5 Fallacies about a Literary Approach to the Bible
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Leland Ryken, 
  
  
    Philip Graham Ryken
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
When the Bible gives us literary subject matter, that subject matter is present through the agency of divine inspiration. The same is true of the genres and forms of the Bible.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            The Gospel in Philemon
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Julius J. Kim
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
The central gospel themes in Paul’s shortest letter are surprisingly substantial.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Can You Really Summarize the Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Chris Bruno
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
We are living in a day of increasing biblical ignorance—not only among the general population, but also among evangelicals.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            J. I. Packer’s “Last Crusade”: The Renewal of Catechesis
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Joel Scandrett
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
While many rightly think of Packer as a theologian, he has averred for years that he is, first and foremost, “a catechist.”
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Christ in All of Scripture – Habakkuk 3:16-19
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
This series of posts pairs a brief passage of Scripture with associated study notes drawn from the Gospel Transformation Bible.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Reclaiming Psalm 139 from the Clutches of Coffee Cups and Picture Frames
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Psalm 139 is more than just fodder for t-shirts, coffee mugs, and picture frames.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            5 Ways to Use an Illuminated Bible
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Illuminated manuscripts have a long history. Here are five ways to use the new 'ESV Illuminated Bible, Art Journaling Edition.'
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Podcast: Faith, Family, and the Creative Life  (Ruth Chou Simons)
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Ruth Chou Simons discusses her life as an artist, sharing her passion for creating beautiful pieces of art that reflect the beauty of our Creator.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Podcast: Jackie Hill Perry on Recording the Entire ESV Bible: “It Changed Everything”
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Jackie Hill Perry shares what it was like to spend over sixty-five hours reading God's word aloud in a recording studio with unsaved audio engineers listening in the whole time.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            What Should We Keep in Mind When Considering the Ethics of the Bible?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Gregory Goswell
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
When we speak about the ethics in the Bible, we are not just thinking of the Old Testament law or of the Sermon on the Mount, nor do we only have in mind actual moral instructions, injunctions, and prohibitions.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            The Voice of Wisdom and the Voice of Folly
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Kristyn Getty
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Proverbs tells us that there are two voices calling out in the marketplace.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            4 Things that Make the Bible Literary
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Leland Ryken
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
The subject of literature is human experience. We should read the Bible through that lens.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Praying the Bible vs. Interpreting the Bible
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Donald S. Whitney
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
One hurdle many people face when trying to pray the Bible is confusing prayer time with Bible study, interpretation, and application.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 22
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Daniel Stevens
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Psalm 22 moves from the death of the speaker, as far as we can tell from this last cry to be saved, to the declaration: “You have rescued me.”
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            What Does the Aaronic Blessing Ultimately Promise Us?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Michael J. Glodo
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
The highest happiness of every believer is to see the face of God unmediated, not just having to look with the eyes of faith but actually one day seeing with our eyes.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Answering Kids’ Hardest Questions: If God Speaks to Me, Why Can’t I Hear Him?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Kristen Wetherell
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
No, we can’t hear God audibly, but we can hear him speak in the sense that he has written his thoughts down for us to read and to hear in his word.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Christ in All of Scripture - Matthew 26:26-29
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
This series of posts pairs a brief passage of Scripture with associated study notes drawn from the Gospel Transformation Bible.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Why Study the Books of 1–3 John
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Michael LeFebvre
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
The more divisive, the more stressful, the more anxious, and the more lonely our society grows, the more compelling the need becomes for a clear exhortation to love.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Have You Ever (Really) Read the Bible?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    John Piper
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
True understanding of Scripture comes when we set aside our earthly and sinful desires and instead seek God's glory.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            The Gospel in Jude
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Jared C. Wilson
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Where is the gospel in Jude’s epistle? In such a compact space, we actually receive a potent portrait of the gospel.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Don't Be a Rich Fool
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Jared C. Wilson
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Jesus once said that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Why?
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Has God's Kingdom Already Come?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Chris Bruno
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
When we think about the message of the Bible, we should never lose sight of God's kingdom, or his reign over his people, and ultimately his reign over the entire universe.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            4 Things to Remember When Reading the Bible
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Tony Reinke
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Proper Bible reading begins before we open the book. It begins in our approach.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            How God Called Wayne Grudem to Serve the Church
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
In this video, Wayne Grudem recounts his journey to become a professor and author, sharing about his passion to faithfully teach the Bible to God’s people.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            What Is Distinct About the Theology of Philippians?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Chris Bruno
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
At the foundation of our salvation in every way is the reality of our union with Christ. Philippians uniquely shows us the link between suffering, union with Christ, and our greatest joy.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            What Is Distinct about the Theology of Philemon?
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Kevin W. McFadden
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Some question whether we should even say that the book of Philemon has a theology since it is merely a short, practical letter written to an individual Christian rather than a church.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Blessed: The Organization of Revelation with Vern Poythress (Episode 6)
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Nancy Guthrie
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
Nancy Guthrie talks with Vern Poythress about reading the book of Revelation not as a puzzle book to be figured out but as a picture book which should stir us up to be moved by Christ's rule and God's plan for history.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Podcast: 8 Questions to Ask Every Time You Open Your Bible (Matthew Harmon)
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Questions we should ask when studying the Bible to help us get at the true meaning of Scripture, and how to apply it to our lives today.
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            10 Key Bible Verses on Truth
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
      
    
    
    
      
        
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
      
    
  
    
  
     
      
  
  
    
      
        
          
            Practical Suggestions for Cultivating Communion with God
          
        
      
    
    
      
        
  
    Kelly M. Kapic
  
      
    
    
    
      
        
We were made by God to find our greatest joy in fellowship and communion with God.