Saved By Faithfulness How The Covenant Shapes Our Understanding Of Salvation

Evangelical Christianity has long been founded on the theological tradition of "justification by faith alone." This is the heart of the Protestant gospel. But how close is it to the Gospel revealed in Scripture? In Saved by Faithfulness, Mark Skillin highlights the interpretational problems that emerge when one holds to a faith alone paradigm. He talks about the importance of the concept of covenant in Scripture, and demonstrates through a survey of the biblical covenants that God has always placed faith and obedience in very close relationship to each other as necessary for the salvation of His people. Saved by Faithfulness challenges centuries of Scriptural interpretation and consequent church practice which have enshrined a distorted gospel, with far reaching consequences for the church. It is a call to return to faithful biblical interpretation and faithful Christian lives.

In this, his follow up to Saved By Faithfulness, Mark Skillin examines the death of Jesus on a cross in light of the biblical covenant. He argues that a covenantal perspective brings together two often opposing views: that Christ's death was an atonement for sin, and that Christ's death provided a moral example for how we are to live. Saved By The Cross argues that the cross both cleanses us from sin and calls us to pick up our own cross daily.

Rethinking politics in the light of God When we think about politics we often think about the privileged vying for power. Alternatively, we might think about gridlock, about frustration, or about how little our voices seem to matter. Our obsession with statecraft can both paralyze us and lead us to duplicate the tactics of this exasperating form of politics when we lead our church communities. Ross Kane has good news for us: church politics doesn’t have to work this way! In fact, it can even become a spiritual practice. Drawing on his work as a pastor in the DC area, Kane shows how localized action by churches can make a real difference in their neighborhoods. Kane combines Scripture, political theology, and personal experience to reframe politics around shaping our common life. From community service to advocacy, congregations can practice politics in ways that embrace our loving interdependence as members of the body of Christ. Church leaders, whether lay or clerical, will find The Good News of Church Politics an uplifting guide to modeling God’s reign in our world by loving our neighbors.

This volume presents a dialogue between historians, exegetes, and theologians on the background and key themes of the atonement in Hebrews. Presenting a range of differing perspectives and contributing to the renewed conversation between biblical and theological scholarship, the argument is structured in two parts: contexts and themes within Hebrews. Focusing on atonement not only in the Old Testament but also in the Greco-Roman world, and touching on themes such as sacrifice, plight and solution, and faith, these contributions shed light on the concept of the atonement in a directly scriptural way. The whole is a definitive collection of studies on the atonement in Hebrews that will be of service well beyond the confines of Hebrews' specialists, a collection as important for what it says about the atonement and the 21st century church as for what it says about Hebrews.

This highly anticipated two-book fourth volume in N. T. Wright's magisterial series, Christian Origins and the Question of God, is destined to become the standard reference point on the subject for all serious students of the Bible and theology. The mature summation of a lifetime's study, this landmark book pays a rich tribute to the breadth and depth of the apostle's vision, and offers an unparalleled wealth of detailed insights into his life, times, and enduring impact.

"Perkins is an expert in his field and very much a pastor. ... You will not be disappointed." —From the foreword by Ligon Duncan See Christ and his work more clearly. Learn the biblical basis for the Reformed confessions. Understand the role of grace and works in your salvation. Covenant shapes our life with God. In Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction, Harrison Perkins shows how Christ and his work are the heart of that covenant relationship. Since God lives in covenant with his redeemed people, covenant theology provides a framework for Christians to grow in their life with God, to read the Bible, and to love the church.

A distinctively theological interpretation of the Thessalonian letters In this commentary Andy Johnson engages with the developing interpretive framework of missional hermeneutics to present a theological interpretation of 1 & 2 Thessalonians that aims to help the church more fully participate in the life and mission of the triune God. After a verse by-verse commentary, Johnson closely examines the theology of the two epistles, focusing especially on the topics of eschatology, holiness, and election in light of his missional reading of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. In his exegetical and theological analyses, Johnson considers canonical concerns, doctrinal commitments, ecclesial practices, proposals from contemporary systematic theology, and insights gleaned from the field of neuroscience regarding personal and community formation, all of which help to clarify and enrich readers' understanding of various passages.

In 15 New Testament Words of Life, biblical scholar Nijay Gupta explores some of the most important New Testament words: Righteousness Gospel Forgiveness Life Cross Faith Grace Fellowship Hope Salvation Peace Religion Holiness Love Witness These are familiar terms in the Christian vocabulary, but many don’t know the original background and theological importance of these words, and how they can be life-giving for Christian faith and life today. To access the deep meaning of these words in the theological vocabulary of the New Testament writers, Gupta discusses each word within a key text and interprets it in three contexts: Canonical—how the New Testament is grounded in the Old Literary—the meaning developed within the key text Historical—the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the first century For those first hearers of the gospel who chose to follow Jesus, these words were the words of life, and they can be once again for Jesus-followers in the modern world. With Gupta’s skilled guidance, readers will find their engagement with the New Testament revitalized as they begin to understand how these inspiring ancient words can still be captivating, thought-provoking, and worldview-shaping words for real life today. While the New Testament is full of depth and complexity, its most important ideas have a profound simplicity to them. In this collection of word studies, Nijay Gupta explores foundational themes in New Testament theology, but in a very accessible way. If you're looking to deepen your understanding of some of the most essential concepts in Christian belief, this book is for you! —TIM MACKIE, cofounder of the Bible Project "Not only does Nijay Gupta define important New Testament terms and illustrate their significance for today, he also models a strategy for how a Bible reader might approach the exploration of biblical ideas. 15 New Testament Words of Life is an introduction to New Testament theology that invites readers to study the Bible by investigating key concepts that frequently appear in books, sermons, and even casual conversations. Gupta’s scholarship and cultural awareness combine to make the work a necessary resource for preachers, teachers, and all other curious Bible readers. I am eager for my students to read it." —DENNIS R. EDWARDS, Associate professor of New Testament, North Park Theological Seminary "Nijay Gupta has provided the church and its pastors with a remarkable resource. Wearing his deep learning lightly, he winsomely portrays how the New Testament writers draw on the Old Testament to theologize in ways that are immensely hopeful and intensely practical. A book like this is just what the church needs today—a rich biblical theology that speaks words of life to the lives of the people of God in our increasingly fraught and complex world." —DERWIN L. GRAY, Cofounder and lead pastor of Transformation Church, author of How to Heal Our Racial Divide "Do you suspect there's more to the Christian faith than what you’re hearing? Dr. Gupta brings the best of biblical scholarship to the pews, where standard Christian ways of talking about things have grown stale. By highlighting these fifteen key words, he opens a whole new world of understanding that will reinvigorate Christian practice. If you are hungry to move beyond clichés, this book is your invitation to a nourishing feast." —CARMEN JOY IMES, Associate professor of Old Testament, Biola University, author of Bearing God’s Name