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.

May 11, 2012

Christian Standard

The Privilege I Anticipate

By Bryce Jessup I remember telling my dad at the age of 9 I wanted to become a Christian. I recall my older brother saying, “All he wants to do is be able to take Communion.” There was quite a discussion that ensued between my dad and his two sons! After studying for a number of weeks under my dad”s direction, I went forward to commit my life to Christ and be baptized. It was a wonderful time of celebration and hope for the future. I remember my uncle pouring some water into the baptistery from a vial he filled

May 7, 2012

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Lesson for May 13, 2012: The Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone In the Old Testament, God”s relation to the Hebrew people was often compared to that of a shepherd and his sheep (Jeremiah 31:10; Ezekiel 34:31). It is not surprising to find that Jesus used the same illustration (Luke 15:3-6). Today”s lesson is taken again from John”s Gospel. The setting is Jerusalem, well into Christ”s ministry.   The Good Shepherd and the Sheep John 10:7-10 By saying, “I tell you the truth,” Jesus clearly connects what he

May 3, 2012

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Backward, Inward, and Forward

By Bryce Jessup Communion points us in three directions. We look backward, inward, and forward. First Corinthians 11:23-29 was written for troubled people who needed repentance, forgiveness, and acceptance in order to go forward with their lives. The same need exists for us today. The backward look is to Jesus when he said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me” (v. 25). Communion is looking back to the cross and seeing the One who died so that we might live. He hung from the cross not because of

April 30, 2012

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Lesson for May 6, 2012: The Bread of Life (John 6)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone An entire year elapsed between the healing of the lame man (John 5) and the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6). This would be two years after the first cleansing of the temple and one year before the crucifixion. John explains that his Gospel contains only a limited number of the many miracles and teachings of the Lord (John 20:30, 31; 21:25). Seth Wilson observes that the feeding of the 5,000 was a “turning-point in Jesus”

April 28, 2012

Christian Standard

Born into His Family

By Bryce Jessup One of my most memorable Communion times was sitting with my family circled in our campsite at Yosemite National Park. The day before, a number of us had caught our limits of trout. Half Dome was visible, the morning sun was warming us up, and we were rejoicing in our family vacation time on the Lord”s Day. Before we communed, my father invited each of us to share a verse of Scripture or some event wherein we had felt the touch of a loving God. Each of our children shared briefly, as did my wife and I.

April 23, 2012

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Lesson for April 29, 2012: Blind Man Receives Sight (John 9)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone The miracle that we study today took place later in Jesus” earthly ministry, probably four or five months before his final Passover. Once more the scene is Jerusalem. Jesus chose to demonstrate his authority by another miracle of healing. Giving sight to the blind had been prophesied as an example of the Messiah”s work (see Isaiah 35:5; 42:7).   The Healing John 9:1-7 When the disciples encountered a man who had been blind from birth, it

April 16, 2012

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Lesson for April 22, 2012: Samaritan Woman Finds Living Water (John 4:1-42)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Early in Jesus” ministry he reached out to those ignored or snubbed by others. The Samaritans were such a group. Considered “half-breeds,” these were the children of Jews who had intermarried with pagans. Many from the Northern Kingdom were exiled years before, but some remained in the land. They married Gentiles brought to live there by the conquering Assyrians, and became known as Samaritans. Today”s lesson takes place early in Jesus” ministry in Samaria””the central part

April 13, 2012

Christian Standard

What”s Missing?

By Ron Downs Something seems to be missing in many churches today when it comes to the issue of salvation. There is strong emphasis on believing in Jesus. There also seem to be strong emphases on confessing Jesus and baptism. But it seems there is little or almost no emphasis on repentance. Repentance has been dropped from the church”s vocabulary. John the Baptist came preaching repentance. Jesus preached repentance. Both John and Jesus made repentance the heart of their message. The message on Pentecost was not to accept Jesus and be baptized, nor was it to ask Jesus into your

April 9, 2012

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Lesson for April 15, 2012: Temple Is Cleansed (John 2:13-25)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone John”s Gospel clarifies the length of Jesus” earthly ministry. Because he mentions the various Passovers celebrated by our Lord, we are able to determine that his entire ministry was a little over three years. Christ did what was expected of all Jewish men””he came to Jerusalem each year in observance of Passover (Deuteronomy 16:16). Today”s text describes his first visit there after beginning his earthly ministry. It was true to the spirit of Malachi”s prophecy (3:1-3).

