The doctrine of the pactum salutis (covenant of redemption) offers the idea of a covenant between the very persons of the Trinity for the redemption of humanity. The doctrine received most of its attention in seventeenth-century Reformed theology, and has been criticized and almost totally forgotten in dogmatics since the eighteenth century. Most recent Reformed dogmatics tend to ignore the doctrine or disparage it from biblical, trinitarian, christological, pneumatological, and soteriological perspectives-namely, the doctrine lacks scriptural basis; it is tritheistic; it leads to subordination of the Son; it omits the role of the Holy Spirit; and it applies a deterministic idea for the Christian life. The theologies of Witsius, Owen, Dickson, Goodwin, and Cocceius portray a very robust form of the doctrine. Witsius argues with the help of a peculiar methodology of cross-referencing and collation of related scriptural texts that the doctrine is firmly based on biblical exegesis that was passed on from the patristic era. The doctrine formulated by Owen endorses the doctrines of inseparable operations and terminus operationis so as to give deep insight into the Trinity. In Dickson's doctrine, the Son's voluntary consent and obedience to the will of the Father are highly emphasized. Likewise, Goodwin's depiction of the Holy Spirit secures the divinity of the Spirit as well as his indispensable role for the transaction and accomplishment of the pactum. The doctrine in the theology of Cocceius sheds much light on the vibrant dynamic of the Christian life in accordance with the ordo salutis. The doctrine of the pactum salutis of the five Reformed theologians clearly shows that the doctrine is both promised and promising for theology and the life of faith.

What can the early church contribute to theology today? Donald Fairbairn takes us back to the biblical roots and central convictions of the early church, showing us what we have tended to overlook, especially in our understanding of God as Trinity, the person of Christ and the nature of our salvation as sharing in the Son's relationship to the Father.

There is something unique and special when a group comes together to study. With fresh insights, lively discussion, and personal application, each member of the group grows in new ways. And with this book, your group can have all that and more as they study The Promise by Dr. Tony Evans-without having to buy student books or read chapters in advance. During this study, your group will benefit from Dr. Evans' insights on . . . bull; bull;The Person of the Holy Spirit bull;The power of having the Spirit in you bull;The provision that God's Spirit bring . . . and much more! And, like all courses in the LifeTopics series, The Promise includes reproducible resources and creative learning activities to complete the step-by-step Bible teaching.

A reissue of a brilliant and accessible introduction to Trinitarian thought. Colin Gunton argues that the theology of the Trinity has profound implications for all dimensions of human life. Central to his work is his argument that the doctrine should offer ways of articulating the being of God and of the world so that we may be better able to live before God and with each other.

The most solemn, majestic, and beautiful gifts that Jesus Christ gave to the world are His sacraments. He endowed them with unprecedented and unparalleled power—power to change lives, save souls, and share God’s very life. The sacraments are the ordinary means by which God directs the course of each human life and all of world history. The Church celebrates seven sacraments: baptism, Eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders, confession, and anointing of the sick. Each was established by Jesus for the sake of salvation. When Jesus spoke of the sacraments, He made clear that they were essential: Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (Jn 3:5) . . . unless you eat of the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you (Jn 6: 53). In Swear to God, Dr. Scott Hahn explores the richness of Christ’s sacraments—their doctrine, history, symbols, and rituals. Drawing upon the Bible and the Church’s tradition, he shows how God’s covenants—with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—became the driving forces in history. When Jesus came to fulfill all these covenants, He established a new covenant, with greater power than ever before. Christians are God’s children now. Joined to Christ by baptism, we can already share in the eternal life of the Trinity, a life we hope to know fully in heaven. But heaven is with us, even now, in the sacraments.

Thomas F. Torrance is considered by many to be the most outstanding living Reformed theologian in the Anglo-Saxon world. In The Promise of Trinitarian Theology, Elmer M. Colyer presents a collection of essays critiquing Torrance's work. It explores his place in Reformed theology and his relation to the Greek fathers. Both everyday life and scientific understanding are discussed in the essays within. The Promise of Trinitarian Theology is a hopeful step engaging the works of T. F. Torrance and the theology behind his words.

Bible scholar and author Ron Rhodes gives readers more than just a quick and easy way to find promises from God’s Word that apply to every area of their lives. He shows them how to discern what is and what is not a promise and develop a deeper faith while discovering what God wants them to know about His faithfulness, goodness, and love fear, doubt, and other emotions temptations, trials, and challenges Handy alphabetized tabs make it easy to quickly look up specific categories (for example, happiness, healing, or heaven) and find a promise summarized in a simple, one–line sentence, followed by the appropriate Bible verse. With a liberal sprinkling of deeply moving quotes from famous Christian authors, this book will become an inspiring and treasured keepsake. Formerly titled The Complete Book of Bible Promises