Richard P. Belcher Jr. – författare

Is God worthy of worship only because He blesses us? How should we respond to God when suffering comes into our lives? At the heart of the book of Job is a question about the character of God - and about how we should respond to Him. In this most recent title of the extensive Focus on the Bible series, Richard Belcher expertly deals with the difficult themes of this practical book, showing how it is still acutely applicable to the lives of believers.

The book of Ecclesiastes, part of the wisdom literature of the Bible, can be a perplexing maze to interpret and teach. Full of apparent contradictions and much–debated Hebrew, the theme focuses on the gritty realities of life ‘under the sun’. Richard Belcher approaches this book with the depth and care it needs, presenting solid guidance on the intricacies of interpretation – alongside continual comments on the practicalities of preaching.

A variety of views and nuances of covenant theology exist within the Reformed church and the broader evangelical world. This book seeks to explain covenant theology as presented in the Westminster Confession of Faith as a starting point for discussions of covenant theology and as a foundation to evaluate other views. Some variations of covenant theology are minor and do not impact the system of doctrine of Reformed theology, but other variations are major and impact important doctrines associated with justification by faith. Attention is also given to the views of confessional Baptists, as well as those who are evangelicals and operate with a covenantal approach to Scripture. This book combines a straightforward explanation of basic covenant theology followed by more detailed analysis of other views.

Atheists often level charges at the God of the Bible as being angry and hateful. They claim that God condones genocide, that He is a cruel and oppressive megalomaniac, but this doesn’t seem to match what Christians claim about Him being a God of love. How can a God who provides and saves also wipe out entire nations? Richard Belcher’s addition to the Big Ten series addresses these commonly asked questions. He begins by laying out how God created humanity in His own image,but we chose to reject Him. Our very sense that things are not fair points to the perfect justice of God. Belcher shows that God’s justice, including expressions of anger against wrongdoing, is compatible with His love and goodness.  Belcher then tackles specific texts in the Bible that seem to promote genocide and oppression and shows how the God of the Old Testament is the same loving, generous, gracious God that we meet in the person of Jesus Christ. An excellent read for any who struggle to answer questions about the character of God and for those looking to bolster their faith in the God of the Bible.

Get a better understanding of the whole structure of the Bible with this easy introduction to covenant theology The Bible is written in covenant language. The more you understand the structure of the Bible the better you will understand the major message of the Bible and see how everything fits together. There is a unity to the message of the Bible, centered around covenant theology, related to God’s plan to restore broken human beings who have rebelled against him. Covenant theology explains how we became broken and how God plans to save us. The gospel itself is dependent on the covenantal framework of Scripture.  Richard P.Belcher, Jr., John D. and Frances M. Gwin Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary, brings his extensive understanding of the way covenants underpin the whole Bible to this book, and introduces us to the concepts in such a way that no prior knowledge is required.Includes‘Points of Interest’ sidebarsReading list for further study Chapter headings include:Preface: Why Study Covenant Theology?What is a Covenant?The Covenantal Structure of ScriptureThe Covenant of WorksThe Initiation of the Covenant of GraceThe Covenant with NoahThe Covenant with AbrahamThe Covenant with MosesThe Covenant with DavidThe New CovenantChrist Fulfills All the Covenant Promises