April 7, 2012

Christian Standard

The Host of the Table

By William Baker The original Lord”s Supper took place at a table (Luke 22:21, 30). The host was Jesus. He sent Peter and John ahead of the group to make the necessary arrangements with the owner of the house to eat at his large table of his second-floor room. However, the disciples being led to the house by a man carrying a jar of water on his head, as Jesus predicted (Luke 22:10), reveals that Jesus himself had already set this up ahead of them. After arriving at the room, Jesus functioned as the host. As he reclined around a

April 2, 2012

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Lesson for April 8, 2012: Jesus Lives! (John 20:1-23)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Good Friday looked anything but “good” to Jesus” disciples that day. Saturday was no better. Sunday began with the same feelings of despair, disappointment, and desperation in the hearts of all his followers. As one of them explained later, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21).   Empty Tomb John 20:1-10 Just after sunrise Sunday morning (Mark 16:2), the women made their way to the tomb where

March 26, 2012

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Lesson for April 1, 2012: Jesus Testifies to the Truth (John 18, 19)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Instead of continuing chronologically through the Gospel of John, this week we will consider events leading up to the cross. Then on Easter Sunday, we will study the resurrection. Jesus actually underwent not one trial, but three. Two high priests were involved in the trials (Luke 3:2). The three Synoptic Gospels explain what happened in those trials (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:66-71). Jesus was taken first to the house of Annas (John 18:13), then to

March 24, 2012

Christian Standard

Unwelcome at the Table

By William Baker   The original Supper of the Lord took place at a table (Luke 22:21, 30). Devoted disciples ate with Jesus at this Passover meal. One, however, left before the meal was over. Judas ate the wine-soaked bread Jesus offered him but immediately left to do his dirty deed of informing on Jesus to the temple authorities (John 13:26-30). His pact to help them capture Jesus out of the public eye would be honored that night (Luke 22:1-6). In a few hours, Judas would lead the guard to Jesus and betray him with a kiss of death. Jesus

March 19, 2012

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Lesson for March 25, 2012: Nicodemus Learns of New Birth (John 3:1-25; Numbers 21:4-9)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Early in his Gospel, John introduces the reader to a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He is mentioned only in John”s Gospel””but here he is seen on three occasions (3:1-10; 7:50-52; l9:39). The Pharisees tried to strictly observe the Law of Moses. Jesus referred to him as “Israel”s teacher” (3:10), suggesting the respect in which he was held by the people. In addition, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the select group of priests, elders, and scribes

March 17, 2012

Christian Standard

The Family Reunion

By William Baker The original Supper of the Lord took place at a table (Luke 22:21, 30). It was a Passover meal. It was Jesus” last supper with his devoted disciples. In a matter of hours he would be arrested, beaten, and crucified. He treasured these last moments with them because they offered a foretaste of the greatest family festival reunion of all time. They would be back together again like this””at another table, at another time. Next time, gathered around the table would not just be this handful of solemn believers. Next time, every tribe, tongue, and nation would

March 16, 2012

Christian Standard

The Table

By William Baker The original Supper of the Lord took place at a table (Luke 22:21, 30; John 13:28; 1 Corinthians 10:21). Friends gathered together in a large second-story banquet room to share a meal. But they did more than eat; they talked and sang and celebrated. This was a Passover meal, a festival meal reliving God”s rescue of the Jewish people from slavery and infant genocide. They ate greens and bitter herbs dipped in a spicy sauce, along with flat, unleavened bread. They drank wine, sharing sips out of at least three passed cups. They ate meat, one of

March 12, 2012

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Lesson for March 18, 2012: Water Turned to Wine (John 2:1-12)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Last week we studied the introduction to the fourth Gospel, the Prologue. John told next how Jesus began his ministry by being baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (John 1:19-34). Then he began choosing his disciples. Andrew and Peter were the first to follow Jesus (vv. 35-42). Next he called Philip and Nathanael (vv. 43-51). Today”s text immediately follows these events.   Hope for a Miracle John 2:1-6 On the third day a

March 10, 2012

Christian Standard

Creeds: A Slogan Reexamined

By C. Robert Wetzel I could remember only the words of the first line and the melody of the refrain. It was a hymn that we sang in my home church when I was a boy. I checked with my colleague Ted Thomas, who has an amazing knowledge of hymnology. I sang the first line of the chorus, and before I could hum the rest, he said, “We Saw Thee Not.” It was the hymn that kept running through my mind when I sat down to write this article. Let me explain.   Singing Creeds When asked, “Can women preach

March 5, 2012

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Lesson for March 11, 2012: The Word Became Flesh (John 1:1-18)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone Before the world was created, God existed. The first words of the first book in the Bible read, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). John”s Gospel starts by affirming this truth. Since his was the last of the four Gospels to be written, John took an approach different from the other three. In today”s text, he takes us from eternity past to eternity present.   The Word in Eternity John

February 27, 2012

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Lesson for March 4, 2012: Wisdom”s Origin (Proverbs 8)

This treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson is written by Sam E. Stone, former editor of CHRISTIAN STANDARD. ______ By Sam E. Stone After today we will be studying the Gospel of John each week during this quarter. There Jesus is presented as the one who holds the answer to all of life”s questions. Today”s text from Proverbs provides the backdrop for our future study. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon describes wisdom as if it were a person. In this poetic way he explains both its characteristics and source. Using personal terms he sets forth the characteristics of

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