibacy the only moral alternative to marriage? Should the widowed be allowed to form intimate relationships without remarrying? Should the church receive homosexuals into its community and support committed gay and lesbian relationships? Should congregations publicly and liturgically witness and affirm divorces? Should the church's moral standards continue to be set by patriarchal males? Should women be consecrated bishops? Bishop Spong proposes a pastoral response based on scripture and history to the changing realities of the modern world. He calls for a moral vision to empower the church with inclusive teaching about equal, loving, nonexploitative relationships.
This Puritan classic contains the following chapters: Introduction I. What Sin Is II. The Sinfulness of Sin III. The Witnesses Against Sin IV. The Application and Usefulness of the Doctrine of Sin’s Sinfulness Conclusion
What is the first thing a person who desires to be saved should do? Byfield teaches that he should first inquire, "What should he do to be rid of those many sins he is guilty of?" To be rid of such sins is being rid of their danger and guilt, and from their power and dominion. For many people, for many Christians, this is something they have not yet done. In this work, Byfield has gathered for us, out of the whole Bible, a catalog of those sins which God requires we repent of. They are sins we must take special notice of so that we can confess them and avoid them. Byfield describes these sins in the expressed words of the Bible so that you might see the Lord himself describing our offenses. Byfield surveys the entire bible and demonstrates particular offenses plainly proven to be sins. He shows by expressed Scriptures what course we may distinctly take to be rid of all our sins. This is a course that cannot fail us, being grounded on the most evident biblical directions, which God himself has prescribed to us. What Christian or God-fearer would not want to be rid of all their sins? Who has made such a catalog of them to repent effectively by the power of God's Spirit? This work is a comfortable and safe path through the word of God that leads directly to Jesus Christ. When a Christian follows the evident directions of God’s Word in these weighty matters, he walks safely. He walks in the good way, the way of life, and the way of peace. In this path Byfield assures us that the reader will see and experience the salvation of God through Christ. To follow these directions soundly, is to keep our souls, and in this, all God’s ways will be mercy and truth to us. This is not a scan or facsimile, has been updated in modern English for easy reading and has an active table of contents for electronic versions.
John Owen's Classic Works on the Evil of Sin and the Power of Grace, Updated for Modern Readers Regarded as one of the greatest theologians in history, 17th-century pastor John Owen remains influential among those interested in Puritan and Reformed theology. The Complete Works of John Owen brings together all of Owen's original theological writing, including never-before-published work, reformatted for modern readers in 40 user-friendly volumes. Volume 15, The Christian Life—Sin and Temptation, includes the treatises "Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers"; "Of Temptation: The Nature and Power of It"; "The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of Indwelling Sin"; and "A Treatise of the Dominion of Sin and Grace." Each work has been edited with extensive introductions by Kelly M. Kapic, Justin Taylor, and Shawn D. Wright. Released over a number of years, The Complete Works of John Owen will inspire a new generation of Bible readers and scholars to deeper faith. Edited and Formatted for Modern Readers: Presents Owen's original work, newly typeset with outlines, text breaks, headings, and footnotes Informative New Introductions: Provide historical, theological, and personal context Supporting Resources Enhance Reading: Include extensive annotations with sources, definitions, and translations of ancient languages Part of the Complete Works of John Owen Collection: Will release 40 hardcover volumes over a number of years Perfect for Churches and Schools: Ideal for students, pastors, theologians, and those interested in the Puritans
Over 250,000 copies sold Have we become so focused on “major” sins that we’ve grown apathetic about our subtle sins? Renowned author Jerry Bridges takes you into a deep look at the corrosive patterns of behavior that we often accept as normal, in this established and impactful book. Practical, thought-provoking, and relevant at any stage of life, Respectable Sins addresses a dozen clusters of specific “acceptable” sins that we tend to tolerate in ourselves, such as: Jealousy Anger Judgementalism Selfishness Pride Writing from the trenches of his own battles with sin, Bridges offers a message of hope in the transforming grace of God to overcome our “respectable sins.” Now with an added study guide for personal use or group discussion so you can dive deeper into this staple of Jerry Bridges’s classic collection. “Read this book—we need to—and be ready for a gentle surgeon’s sharp knife.” —J. I. Packer, author and speaker
This emotionally stirring book brings readers to realize their sin and leads them straight into the arms of a grace-giving God by using Rembrandt's ornate painting "The Return of the Prodigal Son" as an illustration.
Sin. Many Christians today have lost the ability to talk about it in personal terms. For the last quarter century the theological establishment, like society, has consigned the human predicament to structures of political and economic oppression or to systemic evil such as race and gender discrimination. In the process, people have lost interest in the internal workings of the human soul, attributing the evils of our world to social forces beyond the scope of personal responsibility.
