Christians are not on a mission for God; his church is on his mission—the mission of bringing the grace of Christ to sinners; the mission of bringing the whole world into obedience to Christ; and the mission of filling the world with his fame and glory.
Being on God’s mission means following Jesus into the world, often an evil and frightening place. It is a place of idolatry, relativism, and secularism; it is a place where sexual abuse and child abuse occur; it is a place of pain and poverty and disease; it is a place of sexual dysfunction.
But it was to this place that Jesus came, and we do him honor as we follow him into the world bringing the good news of the total redeeming work of Christ.
Reformed Means Missional gathers Reformed leaders from all across the globe to demonstrate why and how the church must be on God’s mission of bringing grace, holiness, compassion, and justice to a world of sin and suffering.
Three hundred years after Edwards’ birth, experts on Edwards examine the vision, theology, and legacy of this theological giant. Scholars contributing essays include Harry S. Stout, George M. Marsden, Gerald McDermott, and Douglas Sweeney. The first part of the book focuses on the vision of Jonathan Edwards, discussing how Edwards understood Native American mission, preaching, and Christian spirituality. A second section looks at Edwards’ theology and its relevance for contemporary church issues, including the crisis of character and open theism. The third section examines how Edwards’ legacy was carried on by later church leaders. And the final section offers personal reflections by long-time Edwards scholar George S. Claghorn and a survey of the best literature on Edwards.
It’s the hot topic of the moment. Christians, the church and the Bible seem to be out of step with modern attitudes towards homosexuality. And there is growing hostility towards those who hold a different view. So is God homophobic? And what do we say, and how do we relate to to both Christians and non Christians who experience same-sex attraction.
In this short, simple book, Sam Allberry wants to help confused Christians understand what God has said about these questions in the scriptures, and offers a positive and liberating way forward through the debate.
The essays in ‘The Beauty and Glory of the Father’ call us to stand in wonder of the First Person of the Trinity. Through an assortment of studies, readers are challenged to recognize the Father’s glory displayed in His Son, to adore His beautiful attributes, to know Him as a Savior, and to rest in His loving hands. This book, along with ‘The Beauty and Glory of Christ’ and ‘The Beauty and Glory of the Holy Spirit’, reinforces the ongoing necessity of cultivating a Trinitarian piety.
In 1872 Charles Hodge celebrated fifty years of teaching at Princeton Seminary in New Jersey. For half a century, Dr Hodge had trained almost three thousand ministers, missionaries and professors who had carried the gospel message throughout the United States and many parts of the globe. Hodge had a lasting impact upon generations of clergy in America who devoured his writings and found in them a source of great intellectual and spiritual nourishment
Who is the God of the gospel?
Robert W. Jenson’s way of answering this question, according to Scott Swain, hinges on the nature of the relationship between God in himself and the redemptive events through which God becomes our God.
Swain first locates Jenson’s pursuit of a relentlessly “evangelical” understanding of God in the broader history of trinitarian theology after Karl Barth, before carefully and sympathetically unpacking Jenson’s doctrine of the Trinity. For Jenson, one of today’s most prominent theologians, the answer to the question, “Who is the God of the gospel?” may be summarized as, “The one who raised Jesus from the dead.” Swain then offers a constructive evaluation of Jenson’s account of the mutually constitutive character of God’s intrinsic identity and saving acts.
Although critical of many of Jenson’s trinitarian reinterpretations, Swain remains attentive to Jenson’s concerns and insights. In the process, Swain sheds new light on what it means for the ecumenical trinitarian tradition to advocate a truly evangelical doctrine of the Trinity in the wake of the twentieth-century recasting of the identity of the God of the gospel.
“Christian doctrine matters for Christian living. This is one of the most important growth points of the Christian life,” writes Sinclair B. Ferguson. From this starting point, The Christian Life expounds such key biblical themes as grace, faith, repentance, new birth and assurance with clarity and contagious enthusiasm. “Christian doctrines are life-shaping,” explains the author, “because they show us the God we worship. Widely used and appreciated since its first appearance, The Christian Life not only expounds the teaching of Scripture, but outlines its meaning for practical Christian living. It is, as J.I. Packer writes in his preface, theology that is “practical, applying Bible teaching with insight and wisdom to the condition of plain people. Christian beginners will get the benefit and the Lord’s older sheep, grown tough and stringy maybe, will find themselves edified and perhaps tenderized too.”
There is perhaps no Christian virtue more undervalued than intentionality. Although we know God calls us to be set apart as followers of Jesus Christ, that is, to march to a different drummer, we find ourselves not at all very different from the world around us. Living Intentionally before God is a summons to redeem the quality of being intentional—of being purposeful—in all areas of our lives as we seek to live before the Audience of One.
Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is a comprehensive guide that will equip God’s people to use biblical truth to change lives. More than that, this book will increase people’s confidence in the sufficiency and relevancy of God’s Word to address real-life issues in a multitude of counseling situations. Readers of this book will:
- Understand clearly why they should embrace biblical counseling
- Be encouraged to trust God’s Word to provide rich insight for living in the midst of even the most difficult challenges
- Enjoy the relevant, pastoral, and theological teaching they have come to appreciate from such noted authors as James MacDonald, John Piper, Mark Dever, and Elyse Fitzpatrick
The 28 chapters blend theological wisdom and practical expertise. The first half of the book emphasizes a practical theology of biblical counseling; the second half highlights a practical methodology of biblical counseling.
