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.

October 31, 2011

Christian Standard

Lesson for Nov. 6, 2011: Living in Harmony with Others (Matthew 5:17-37)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for November 6) is written by David Eichenberger, a graduate of Lincoln (Illinois) Christian University who lives in Louisville, Kentucky. ____________ Living in Harmony with Others (Matthew 5:17-37) By David Eichenberger (Note to teachers: The italicized sections are questions designed to help involve your students in the learning process.)   A much-quoted rhyme provides a fitting description of the challenge of living at peace with those around us: To dwell above with saints we love O, that will be glory; But to dwell below with those we know”” Well, that”s another

October 24, 2011

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Getting the Most from the Epistles (Part Two)

By Matt Proctor   We have seen that the New Testament Epistles are published apostolic sermons intended to be read publicly to the recipient churches””with rich theological content, skillful rhetorical crafting, and deeply personal emotion. Now let me suggest five questions that can help you understand these sometimes-difficult books.   Have I Read the Entire Letter? Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart give this challenge: “You need to develop the habit of reading the whole letter through in one sitting. You will need to block out an hour or so to do this, but nothing can ever substitute for this exercise. It is the

October 24, 2011

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Lesson for Oct. 30, 2011: Seeking True Happiness (Matthew 5:1-16)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 30) is written by Jonathan Hentrich, associate pastor with Christ”s Church of the Capital District, Guilderland, New York. ____________ Seeking True Happiness (Matthew 5:1-16) By Jonathan Hentrich I want to be happy. Not just to have little moments of smiles and laughter, but to have true happiness. I crave a confidence deep in my soul to know that I am content, full of purpose, and alive! Like David Thoreau once said, “I want to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.“   Jesus” Definition In today”s

October 22, 2011

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Getting the Most from the Epistles (Part One)

By Matt Proctor Think of them as love letters. Read them out loud like a sermon. Notice the wide range of literary tools their authors employed. Discover the truth and power waiting for every reader in these inspired letters from God. Some time ago, my wife, Katie, and I were rummaging through a box of old college keepsakes. I reached for a large manila envelope, wondering what was inside. Old love letters! I pulled out a thick stack of envelopes Katie had sent me one summer when we were dating. We had been apart all that summer, and I remember waiting eagerly for

October 17, 2011

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Lesson for Oct. 23, 2011: Finding True Love (Song of Solomon 4:1″“5:1)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 23) is written by Mandy Smith, associate pastor at University Christian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, and author of Making a Mess and Meeting God: Unruly Ideas and Everyday Experiments for Worship, available at www.standardpub.com/makingamess. ____________ Finding True Love (Song of Solomon 4:1–5:1) By Mandy Smith At first reading, the fourth chapter of Song of Solomon seems a little ridiculous to modern ears. In fact, when my Old Testament professor in college heard I like to draw, he asked me to create a literal depiction of these metaphors, and I ended

October 15, 2011

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Swiss Army Knife or Sword of the Spirit?

By Jim Eichenberger One of the most “handy” passages for condemning behavior we do not like has to be 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (New International Version, 1984). In fact, this verse is like the proverbial Swiss Army knife. It is useful for a variety of occasions! Here is how it works. Are you looking for a way to condemn

October 10, 2011

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Lesson for Oct. 16, 2011: Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7″“12:14)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 16) is written by Daniel Schantz, professor emeritus at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, Missouri. ____________ Growing Old with Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 11:7″“12:14) By Daniel Schantz Poets present October as the melancholy season, marking the death of summer. Yet, to many of us, October is the best season of all””spangled with color, rich in harvests, invigorating in weather. Old age is like October. It does indeed signal the end of life, but it is also filled with a harvest of good things: grandchildren, retirement, honors. A number

October 7, 2011

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Jobian Musings

By David A. Fiensy The psalmist wrote that the righteous person “meditates on his law day and night” (Psalm 1:2). A wise rabbi advised, “Turn it and turn it.”1 (That is, turn the Old Testament law over and over in your mind.) Those authors believed that God speaks to us through the Bible in new ways when we reflect on it deeply and repeatedly. Søren Kierkegaard once retold the story of Abraham”s offering of Isaac (Genesis 22), each time with new details and from different vantage points.2 In this way, he brought insight to a troublesome biblical teaching. Each successive

October 3, 2011

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Lesson for Oct. 9, 2011: Valuing True Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 9:13″“10:20)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 9, 2011) is written by Russ Howard who serves as minister with LifeSpring Westside in Cincinnati, Ohio. ____________ Valuing True Wisdom (Ecclesiastes 9:13″“10:20) By Russ Howard Some time ago, we invited a young friend to dinner. My wife has a reputation as a great cook, and everyone, it seems, was telling him he was in for a treat. He arrived at our door with high expectations. We sat down at the table, prayed, and filled our plates. Fresh vegetables, baked potatoes, and roasted pork. We had just purchased a

September 26, 2011

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Lesson for Oct. 2, 2011: Living an Ordered Life (Proverbs 28:1″“29:27)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for October 2) is written by Mark Ingmire, small groups and adult education pastor with Savannah (Georgia) Christian Church. ____________ Living an Ordered Life (Proverbs 28:1–29:27) By Mark Ingmire I live an ordered life. For example, today”s calendar was full of things I had to do. This morning I washed last night”s dirty dishes, serviced my computer, and then went to work. At work I had meetings, tasks, and plenty of people with whom to speak. After work, I stopped by the supermarket, helped make dinner, dropped off my wife at

