-
Many believe that the major theme of Romans is justification by faith. This assumption, however, does not provide an occasion for the letter, forces the climax of Romans to be reached in chapter four, and diminishes chapters nine through eleven to a mere parenthesis in the epistle. While it is true that justification is by faith alone, Paul presents this truth as part of something bigger. All men are equally condemned, justified, sanctified, planned, and needed. Therefore, all men should be received regardless of their cultural, social, or economic background. Indeed, the Gospel has ramifications. It is not merely for the Jew. It is also for the Greek.
-
All too often, pastoral candidates are merely asked to preach a couple of sermons to a local assembly before the vote is taken to call them to lead a church. Indeed, we often refer to our pastors as “preachers.” But is there more to pastoral leadership than pulpit communication? What does God require of the man who would shepherd the flock? This commentary explores the books of I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus to discover God’s plan for pastoral ministry.
-
If you have been saved for any length of time, you have probably seen some rift over Calvinism. Perhaps you feel uncomfortable believing that your lost relatives are unsaved because somehow God has not chosen them to salvation. That all having been said, however, you are not quite sure how this fits with the election passages of the Bible. In The Great Rift, Jeff Amsbaugh explores the roots of Calvinism and attempts to explain the five points of Calvin in light of God’s Word in order to help you the next time a rift over Calvinism comes your way.
-
It’s one of the ugliest, most damaging skeletons to come out of the closet—the unaddressed “elephant in the room” in Christian circles. The ever-growing presence and accessibility of obscene viewing has added to the strangle hold it’s taken on many lives. For many people, the battle rages daily. With all the shame and addiction surrounding pornography, where can someone truly searching for help turn to? In the book, Pay-Per-View, Jeff Amsbaugh not only address the real threat of pornography to Christianity, but shows relevant steps to win this critical war. The stakes are high—this shadowed enemy has scarred families, ended marriages, and mentally altered thousands! Please, count the cost and arm yourself against this lethal weapon of Satan today.
-
The book of Philippians is a missionary prayer letter, yet few theologians have commented on the missiological aspects of this epistle. In Keeping the Mission in the Missionary, Jeff Amsbaugh comments on the book of Philippines as a missionary prayer letter. In so doing, he provides a valuable tool for local churches to evaluate missionaries the are considering for support and for missionary candidates to evaluate the ministries before they go to the field.
-
The hallmark of orthodox Christianity is justification by faith. The thing that separates Christianity from every other religion is the fact that men are counted righteous before God by faith in the work of Christ independent of human merit. After we are saved, however, we sometimes feel that we must work for the smile of God. We believe that we are justified by faith but sanctified by works. Paul uses no other word but “foolish” to describe this mentality. In this commentary, you will learn that growth in the Christian life is accomplished by the same means as entrance into the Christian life - by grace through faith.
-
The children of Israel had returned from Babylonian captivity and were eagerly anticipating great things from the Lord. They had returned to their homeland and had rebuilt their temple. Fifty years later, however, expectations were very low. Joshua and Zerubbabel had both died. The glory of the Lord had not filled the temple as Ezekiel said it would. And the day of miracles had passed with Elijah and Elisha. This was an apathetic age, an uneventful waiting period. Malachi writes to his fellow Jews to give them cures for apathy. This commentary explores those cures and presents them as hope for our current apathetic age.
-
Though Nehemiah was privileged to live in the lap of luxury while serving as cupbearer to a Persian king, he left it all for the seemingly impossible task of rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem. Obviously, he needed the help of God to mobilize a task force of Jewish workers. This commentary examines the prayer life, management skills, and tenacity of one of the Old Testament's greatest leaders.
-
Job’s belief in the sovereignty of God did not allow him the luxury of attributing his successive and severe calamities to secondary sources. It never occurred to him to blame natural disasters, human agents, or even the devil for his suffering. The Lord had given, and the Lord had taken away. Why did God grant the devil permission to afflict Job so severely seeing Job lived so righteously? Job seeks answers, and those provided by his friends are wholly inadequate. When God finally arrives on the scene, He does so, not to answer questions, but to question answers. For example, God asks Job, “Where were you when I made behemoth?” The behemoth, a massive land animal, serves no apparent reason for existence. And if a man tries to get ahold of it in order to analyze it, he only ends up injuring himself. The point is that suffering is a behemoth. We often don’t know why God allows it, and if we attempt to understand it more fully, we only end up injuring ourselves. We trust that this commentary will assist you in trusting God even when His ways are inexplicable.
