Christian Beliefs: Twenty Basics Every Christian Should Know - Softcover

Grudem, Elliot; Grudem, Wayne A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0310255996 ISBN 13: 9780310255994

Verlag: Zondervan, 2005

Inhaltsangabe

A basic guide to twenty Christian beliefs that is solid, yet readable, and not intimidating for new believers and Christians in general. Includes chapter review questions.

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Über die Autorinnen und Autoren

Wayne Grudem is distinguished research professor of Theology and Biblical Studies at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Arizona. He holds degrees from Harvard (AB), Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv, DD), and Cambridge (PhD). He is the author of more than 30 books including the bestselling Systematic Theology.

Elliot Grudem is Senior Minister at Christ the King Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Raleigh, North Carolina. He and his wife, Kacey, live in Raleigh with their daughter.

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Christian Essentials Made Plain and Simple

God doesn't call every Christian to go off to seminary, but there are certain matters of doctrine--that is, the church's teaching--that every Christian simply must know. Theology is important because what we believe affects how we live. If you're a relatively new believer in Jesus, or if you're a more mature Christian looking for a quick brush-up on basics of the faith, Christian Beliefs is for you.

This readable guide to twenty basic Christian beliefs is a condensation of Wayne Grudem's award-winning book on systematic theology, prized by pastors and teachers everywhere. He and his son, Elliot, have boiled down the essentials of Christian theology for the average layperson and made them both clear and applicable to life. You will learn about the Bible, the characteristics of God, what it means that we are created in the image of God, what God has done for us in Christ, the purpose of the church, and much more. Each chapter includes questions for personal review or group discussion.

These truly are twenty basic beliefs that every Christian should know. Wayne Grudem is a master teacher with the ability to explain profound truths in simple language. He is a man of deep conviction and theological passion--and those who read this book will be both educated and encouraged in the faith.
R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

Based on Systematic Theology, this summary will certainly help beginners with Christ to get the hang of their faith.
J. I. Packer, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia

As Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology contracts into a compact book, I do not lose my enthusiasm for the truth he loves and the clarity of his words.
John Piper, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Christian BeliefsWhat Is the Bible?Any responsible look at a single Christian belief should bebased on what God says about that subject. Therefore, as webegin to look at a series of basic Christian beliefs, it makessense to start with the basis for these beliefs --- God's words, or theBible. One topic the Bible thoroughly covers is itself; that is, the Bibletells us what God thinks about his very words. God's opinion of hiswords can be broken down into four general categories: authority,clarity, necessity, and sufficiency.The Authority of the BibleAll the words in the Bible are God's words. Therefore, to disbelieveor disobey them is to disbelieve or disobey God himself. Oftentimes,passages in the Old Testament are introduced with the phrase, 'Thussays the LORD' (see Ex. 4:22; Josh. 24:2; 1 Sam. 10:18; Isa. 10:24; alsoDeut. 18:18 -- 20; Jer. 1:9). This phrase, understood to be like thecommand of a king, indicated that what followed was to be obeyedwithout challenge or question. Even the words in the Old Testamentnot attributed as direct quotes from God are considered to be God'swords. Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:16, makes this clear when he writes that'all Scripture is breathed out by God.'The New Testament also affirms that its words are the very wordsof God. In 2 Peter 3:16, Peter refers to all of Paul's letters as one partof the 'Scriptures.' This means that Peter, and the early church, consideredPaul's writings to be in the same category as the Old Testamentwritings. Therefore, they considered Paul's writings to be thevery words of God.In addition, Paul, in 1 Timothy 5:18, writes that 'the Scripturesays' two things: 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out thegrain' and 'The laborer deserves his wages.' The first quote regardingan ox comes from the Old Testament; it is found in Deuteronomy25:4. The second comes from the New Testament; it is found in Luke10:7. Paul, without any hesitation, quotes from both the Old andNew Testaments, calling them both 'Scripture.' Therefore, again, thewords of the New Testament are considered to be the very words ofGod. That is why Paul could write, 'the things I am writing to you area command of the Lord' (1 Cor. 14:37).Since the Old and New Testament writings are both consideredScripture, it is right to say they are both, in the words of 2 Timothy3:16, 'breathed out by God.' This makes sense when we considerJesus' promise that the Holy Spirit would 'bring to' the disciples''remembrance' all that Jesus said to them (John 14:26). It was as thedisciples wrote the Spirit-enabled words, that books such as Matthew,John, and 1 and 2 Peter were written.The Bible says there are 'many ways' (Heb. 1:1) in which theactual words of the Bible were written. Sometimes God spokedirectly to the author, who simply recorded what he heard (Rev. 2:1,8, 12). At other times the author based much of his writings oninterviews and research (Luke 1:1 -- 3). And at other times, theHoly Spirit brought to mind things that Jesus taught (John 14:26).Regardless of the way the words came to the authors, the wordsthey put down were an extension of them --- their personalities,skills, backgrounds, and training. But they were also exactly thewords God wanted them to write --- the very words that God claimsas his own.If God claims that the words of Scripture are his own, then thereis ultimately no higher authority one can appeal to for proof of thisclaim than Scripture itself. For what authority could be higher thanGod? So, Scripture ultimately gains its authority from itself. But theclaims of Scripture only become our personal convictions throughthe work of the Holy Spirit in an individual's heart.The Holy Spirit doesn't change the words of Scripture in anyway; he doesn't supernaturally make them become the words of God(for they always have been). He does, however, change the reader ofScripture. The Holy Spirit makes readers realize the Bible is unlikeany book they have ever read. Through reading, they believe that thewords of Scripture are the very words of God himself. It is as Jesussaid in John 10:27: 'My sheep hear my voice . . . and they follow me.'Other kinds of arguments (such as historical reliability, internal consistency,fulfilled prophecies, influence on others, and the majesticbeauty and wisdom of the content) can be useful in helping us seethe reasonableness of the claims of the Bible.As God's very words, the words of Scripture are more than simplytrue; they are truth itself (John 17:17). They are the final measure bywhich all supposed truth is to be gauged. Therefore, that which conformsto Scripture is true; that which doesn't conform to Scripture isnot true. New scientific or historical facts may cause us to reexamineour interpretation of Scripture, but they will never directly contradictScripture.The truth of the Scriptures does not demand that the Biblereport events with exact, scientific detail (though all the details itdoes report are true). Nor does it demand that the Bible tell us everythingwe need to know or ever could know about a subject. It nevermakes either of these claims. In addition, because it was written byordinary men in an ordinary language with an ordinary style, it doescontain loose or free quotations and some uncommon and unusualforms of grammar or spelling. But these are not matters of truthfulness.The Bible does not, in its original form, affirm anything contraryto fact.If the Bible does affirm something contrary to fact, then it cannotbe trusted. And if the Bible cannot be trusted, then God himselfcannot be trusted. To believe that the Bible affirms something falsewould be to disbelieve God himself. To disbelieve God himself is toplace yourself as a higher authority with a deeper, more developedunderstanding on a topic or topics than God himself.Therefore, since the Bible affirms that it is the very words of God,we are to seek to understand those words, for in doing so, we are seekingto understand God himself. We are to seek to trust the words ofScripture, for in doing so, we are seeking to trust God himself. Andwe are to seek to obey the words of Scripture, for in doing so, we areseeking to obey God himself.The Clarity of ScriptureAs we read Scripture and seek to understand it, we discover that somepassages are easier to understand than others. Although some passagesmay at first seem difficult to grasp, the Bible is written in sucha way that all things necessary to become a Christian, live as a Christian,and grow as a Christian are clear.There are some mysteries in Scripture, but they should not overwhelmus in our reading. For 'the testimony of the Lord is sure, makingwise the simple' (Ps. 19:7). And 'the unfolding' of God's 'wordsgives light; it imparts understanding to the simple' (Ps. 119:130).God's Word is so understandable and clear that even the simple( people who lack sound judgment) can be made wise by it.Since the things of God are 'spiritually discerned' (1 Cor. 2:14),a proper understanding of Scripture is often more the result of anindividual's spiritual condition than his or her intellectual ability.Often the truth of Scripture will appear to be 'folly' to those whohave rejected the claims of Jesus (v. 14).

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Zondervan
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2005
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0310255996
• ISBN 13: 9780310255994
• Einband: Tapa blanda
• Anzahl der Seiten: 162
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
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