Paradoxes, Mysteries, Riddles, Enigmas, and Comfort for Christians


Book Description

Several years ago I republished the rare Spurgeon book, The Mourner's Comforter. The printing sold out in a very short time. I have plans to reprint that book again soon. The success of that book has had much to do with my undertaking this new reprint of some of Spurgeon's sermons on comfort and encouragement. It is especially suitable for persons who struggle with depression. Spurgeon was considered by many in his day as the greatest living preacher of the gospel. Since his death in 1892, his works have been reprinted by many publishers. His primary work was a sixty-three volume set of more than 3,000 sermons. Pilgrim Publications has reprinted the complete set of sermons, with a separate index of the Scripture texts and sermon titles, making it relatively easy to find material on almost any subject. These sermons have also been recorded on a CD ROM disk by the Ages Digital Library. It has been one of the great pleasures of my life to select, arrange, and edit the material in this book. The editing has been confined primarily to spelling (example: "labour" to labor, etc.). Some additions have been made, such as adding the first names of persons not as familiar to the public today. Some time references have been eliminated. For instance, statements such as, "I spoke to you on Thursday last week -- " have been removed as being irrelevant to the message. In some cases I have substituted a new word for one that is not familiarly used today. "Ship" or "boat" was substituted for "barque," etc. However, sentence structure has been left as originally written, and care has been taken not to change the meaning of any statements or doctrines expounded by Mr. Spurgeon. Gerald C. Primm, editor




NIV, First-Century Study Bible


Book Description

Understand God’s Word in its Original Cultural Context The NIV First-Century Study Bible introduces you to an ancient world vastly different from your own, but rich in valuable life lessons. This Bible includes great tools to help answer your questions about life in Bible times and see how the ancient past holds applicable truths for life today. Including fascinating articles from Pastor Kent Dobson, unpacking the culture of Bible times, illuminating Scripture passages, and asking thoughtful questions along the way, this study Bible is a wonderful way to explore God’s Word in its original Christian context and better understand the historical meaning of Scripture. Kent Dobson is the teaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan, where he initially served as the worship director. He has been featured on Biblical programs for the History Channel and the Discovery Channel. Kent fell in love with Biblical studies in Israel and had the privilege of learning from both Jewish and Christian scholars. After his time in Israel, he returned to the States to teach high school religion and Bible before responding to God's call to the pastorate. Today, he keeps his connection to the Holy Land strong, leading tours to Israel that combine study and prayer, inspired by the ancient discipline of spiritual pilgrimage. Features: Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version Day in the Life articles, describing daily life in Bible times and Addressing the Text articles to help you dive deeper Word Studies expound upon original Hebrew words Study notes with writings from early church writers, rabbis, and extra-biblical sources Supplemental information on topics such as: Abomination that Causes Desolation, Antiochus IV Epiphanies, Conversion, Covenant, Dead Sea Scrolls, Essenes, Desert Law, Diviners in the Ancient World, Intertestamental Times, The Ethics of War, The Shema, Life in the Diaspora, The Greek Lions, The Biblical View on Slavery, Did Moses write the Torah, The Spirit of YHWH, Zealots, Wine Making Full-color photographs, maps, and diagrams Book introductions and outlines




Paradoxes and Puzzles


Book Description

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.










Unriddling the Exeter Riddles


Book Description

"Examines the Old English riddles found in the tenth-century Exeter Book manuscript, with particular attention to their relationship to larger traditions of literary and traditional riddling"--Provided by publisher.




Paradox in Christian Theology


Book Description

Does traditional Christianity involve paradoxical doctrines, that is, doctrines that present the appearance (at least) of logical inconsistency? If so, what is the nature of these paradoxes and why do they arise? What is the relationship between paradox and mystery in theological theorizing? And what are the implications for the rationality, or otherwise, of orthodox Christian beliefs? In 'Paradox in Christian Theology', James Anderson argues that the doctrines of the Trinity and the incarnation, as derived from Scripture and formulated in the ecumenical creeds, are indeed paradoxical. But this conclusion, he contends, need not imply that Christians who believe these doctrines are irrational in doing so. In support of this claim, Anderson develops and defends a model of understanding paradoxical Christian doctrines according to which the presence of such doctrines is unsurprising and adherence to paradoxical doctrines cannot be considered as a serious intellectual obstacle to belief in Christianity. The case presented in this book has significant implications for the practice of systematic theology, biblical exegesis, and Christian apologetics.




Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus


Book Description

In this ebook download of Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus, Lois Tverberg challenges readers to follow their Rabbi more closely by reexamining his words in the light of their Jewish context. Doing so will provide a richer, deeper understanding of his ministry, compelling us to live differently, to become more Christ-like. We'll begin to understand why his first Jewish disciples abandoned everything to follow him, to live out his commands. Our modern society, with its individualism and materialism, is very different than the tight-knit, family-oriented setting Jesus lived and taught in. What wisdom can we glean from his Eastern, biblical attitude toward life? How can knowing Jesus within this context shed light on his teachings for us today? In Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus we'll journey back in time to eavesdrop on the conversations that arose among the rabbis of Jesus' day, and consider how hearing Rabbi Jesus with the ears of a first-century disciple can bring new meaning to our faith. And we'll listen to Jewish thinkers through the ages, discovering how ideas that germinated in Jesus' time have borne fruit. Doing so will yield fresh, practical insights for following our Rabbi's teachings from a Jewish point of view.




Paradox Lost


Book Description

Too often the tensions and unanswerable questions of Scripture and the Christian life are seen as barriers to faith. In Paradox Lost, pastor and author Richard Hansen shows that they are exactly the opposite -- indeed, God’s mysteries are one of the places where we may encounter him most closely. In exchange for Enlightenment-based rationalism that can stunt spiritual imagination, Hansen invites readers to: Discern that there is a hiddenness to God that can be inviting rather than threatening Appreciate that God is far greater than we sometimes assume, and to adjust our mental maps to make more space for awe Realize that faith and reason are not enemies but rather dance partners that complement one another Hansen examines three kinds, or “orders” of biblical paradox, each at a deeper level than the last, demonstrating for readers that paradox is both endemic to modern life and also a natural part of the landscape of Christian faith. Paradox Lost doesn’t seek to solve or justify paradox; instead, it looks through paradox toward what it reveals--namely a holy, mysterious, and awesome God.