Theology & Bible

Theology & Bible helps Christians understand Scripture and the core teachings of the Christian faith. Explore Bible-based articles on biblical interpretation, doctrine, salvation, the Holy Spirit, baptism, communion, creation, and key themes across the Old and New Testaments. You’ll find thoughtful guidance for studying the Bible faithfully, applying God’s Word to life and ministry, and growing in theological clarity rooted in the gospel. Whether you’re a church leader, teacher, student, or everyday disciple, this hub equips you to know God through Scripture and live with conviction and hope.

March 21, 2014

Christian Standard

Saved by the Blood

By Kay Moll Paul Brand tells the story of something that happened in 1802*. A smallpox epidemic had broken out in a Spanish settlement in Bogota, Colombia. The colonists sent a desperate cry for help to King Carlos IV in Spain. They poured out their fear that the whole colony would be wiped out by the disease and they asked for help. King Carlos had had his own three children vaccinated against the disease””even though the treatment was new and still controversial. But no way for transporting the vaccine had been developed. The king and his advisers finally came up

March 17, 2014

Christian Standard

A Phrase for Today?

By Paul Blowers Slogans are rare in the New Testament. One thinks of the Corinthians’ slogan, “All things are lawful,” which Paul carefully revised to “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” (1 Corinthians 10:23)1. It was a wise admonition on the apostle’s part and played a key role in his instructions to the Corinthian church. Stone-Campbell Christians of the 1800s loved their slogans too, and many of those slogans stuck around well into the 20th century. They provided public shorthand for the principles, ideals, and aspirations of the movement’s followers, though sometimes they could also be

March 17, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for March 23, 2014: Worthy Is the Lamb (Revelation 3:7; 5:5-13; 6:12″“7:17; 22:16)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Revelation was written by the apostle John. While he was in exile on the isle of Patmos around AD 95, God gave John a wonderful vision. It was designed to help the first-century believers as they faced increasing opposition and hostility. An angel came to him with a scroll, but no one could open it. John began to weep because of this. The Lamb Appears Revelation 5:5-7 Around God”s throne were a group of elders (4:9,

March 14, 2014

Christian Standard

‘Are You Being Broken?’

By Kay Moll In his book A Distant Grief, Kefa Sempangi says when he began his ministry in Uganda, he was challenged by some older ministers about the need for continual repentance. One of them would often ask him, “Are you repenting? Are you walking in the light? Are you being broken?” The older minister went on to stress how important it is to be broken, even as Jesus was broken for the world. He said to be broken is to have no pride. If there is pride, there is no confession. If there is no confession, there is no

March 10, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for March 16, 2014: Peter”s Report (Psalm 110; Mark 12:35-37; Acts 2:22-36)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Two passages form the basis of today”s study. The first is from Psalm 110, one of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament. It points readers to the coming Messiah. The other text is part of Peter”s sermon on the Day of Pentecost, where the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in Christ”s resurrection is clearly shown. Victory Promised Psalm 110:1-4 David wrote Psalm 110. When his prophetic message was given, Israel was a relatively small

March 7, 2014

Christian Standard

The God Who Hung on a Cross

By Kay Moll In 1999 an evangelist visited a village in the northern part of Cambodia that for many years had been under the control of the Khmer Rouge. Christianity was seemingly unheard of. If people professed any kind of faith, it was in Buddha or their ancestral spirits. But when the evangelist came to this particular village, he was surprised at the people”s eagerness to hear and respond to the gospel. He said it seemed to him as though they had been waiting for him. One old woman told him they had been waiting . . . waiting for

March 3, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for March 9, 2014: Son of David (Psalm 89; Isaiah 9:1-7; Matthew 1:18″“2:6; Luke 1:26-33)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Today”s lesson is based on three passages of Scripture. Psalm 89 affirms God”s faithfulness in keeping his amazing promise to David (2 Samuel 7) that we studied last week. There he assured David that he would have a place of greatness, that his offspring would succeed him, and that his kingdom would be established forever. Next, one of the key messianic prophecies is cited. Isaiah assures the people that Immanuel will remain beside them””literally “God with

March 1, 2014

Christian Standard

Five Questions to Ask if Your Child Wants to Be Baptized

By Brian Jennings 1. Has your child studied intently? Encouraging your child to study on her own (along with learning in special classes or church settings) is a great step. You should be studying too, but allow her the responsibility to study some on her own. 2. Does your child feel guilt from sin and love of God? Motives matter. A child may want to be baptized because he saw a friend receive attention, he desires to please his parents, or maybe he really just wants to take Communion. Obviously, these are not the best motives. My experience teaches me

February 24, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for March 2, 2014: An Eternal Kingdom (2 Samuel 7)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone God made covenants with various individuals in Old Testament times, as well as with the nation of Israel as a whole. Before Samuel died, he anointed David as king of Israel. Shortly after returning the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, David was troubled by how things looked. While he was living in a palace of cedar, the ark remained in a tent. King David decided this was not right. As we learn in today”s text,

February 23, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Six Methods for Wrestling with Scripture

By Michael C. Mack 1. Use a reading plan. A wide variety of daily Bible-reading plans are available in churches and on websites. Have your group choose a plan and agree to use it. That way, everyone is on the same page, so discussion can be more dynamic. 2. Focus. Some groups focus on less Scripture, say one to three chapters a day, and read through books of the Bible. I like this method for groups who want to commit together to reading through certain Bible books and getting more in-depth than the previous option. 3. Intently focus. An even

