"In The Lowering Days Gregory Brown gives us a lush, almost mythic portrait of a very specific place and time that feels all the more universal for its singularity. There's magic here." —Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Empire Falls and Chances AreA promising literary star makes his debut with this emotionally powerful saga, set in 1980s Maine, that explores family love, the power of myths and storytelling, survival...

The battle for purity in society is raging, and unfortunately, many are captives or severely losing. David lost this battle as he committed adultery with Bathsheba. Solomon lost it as he had 1,000 wives and concubines to fulfill his lust. If we are going to win this battle, we must be strategic and disciplined. Winning is important to protect our lives, our families, our churches, and most importantly to honor our God.How can we win the battle for purity? In 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, ...

Who is Jesus Christ? This question elicits a lot of mystery and confusion. Some say Jesus was only a regular human—maybe a wise man or prophet. Others say he is a created being, like an angel. Still, others say Jesus is God but not human. While others say he is both fully God and fully human. Who exactly is Jesus? Scripture teaches that our eternal destiny depends on how we answer this question (1 John 4:2-3, Rom 10:9-10); therefore, it befits us to reflect on this question and answer it c...

Unlike other epistles, James is not so much concerned with doctrine but living out doctrine. Over half the words in this epistle are commands. James believed that true faith produces the corresponding works, and if it does not, it is not true faith (Jam 2:14-26). Even the demons believe in God but are not saved (2:15, 19). True faith not only hears God's Word, but obeys it (1:22). It not only sympathizes with the poor but also cares for them (1:27, 2:1-13). It affects one's tongue (1:26, 3...

What is anthropology? Anthropology comes from the Greek word anthropos which means man or humanity. Therefore, anthropology is the study of humans. It considers who we are and why we exist. In secular universities, the study is engaged primarily from a man-centered perspective; however, since God created humans and made them in his image, it is impossible to truly study humanity apart from God. It is from God that people derive their significance and purpose. Consequently, the study of ant...

Who is Satan and what is he? There are various views on this. Some believe Satan is the personification of evil but not an actual person or being. However, Scripture teaches Satan is not just an invisible evil power, nor a personification of it. He is an actual being (cf. Job 1:6-12, Matt 4:1-11, Rev 20:1-3, 7-10). In fact, outside of God, Satan apparently is the most powerful being in the world (cf. Jude 1:9). His name means opposer, enemy, or adversary. He is the chief of the fallen ange...

Though every year the Bible is the world's most popular, purchased, and translated book, the majority of people reading the Bible have never deeply studied it, and even among those who have, many still have numerous, lingering questions, such as: "Who wrote it?" "Is it historically reliable?" "How were the books of the Bible selected?" "Is it possible that some books are missing or that others will be added?" "What is the over-arching storyline of the Bible and its primary message?" "How d...

In the Bible, every chapter includes sin and its consequences, except four—the first two chapters of Genesis, before the fall, and the last two of Revelation, after the creation of the new heaven and earth. The story of the Bible essentially abounds with the themes of sin and our need for salvation. Since sin permeates every aspect of the human existence, we must understand it and how God provides grace to deliver us from it, both for ourselves and to help others.In Hamartiology, o...

There is great confusion and controversy over the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Who is he, and what does he do? Is he some type of force? Is he an energy or a thing? Likewise, topics such as spiritual gifts, the baptism in the Spirit, and being filled with the Spirit tend to incite differing views and discord, even amongst the sincerest and most devoted Christians.Because of all this, some have hesitated to study or teach on the Holy Spirit. This is unfortunate, since the Holy Spiri...

Ecclesiology is the study of the church, which is God's people throughout the world. God has chosen the church to be his global representative (Matt 28:19) and to glorify him throughout eternity (Eph 3:21). The church is God's temple (1 Cor 3:16) and his family (Gal 6:10). It is Christ's body, including various members with different spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:12-28). It is the salt and light of the world (Matt 5:13-14). While on earth, Christ promised to build his church and that the gates...

What are angels? Who are they and what can we learn from them? In Scripture, angels are mentioned over 250 times in thirty-four books of the Bible. Angels were present, rejoicing at God's forming of the earth (Job 38:4-7). They visited Abraham's house and brought judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18, 19:13). They were involved with the transmission of the Ten Commandments to Moses (Gal 3:19). An angel gave prophecies to Daniel about Israel's future (Dan 9, 10). Likewise, an angel prophes...

What is salvation? Why do humans need it? And what is its process? The doctrine of salvation essentially teaches how humans are condemned to an eternal hell by a just and righteous God because of their sins. However, instead of condemning all of humanity without any hope of redemption, God provided a means of salvation, so that the condemned may become righteous and dwell eternally with him in a place of blessing.In this study, we will consider salvation by exploring some of the el...