Biblical Religion

Although most people acknowledge that Jesus was a first-century Jew, interpreters of the Gospels often present him as opposed to Jewish law and customs—especially when considering his numerous encounters with the ritually impure. Matthew Thiessen corrects this popular misconception by placing Jesus within the Judaism of his day. Thiessen demonstrates that the Gospel writers depict Jesus opposing ritual impurity itself, not the Jewish ritual purity system or the Jewish law.

Galatians 1-3: Audio Lectures features top New Testament scholar Thomas R. Schreiner teaching through Galatians 1-3 in these engaging and challenging lessons. These lessons help bring the meaning of one of Paul's great letters into the 21st century. As he works his way through Galatians 1-3 passage-by-passage, Schreiner focuses on the textual structure of the book, enabling viewers to better understand the literary elements of Galatians, comprehend the author's revolutionary goals, and ultimately discover the book's vital claims upon the church today.

Too often, Christians today either sensationalize the subject of spiritual warfare by obsessing over demon possession, exorcisms, binding the devil, and rebuking demons or they minimize the idea and are unprepared for the real struggle they face against principalities and powers. Pastors Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura provide a balanced approach that exposes the fictions and superstitions surrounding this vital doctrine and at the same time reveal the unseen realities of this struggle.

Another seven great chapters of topics related to Bible prophecy reveal how close we are to the end times!

"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend," Proverbs 27:17 tells us. God uses Christian friendships to help His children grow in grace and stay true to Christ. But our 21st century Western culture values individualism, busyness, and selfishness qualities that do not encourage deep, long-lasting, satisfying friendships.

Are you spiritually, mentally, physically, broken, and looking for solace and restoration? Do you doubt your identity in Christ? Are you longing for fulfilling joy or peace? No matter what you’re going through, you can always find comfort, inspiration, and compassion in the word of God. It's a powerful tool that you can turn to to make yourself whole again in your time of need. Every verse you need to reclaim your purpose and glory is just a listen away!

Many people are harassed routinely by other believers who imagine that the Bible favors inflationary schemes, bans the paying and receiving of interest, and requires a government monopoly on money to fund state charity. Here, Gary North answers those views with chapter, verse, and an impressive account of the historical context for the Bible's teachings on money, banking, commerce, and trade. Who knew that the Bible had so much to say about the issues of money and banking?

While Scripture is full of wisdom and advice, it isn’t always easy to know how the Bible’s words—written thousands of years ago—should apply to our lives now. As a result, many Christians wrestle with questions like these: Where is God leading me personally? How do I live out my faith when others disagree? How can I share the gospel … without being weird or pushy? How do I keep going when life gets hard? With just the right mix of Scripture, personal stories, real-life examples, and practical, encouraging advice, Follow God’s Will gives us guidance.

If you could spend a few minutes with biblical heroines Ruth, Sarah, Mary, and others, what valuable lessons would they share with you? In the tradition of Running with the Giants and Learning from the Giants, John Maxwell shares wisdom on life and leadership inspired by the Bible - this time focusing solely on the stories of nine incredible women.

How does the Jesus of the New Testament compare to the Jesus we think we know so well? Join bestselling author Philip Yancey as he conducts an enlightening biblical and historical investigation into the real Jesus. From the manger in Bethlehem to the cross in Jerusalem, Philip Yancey presents a complex character who generates questions as well as answers—a disturbing and exhilarating Jesus who wants to radically transform your life and stretch your faith.

The book of Jeremiah shares a detailed, personal narrative of Judah’s capture and exile. Jeremiah’s heart broke for his people as he prophesied and suffered alongside them, but his tearful warnings of judgment are pierced by soaring promises of a new heart and a beautiful future. The book of Lamentations is the deeply poetic cry of the Weeping Prophet after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. It provides a prayerful and liturgical framework to mourn loss, voice grief, and confess sin while still hoping in God’s ever-present mercy and forgiveness.

According to researcher George Barna, most born-again Christians live indistinctly from nonbelievers because they do not think any differently—which is a result of not understanding the basic truths of the Christian faith.

While evangelicalism dukes it out about who can be church leaders, the rest of the 98 percent of us need to be well-equipped to see where we fit in God's household and why that matters. The Recovering from Biblical Manhood and Womanhood: Audio Lectures will help improve the culture of our churches and disciple men and women to read, understand, and apply Scripture together within them. Until both men and women grow in their understanding of their relationship to Scripture, there will continue to be tension between the sexes in the church.

William Barclay brings to these "best-known stories in the world" new force and significance for the modern reader/listener. Each chapter analyzes an individual parable - identifies its theme, explains it in the light of the language and customs of the ancient world, and clearly interprets its meaning for us today.

How can Christian men and women live faithfully in a world confused over sexuality and gender? Surely we must be reminded of what Scripture teaches. Yet as God’s design for sexuality is being suppressed and denied in the modern world, we need to hear it articulated in a fresh and accessible way. God’s Good Design presents the historic, biblical view of sexuality in a manner that is appealing even to those who have been conditioned to believe it is scary or oppressive.

Does God call women to serve as equal partners in marriage and as leaders in the church? The answer to this straightforward question is deeply contested. Into the fray, Lucy Peppiatt offers her work on interpretation of the Bible and Christian practice.

The academic culture in which science is practiced today is one of tacit - if not explicit - atheism. Nowhere is this more evident than in the scientific study of how the universe began and developed - the field of origins. This book has been written in the conviction that the first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis - the Bible's book of beginnings - provide a trustworthy and accurate account of the early history of the universe.

Seldom in history has the clamor of anti-Christian sentiment grown more vocal than today as followers of Christ are often characterized as hypocrites, legalists, and zealots. D. James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe speak out on the tremendously positive impact Christ has made upon humanity. Arranged topically and presenting compelling, little-known historical facts, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? demonstrates the massive impact to humankind—from economics to art to government, science to civil liberties, morality to health, and beyond—would never have occurred had Jesus Christ not lived.

What was the apostle Paul's relationship to Judaism? How did he view the Jewish law? How did he understand the gospel of Jesus's messiahship relative to both ethnic Jews and gentiles? These remain perennial questions both to New Testament scholars and to all serious Bible readers. Respected New Testament scholar Matthew Thiessen offers an important contribution to this discussion. A Jewish Paul is an accessible introduction that situates Paul clearly within first-century Judaism, not opposed to it.

Paul's letter to the church at Galatia speaks largely to how important it was to Paul that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their differences. Galatians teaches that we're only justified by faith in Christ and encourages us to pursue a life of holiness, not in our own strength, but in the knowledge of God's empowering grace in our lives.