-
Often we feel that a powerful apologetic is necessary to confront false religions and that courses in comparative religion are vital to evangelizing those from different faiths. When Paul, however, sought to rescue the Colossians from the Gnostic heresy that was pervading their town, he simply chose to exalt Christ. When Jesus is seen in all His glory, other faiths of necessity fade into the background. No competing system of thought can adequately replace the splendor of Jesus. Nothing can trump Christianity when Christ is in all things preeminent. We trust that this study of Colossians will help you see Jesus in all of His magnificence.
-
Esther lived in a materialistic society that was filled with antisemitic people who thought more of their personal advancement than the people of God who lived among them. In a day when women were treated as property, and Jews were thought worthy of extermination, God brought Esther to the throne for such a time as this. Through the help of Mordecai, the prayers of her fellow Israelites, and more importantly, through the invisible, providential hand of God, the tables were completely turned, and the Jews were protected while their enemies were destroyed. Thus, the book of Esther highlights the miraculous, protective intervention of God. Though the Lord is never mentioned in the book, He is present on every page. God is often most involved when His presence is not seen. The God of Esther can also help us in uncertain times by manifesting His presence through the lives of obscure volunteers for such a time as this.
-
Because many have recoiled from the fact that God would write a book about human sexuality, the Song of Solomon has often been allegorized as a book written to describe Christ’s love for the church. Does this mean that the book had to lay dormant for 900 years until the church was birthed? And how are we to explain God using Solomon, one of the worst husbands in history, to typify God’s love? Why is it that many who abhor allegorical interpretation are willing to accept it with regard to this Biblical work? In this commentary, we will discover that the Song needs no alteration or “deeper significance” to justify its place in the canon. To the contrary, this book will defend the fact that the proper use of human sexuality can turn a shepherd into a prince while its misuse can turn the world’s most celebrated sovereign into a beast. Indeed, God wrote the book of love.
-
Isaiah ends his great prophecy by telling us about a new heaven and new earth. He does not leave us in the dark, however, about how this new universe will come to be. The entire focus of the book is on the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The prophet tells us of Christ’s birth, Christ’s cross, and Christ’s return. Jesus is the Servant of the Lord who accomplishes the very salvation of God. Indeed, He is God’s salvation. And it is no halfway salvation. It is salvation that helps us in this life and in the life to come. Those who embrace Christ are saved to the uttermost. We trust that you will arrive at a greater appreciation of this great salvation through this study of Isaiah
-
Many people love proverbs from whatever the source because they provide memorable advice in a short, pithy fashion. The book of Proverbs in Scripture, however, is not just good advice from wise people; it is infallible advice from the all-wise God. Proverbs provide the instruction that is necessary to live life wisely and godly. Numerous leaders have found success by reading, studying, and applying the truths from this book of the Bible. What about you? Got Wisdom? We trust that as a result of studying the Proverbs through this commentary you will become a wise guy in the best sense of that term.
-
Though there are many different interpretations to the book of the Revelation, and good men disagree about minor points of exegesis, the thrust of the book is obvious. It is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. The book is about Jesus and how He emerges victorious over Satanic and despotic government. And because believers are affiliated with Jesus, they too are winners. No matter how much tribulation we have in this world, we can be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world. In the end, the saints win. We trust that as a result of this study of Revelation, you will rest and rejoice in the victory that is yours through Jesus Christ our Lord.
-
God promised Joshua that the entire land of Canaan was available, but he and the Israelites must go forward and possess their possessions. Sadly, in the New Testament era, Christians many times allow the promises of God to be nothing more than unclaimed freight. Paul, in the book of Ephesians, outlines for us the glorious inheritance that we have in Christ and then encourages us to advance and claim it. May this study in Ephesians incentivize you to possess your possessions.