Though accessible to all Christians, the book will especially appeal to pastors and church leaders, counseling practitioners, students, and educators.
This collection of essays integrates scholarly and scriptural interpretations, Eastern Orthodox biblical scholarship, together with biblical interpretations throughout church history. Unlike the Western interpretations that read Romans in terms of theological anthropology, the Greek Fathers do not presuppose such a concept and therefore each of the articles in this volume invites Western scholars and students to re-read Paul’s letter with new eyes: with a greater sensitivity to the nuances of the Greek text; with an openness to envision what Paul is saying from very different theological and hermeneutical perspectives; and with the awareness that the Greek Fathers addressed particular contextual issues of their time.
Has the Old Testament Psalter been purposefully arranged? Does this arrangement convey an overall message? This book enters into the growing discussion regarding the canonical arrangement of the Psalms by examining Book IV (Pss 90-106) and considering the book’s overall theological and thematic message within the literary context of the Psalter.
This book contends that Psalms 90-106 were purposely arranged as a rejoinder to the previous three books, in response to the rise and fall of Davidic kingship charted in Books I-III, and examines how Psalms 90-106 may have been purposely organized as a collection. The theological and thematic emphases that dominate the book are also considered, offering a holistic understanding for what has happened to Israel in the exile and why. In particular, this study focuses on the employment of the three key figures of Moses, King YHWH and David in Book IV. These psalmic, literary voices each speak to the crisis of exile in their own way and this study highlights how each voice addresses different aspects related to Israel’s exile. Book IV is intended to re-align the post-exilic audience s worshipping response to their position as the covenant people of God after exile. Thus, this study seeks to provide further reason for seeing a broad editorial hand behind the final redaction of the Psalter.
Only one hermeneutical text published prior to the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis can be held up reasonably to its measure of quality and the exhaustive nature of the research that produced this immense work. That singular collection worthy of comparison is its counterpart, the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, edited by Colin Brown. This 5 volume addition to that acclaimed work, though intimidating in the achievement it embodies, is intended for serious Old Testament and exegetical study by men and women of all walks of life — both academics and pastors, students and laypersons. Volume one contains a Guide to Old Testament Theology and Exegesis in which ten essays have been compiled to thoroughly explain proper hermeneutics and interpretation, as well as guidelines for using this source material. Volumes one through four contain the Lexicon of the Old Testament, all words found in the text ordered by Hebrew alphabetization for easy reference, and coupled with a Goodrick / Kohlenberger cross-referencing number to be used in conjunction with Strong’s numbering system. The relationship of each word in different contexts and languages is also explained, including alternative words, and the particulars of their semantic domain. All this information is, of course, complete with bibliography. Volume four also begins the Topical Dictionary. Therein can be found articles on the theology of each Old Testament book individually, as well as discussion of biblical concepts, people, places, events, and literary pieces, all information that is cross-referenced to the preceding Hebraic Lexicon. Finally, volume five contains a series of indexes: Hebrew Index, Scripture Index, Subject Index, and an index of Semantic Fields. Taken as a whole, the New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology & Exegesis is an unparalleled accomplishment in the field of biblical hermeneutics.
The book of Ruth has been called an ancient ‘biblical Cinderella story’ in which Ruth finds her prince: a rags-to-riches fairy tale. It is a wonderful short story. Many people throughout the ages have been touched by the sweetness and kindness so evident in the episode. Yet, as Peter Barnes observes, though the author does not push too much Boaz as a type of Christ, there is much of Christ in the commentary. John Currid looks at key themes within the book: the cost of obedience, the sovereignty of God, faithful living and redemption. The background is laid out – in the time of the Judges – as a time of degeneracy in the history of Israel. The focus then moves to one family within Israel, their move to Moab, the sadnesses there, the return home and God’s wonderful working to turn bitterness into joy. The author uses his great knowledge of Hebrew to enhance the reader’s understanding of the book.
No true Christian wants to keep on sinning. Yet the battle seems unwinnable. For every slain opponent two more emerge from the shadows. And to make matters worse, an endless stream of pundits are on hand with conflicting combat tactics: ‘Try harder. Do more.’ ‘It’s a matter of mind over matter.’ ‘Imitate Christ. Ask, What would Jesus Do?’ ‘Take a break. Even if you yield to every known sin, you’re still a winner because Christ has forgiven everything.’
In the Bible we find a more coherent and realistic approach to growing in holiness. Victory over sin does not come to the spiritual sluggard. Effort is essential. Even so, self-transformation is not possible. ‘Sanctification is by faith alone in Christ alone.’ The gospel is not just for day one of the Christian life; it’s for the whole journey.
How do we grow in holiness? We grow through the word of God and prayer and sacraments. This book will help us find the benefits of growing in Christ for which there is no substitute.
Justification is not a relic of the past – it has direct relevance to us as Christians today. We often struggle with the thought of justification because of human pride; “I can’t be that bad” and so justification is often undermined, wrongly presented or just plain ignored. Scripture though, is brutally clear: we have a real problem – the prospect of our lives marred by wrong-doing being laid out before an almighty God who is pure and will not forever let wrong go unpunished. We can’t earn our way out of our predicament – as this is just “rubbish” according to the apostle Paul. We need something else, someone who can take the hit we so richly deserve – leaving us to be declared innocent instead.
This volume addresses many of the questions surrounding Paul and his social relations, including how to define and analyze such relations, their relationship to Paul’s historical and social context, how Paul related to numerous friends and foes, and the implications for understanding Paul’s letters as well as his theology.