September 19, 2011

Christian Standard

Opening His Word, Discovering His Love

By Dave Smith When I reflect on my almost 30 years of following Jesus, God”s Word has always been central. I remember my first feeble attempts at a quiet time. It was 1982, I was a new Christian, and trying to know God through Bible study and prayer felt awkward. But gradually I experienced the reality of communing with God and having his Spirit-empowered Word transform my life. In the spring of 1983, I knew God was calling me to vocational ministry. I still had more than two years left on my Army commitment. During those years, as my wife,

September 19, 2011

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Lesson for Sept. 25, 2011: Acting with Discernment (Proverbs 25:1-28)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 25) is written by Melissa Wuske, a freelance writer and editor living in Cincinnati, Ohio. ____________ Acting with Discernment (Proverbs 25:1-28) By Melissa Wuske Most often we best know discernment when we don”t see it. I could name scads of political, business, and church leaders who”ve led people astray and betrayed trust. The news is full of stories of screw-ups from Washington, D.C., to the living room down the street. (I”d name names, but by the time this is published, there will be more.) It undoubtedly stings worst when

September 15, 2011

Christian Standard

Taking the First Bite Out of Biblical Illiteracy

By Jim Eichenberger An old joke asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” The response, of course, is “One bite at a time.” The church of the early 21st century seems to agree that biblical illiteracy is the elephant on our plate. Anecdotes abound of believers who confuse Abraham of Ur with Abraham Lincoln and who can name all four Beatles but not all four Gospels. How can we call others to the message given to us by God if many of our own brothers and sisters in the faith do not have a good working knowledge of our treasured

September 13, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from the Gospels (Part Two)

By Matt Proctor In Part One of this article, I explained that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are more than divinely inspired, historically accurate biographies. They are that, to be sure. But each writer”s distinctive approach to telling his material gives us nuance and knowledge we would never have received from one writer alone. This week we consider principles to help us get the fullest meaning possible from what I call these “pastorally interpretive narratives of the life of Christ.”   Read Behind the Lines The first principle of Gospel reading is read behind the lines. In other words, look at the history and culture

September 13, 2011

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Gospel Distinctives

By Matt Proctor MATTHEW 1. His Gospel is primarily (though not exclusively) a Jewish Gospel. There are 65 Old Testament references””21 direct quotations from Isaiah alone. Luke traces Jesus” genealogy from Adam, the father of the human race, but Matthew begins his Gospel with a genealogy going back to Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation. 2. He does show some interest in Gentiles. Wise men worship Jesus (2:1-12). Many from east and west will feast with Abraham in the kingdom of Heaven (8:11, 12). Christ proclaims justice to the Gentiles (12:18). The Gentiles hope is in Christ (12:21). Christ

September 12, 2011

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Lesson for Sept. 18, 2011: Teaching Values (Proverbs 10:1″“15:33)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 18) is written by Bruce Stoker, education minister with Memorial Church of Christ in Livonia, Michigan. ____________ Teaching Values (Proverbs 10:1–15:33) By Bruce Stoker As a Boy Scout, I learned orienteering skills for traveling through the wilderness safely and efficiently using a map and compass. We practiced our skills during many meetings and throughout our hometown, and eventually we decided we could handle a cross-country backpacking trip. So we plotted our destination, grabbed a topographical map and our compasses, and headed out for a weekend of hiking without trails.

September 6, 2011

Christian Standard

Getting the Most from the Gospels (Part One)

By Matt Proctor “Irresistibly drawn to Jesus.” That phrase describes many who have come to faith after reading the Gospels. Most of us love the Gospels because we love Jesus, and the Gospels bring us face to face with him. For some the Gospels are so familiar, though, that they miss truth contained there. A few helps can prevent that from happening. When he was growing up, Vince Antonucci”s parents never took him to church. Maybe it was because his mother was Jewish and his father was a professional gambler. Regardless, he knew nothing about Jesus. He says, “As far

September 5, 2011

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Lesson for Sept. 11, 2011: Making Right Choices (Proverbs 4:1-27)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 11) is written by Jeremy Lawson, minister with Mount Pleasant Church of Christ, Williamstown, Kentucky. ____________ Making Right Choices (Proverbs 4:1-27) By Jeremy Lawson I have made some pretty good decisions in my life. I am something of a scatterbrain, so marrying a woman who pays close attention to details was a good decision. Before leaving for college, I sold my Camaro that got only 15 mpg, and””even though it still breaks my heart””that was a good decision. But for all the good decisions I”ve made, there have been

September 3, 2011

Christian Standard

Four Special Verses

By Sam E. Stone Out of a lifetime of Bible study, four verses have become especially significant to me over the years. Let me tell you why each is so special.   James 4:15 About halfway through my freshman year at Ozark Bible College, I became very ill. My parents sent a telegram that they would come to Joplin to help, but the message was a puzzle. It concluded with an unusual abbreviation. “Will arrive tomorrow about 6:00 p.m., TLW.” Several student and faculty friends tried to figure it out. Could TLW be short for Trailways Bus? Could it mean

August 29, 2011

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Lesson for Sept. 4, 2011: Pursuing Righteousness (Proverbs 3)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 4) is written by Cheryl Frey, a freelance proofreader and editor from Rochester, New York. ____________ Pursuing Righteousness (Proverbs 3) By Cheryl Frey Have you been watching the price of gold and silver lately? A year ago gold was selling at about $1,200 an ounce, and as of this writing, it”s slightly over $1,600; that”s an increase of approximately 33 percent. Silver”s rise has been even more impressive. It”s gone from under $20 an ounce to almost $40 in a year, a 100 percent increase. So what does this

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