Understanding Christian Theology

■

Charles R. Swindoll and Roy B. Zuck

general editors

thomas nelson publishers

Nashville

Understanding Christian Theology
© 2003 by Thomas Nelson Publishers

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this book except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Scripture quotations identified nkjv are from the New King James Version of the Bible, © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. This is the primary translation used in Part Four—The Holy Spirit and Part Seven—Salvation.

Scripture quotations identified nasb are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. This is the primary translation used in Part One—Scripture, Part Five—Humanity and Sin, Part Six—Angels, Satan, and Demons, and Part Eight—Sanctification.

Scripture quotations identified niv are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. All rights reserved. This is the primary translation used in Part Two—God, Part Three—Jesus Christ, Part Nine—The Church, and Part Ten—End Times.

All ten parts of this volume originally were published by Word Publishing as separate titles within the Swindoll Leadership Library. Jesus Christ (formerly titled Immanuel), Angels, Satan and Demons, and End Times were released in 1998. God, The Holy Spirit, Humanity and Sin, Sanctification (formerly titled The Forgotten Blessing), and The Church were released in 1999. Salvation was released in 2000, and Scripture was released in 2001.

Book design and composition by Mark McGarry, Texas Type & Book Works, Dallas, Texas

Swindoll, Charles R. and Roy B. Zuck (General Editors)

Understanding Christian theology.

ISBN 0-7852-5032-8

Contents

Foreword

PART I: SCRIPTURE

Introduction

1. Why Is the Bible Called the Book of Life?

2. What Is Divine Revelation?

3. What Is General Revelation?

4. What Is Special Revelation?

5. Are the Bible’s Teachings Unique?

6. How Else Is the Bible Unique?

7. Is the Bible the Inspired Word of God?

8. How Did Christ View the Scriptures?

9. Is the Bible a Human Book?

10. Is the Bible Reliable?

11. Does the Bible Contradict Itself?

12. What Has the Church Believed about the Bible?

13. Which Books Belong in the Bible?

14. Is the Bible Important Today

PART II: GOD

Introduction

1. Does God Exist?

2. Faulty Views of God

3. The Name of God

4. Designations of Deity

5. God’s Self-Revelation

6. What the Pentateuch Teaches about God

7. The Greatness of God

8. The Goodness of God

9. Images of God

10. The Triunity of God

11. The Decree of God

12. God and the Presence of Evil

13. God’s Plan for the Ages

14. Being a Friend of God

15. Believing in God

16. Responding to God

17. Dealing ...