February 23, 2014

Michael C. Mack

Wrestling with the Scriptures Together

By Michael C. Mack How do small groups best engage in Bible study in order to grow as followers of Christ? If you asked Jesus” original disciples to describe discipleship, they would talk about their yeshiva. Rabbis taught in groups of disciples called yeshivas that would have passionate discussions over different aspects of life and what the Hebrew Scriptures said about them. They would wrestle with the texts together in order to understand God”s view on how they should conduct their lives. Rabbis used no written curriculum or agenda for their multiyear discipling experience. Their curriculum was life itself. The

February 18, 2014

Mark A. Taylor

Beyond the Problem

By Mark A. Taylor Let”s not dwell on the fact that too many know too little about God”s Word. After clarifying the situation (and more than one writer at our site this month gives troubling facts and examples), let”s talk about how to solve the “know problem” all around us (not only in our neighborhoods, but in our churches too). We’re posting many stories and strategies to help your church increase biblical literacy where you are. From this wealth of help, several principles stand out. “¢ People want to know the Bible better. When presented with an accessible plan for

February 17, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for February 23, 2014: Control Your Speech (James 3:1-12)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone In today”s text, James returns to a subject introduced earlier in his letter””proper use of the tongue (see James 1:19, 26). He identifies himself as a fellow believer with his readers. When he warns that teachers will be judged more strictly, James does not mean just “official teachers” (apostles, prophets, and teachers, as in 1 Corinthians 12:28-31), but others as well. His warning includes all who are involved in any teaching. Consistency James 3:1, 2 Those

February 15, 2014

Christian Standard

Puzzle Solved!

By Monty Cooper Bridges Christian Church tapped the talents of many members for its through-the-Bible study. I am not the type of guy who enjoys “endless hours of fun” putting together 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles. I really don”t have the patience. It is hard for me to see how all of the pieces on the table fit together. If we are honest, this is how many people feel about the Bible. The Bible is like a large jigsaw puzzle, a bunch of stories with bits and pieces of history that just don”t seem to fit. We miss the fact that it

February 10, 2014

Christian Standard

Lesson for February 16, 2014: Show Your Faith by Your Works (James 2:14-26)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Some Bible teachers suggest that Paul and James disagree with each other about the place of faith and works in a person”s salvation. They don”t, however. In today”s text James did not attack Paul”s teaching that a Christian is saved by God”s grace. Instead he corrected what A. T. Robertson called “the ceremonial ritualism of the Pharisees.”   Evaluating Genuine Faith James 2:14-19 Real faith isn”t something you just talk about. Biblical faith includes trust and

February 9, 2014

Christian Standard

Free Digital Resources for Bible Study

Compiled by Gregory Linton   BibleGateway.com Find and compare passages of the Bible based on keywords, phrases, or Scripture reference. Bible Gateway also provides an app that includes more than 90 different translations in more than 70 languages and offers reading plans, audio versions, note taking, and highlighting. It is available on iPad, iPhone, Android phones, and Kindle Fire.   BibleStudyTools.com “The largest free online Bible website for verse search and in-depth studies.” Search capabilities in 39 different versions of the Bible as well as access to commentaries, dictionaries, encyclopedias, concordances, historical books, and Greek and Hebrew interlinears and lexicons.

February 8, 2014

Christian Standard

From Meager to Eager

By T.R. Robertson When people say they wish they could watch more football, or they wish they could spend more time on the Internet, most of them will actually find a way to do just that. But when the people in your church say they wish they knew the Bible better, will they actually set out to do it? For many, the answer is probably not. But why not? One reason some don”t work at learning the Bible might be they don”t really understand the benefits of being more biblically literate. Sure, they”ll agree it”s important. But in fact, they”re

February 7, 2014

Christian Standard

Powerful Reminders from Passionate Events

By Tom Claibourne   Twenty-six verses. Mark 14:1-26 comprises less than a third of the chapter, but it is filled with a whirlwind of passionate emotions and events. “¢ We see envy, fear, anger, deception, malice, hatred, and evil plots: “The chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill Him” (v. 1). “¢ We see gratitude, love, a sacrificial offering, some misunderstanding, an explanation, and a gospel message for the ages: A woman touched by the grace of God offered an expensive expression of love and gratitude to Jesus by anointing him

February 6, 2014

Christian Standard

Improving Your Literacy

By James Riley Estep Jr.   Improving Your Cultural Literacy Thomas de Zengotita”s Mediated: How the Media Shapes Our World and the Way We Live in It (2006) assesses the impact of living in a media-immersed society by exploring the influence technology has on the relationships in American culture. Sherry Turkle”s Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other (2011) explores how technology challenges the desire for community. Likewise, Jake Halpern”s Fame-Junkies: America”s Favorite Addiction (2008) assesses the American obsession with achieving fame, cultural recognition, and its influence on society in general. These books apprise

February 6, 2014

Christian Standard

Deep Impact: The Cultural Challenge of Biblical Illiteracy

By James Riley Estep Jr. You”ll find it in almost every hotel room, usually in the top drawer next to the bed. While most studies indicate a majority of Americans hold the Bible in high regard, those same studies indicate Americans are increasingly ignorant of what”s in the Bible. A lack of biblical literacy is a challenge for the American culture and also the American church. It poses a crucial test for the Christian community”s identity, distinctives, and ministry in the 21st century.   Increasing Unfamiliarity with the Bible George Gallup and Jim Castelli have concluded, “Americans revere the Bible

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