-
We live in a world that invites comparisons. We compare restaurants, cars, and even churches. Some seminaries even offer courses in comparative religions. One famous apologist said that “all religions are essentially the same. They just differ over minor issues such as sin, salvation, heaven, and hell.” The author of the book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to prove that Jesus is better than anything religion can offer. Join us in this study of Hebrews to find out why Jesus is “better by far.”
-
In previous ages, Christians lived in great anticipation of the Lord’s return. A belief in the imminent rapture of the church led many Christians to embrace holy living and aggressive evangelism. Times, however, have changed. Now, anyone who speaks of the Lord’s return is viewed as being on the same level as someone who claims to have seen Elvis in Burger King. Prophecy is seldom preached, and when it is, the preacher is viewed as a kook. The New Testament in general, and the books of I and II Thessalonians in particular, repeatedly emphasize, however, the fact that the King is coming. Our hope is that the pages of this commentary will help you live in light of that day.
-
We often think that trials are inappropriate for the Christian, and therefore we respond with bitterness and retaliation when they come. The Bible is clear, however, that trials are not foreign to the Christian life but a necessary component of it. Therefore, trials should not only be embraced but enlisted to serve God more effectively. This commentary explores the book of I Peter and develops concepts to help you submit the next time your Christian life is under fire.
-
If Haggai is the builder who encourages the Jews to complete the unfinished Temple, Zechariah is the artist who installs the colorful windows. Though Zechariah is fully aware of the present realities and spiritual needs of his countrymen, he lifts their eyes to see things from a heavenly vantage point. God is over all, working all things according to the good pleasure of His will. It is during times of deep distress that you and I should catch a glimpse of the glory. The inspired visions and prophecies of Zechariah prove that even when things are blackest, when the Shepherd is smitten and the sheep are scattered, nothing can keep God’s kingdom from being established on planet earth. When evil does its worst, the Lord remains in control. Join us in a study of Zechariah to catch a glimpse of this glory.
-
The prophets Obadiah and Jonah teach us that God disciplines with equity. He humbles the proud. He pillages those who pillage. Those who harass will find themselves harassed. Those who dispossess others will find themselves dispossessed. God always makes the punishment fit the crime. Even notable preachers who think more highly of themselves than they ought to think can be reduced by the overflowing water or scorching sun of God’s discipline. There is always a day of reckoning in the calendar of God. The Heavenly Father loves us enough to make us obey. This commentary explores the vital message of these two prophets to help us see how God reduces us when we become a legend in our mind.
-
As the children of Israel were exiled in Babylon, it appeared as if God’s glory had permanently departed from their midst. Indeed, God begged them not to send Him away as His glory gradually departed. The Israelites, however, like us, often believe that life is do-able without God. The result of this humanistic philosophy is bondage and death. God, however, is not through with us. He promises to return in all of His power and fill not only the temple, but also the whole earth, with His glory. Join us in a study of Ezekiel and learn how to appreciate the glory of God that indeed fills the house.
-
Many have seen a parallel between the five books of the Psalter and the five books of the Pentateuch. Indeed, the first book of the Psalter (Psalms 1-41), which mirrors the book of Genesis, speaks graphi- cally of the heavens that declare the glory of God and also of man’s ruination of the created environ- ment through his fall into sin. Many hymns, such as “How Great Thou Art,” speak of God’s excellence that can be observed in the created order. This is very much in keeping with God’s inspired hymn- book where you and I are invited to sing about the mighty power of God.
-
Many believe that the book of Ecclesiastes is a pessimistic discourse, but it is truly a powerful apologetic for a God-honoring life. After Solomon tries everything without God, he is left with nothing but vanity. Such is the always the case when life is lived under the sun. No matter how attractive the hedonistic life may appear, such pursuits are a mere chasing of the wind – the acquisition of soap bubbles. When Solomon, however, fears God and keeps His commandments, wholeness returns. Hopefully this study of Ecclesiastes will encourage you to live a substantive life of dedication to God rather than a hollow existence of soap bubbles without Him.
