Charles Ryrie Legacy Collection (31 vols.)

The tools within the Ryrie Study Bible help illuminate the content of the Bible, even though we cannot add to the power of God's written Word. Throughout the centuries, God has spoken to his children through his inspired writings, and Scripture has molded more lives than any other book in history.

The intent of the Ryrie Study Bible is to make the Bible more clear and meaningful to you. As you understand the history, culture, and geography of the first century, you will discover a deeper meaning behind the places of the Bible.

Outlines, introductions, and study notes can help you make sense of complex issues and are a useful means for retention. If you take time to read the synopsis of Bible doctrine and other resources in the book, you will begin to sense a new level of maturity in your spiritual life. More important, by comprehending Scripture and its many messages, you will sense God working in your heart and changing your life.

This text treats all of the essentials of biblical doctrine in a conservative and easy-to-understand manner. The topics covered include the importance of doctrine, what doctrine is, what God is like, the inspiration of the Bible, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the angelic world, the nature and depravity of man, salvation, the church, and what the future holds.

There is nothing wrong with being an amateur theologian or a professional theologian. There is everything wrong, however, with being an ignorant or sloppy theologian. As Christians, our thoughts about God need to coincide with what He's said about Himself in the Bible. The phrase "sound doctrine" that Paul used means healthy doctrine (e.g., 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9). Healthy doctrine or healthy theology is always expected to result in holy living.

Written with a clear understanding of the Scriptures and an unpretentious style, Charles Ryrie's classic Basic Theology is a standard text for many Bible students and pastors. In fact, Ryrie's theology is required reading for a variety of seminary courses. The work's clear, thoughtful language and concise exposition of topics make Basic Theology an easy to understand introduction to systematic theology for the layperson. It also serves as a handy and compact reference for the theologian or scholar.

This edition features 94 chapters arranged in outline style for easy reference. It also includes charts, definitions, and Scripture and subject indices to guide you to a clear and comprehensive picture of Ryrie's approach to systematic theology. Considerable attention is given to the dispensational view of the end times.

Reading this book will help you begin to think about how God wants to conform you to the image of Christ. Designed with personal application in mind, Basic Theology will provide you with sound theology, which in turn produces holy living.

What makes the Bible the same authority for millions of Christians in totally different cultures? How did Christ use the Bible of his day? What about problems in the Old and New Testament? How can we most profitably study the Bible?

The answers to these questions, plus an unusual question-and-answer approach to each book of the Bible, makes this book a unique contribution to an understanding of the Bible.

Recognized for his ability to present significant ideas simply and succinctly, Charles Ryrie has combined many years of teaching the Bible and theology as well as a special interest in collecting unique Bible editions, to produce an invaluable introductory guide to the Bible.

All students of Scripture can benefit from this concise, practical study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. All the doctrinal essentials are here, clearly organized and explained by this renowned scholar. Avoiding confusion and trendiness, Dr. Ryrie sticks uncompromisingly to the revealed Word of God to answer questions such as:

• What is Spirit baptism?
• What is the sin against the Holy Spirit?
• What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit?
• What about the spiritual gift of tongues?
• What is true spiritual power?

God has the last word about:

• Israel and her future
• The Church
• The Rapture
• The Tribulation
• The Judgments
• Peace on Earth

This is a practical book about Bible prophecy and events that will someday be news headlines. You can profit from the study of this book and learn:

• How to have confidence in the face of confusion
• How to find comfort in times of sorrow
• How to help bewildered people find Christ
• How to experience cleansing in your life

In The Grace of God, the author begins with a word study of the Hebrew and Greek words for "grace" in the Old and New Testament economies. He demonstrates the place of faith in the Old Testament and the relationship of election and grace in the Mosaic law. He then delineates the particular functions of grace through various sections of Scripture with emphasis on the Pauline concept of law and grace in the New Testament.

The book concludes with an excellent pair of appendices: "What is Legalism?" and "What is Liberty?"

What does the Bible say about the future of the world? How can the unusual events converging in our present day world be explained—wars, rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, other disasters?

In this book you will find Jesus' forecasts of coming events. You will discover how the nations of the world will eventually line up.

• Will Russia and China pose a united threat to the West?
• Will the West ever be a great power bloc again?
• What role will the Arab nations play?
• Will Israel survive?
• Will Communism take over the world?
• What role will the church have in world affairs?
• Will peace ever reign?

The Bible has the true answers to these questions. Dr. Charles Ryrie explains clearly what the Bible teaches about the end times.

Exactly what is neoorthodoxy, and how does it affect those who subscribe to its strange and often hard-to-understand tenets? Is it merely a question for theological debate, or does it reach the level of the person in the pew? How can it be recognized? Should we be grateful to Barthianism for delivering the church from the curse of the old liberalism? To seek an answer to these and other questions is the purpose of Ryrie's book, Neoorthodoxy: An Evangelical Evaluation of Barthianism.

The Role of Women in the Church is a unique book dealing with a subject that has previously received little treatment. It is a useful tool for giving direction to the church for a modern viewpoint of women's spiritual responsibility which is in keeping with the guidelines laid down by the Bible.

The lessons of history and the teaching of the Bible are two main guidelines for understanding the status of women in the church. The Role of Women in the Church is an inquiry into the practices of the past. The introductory section of the position of ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish women is followed by a three-part discussion dealing with the effect of Jesus on the status of women during the apostolic age, and their position during the second and third centuries. Here is a timely book dealing with a contemporary subject, looking at it through the words of the Bible.

It's not easy for a young person to live the Christian life today. Neither was it in New Testament times. The government was corrupt, sin was rampant and open, homes were not always godly, and many believers were slaves.

Yet God expects believers, young and old, then and now, to live godly lives. So the New Testament principles must be as workable today as they were then.

Here are some of those principles to help keep young people especially on the right track.

Dr. Ryrie delves into the not-yet-fulfilled prophecies regarding the end of the world, explains what the rapture is, and discusses what exactly will happen on the day Christ returns for his church—a day that may come sooner than we think.

Sooner or later, it will happen. Someone will ask you, "What does the Bible say?" about one of today's explosive issues. And because credible responses are a precious resource in our confused world, you will need to have an answer.

Charles Ryrie is determined that you have those answers. That is why he has tackled the twelve toughest, most frequently raised topics of concern among Christians today. His razor-sharp analysis can become your tool for personal growth and witness. Hot topics include:

• Homosexuality
• Civil disobedience
• Alcohol consumption
• Divorce
• Suicide
• Abortion
• Women's rights
• Debt
• Racism
• Evolution
• And much more!

Each chapter is direct, easy to follow, and to the point. Ryrie cuts through the fog to expose the key biblical criteria behind each conclusion.

Because the toughest questions deserve your very best answers, read this volume—and know what to say the next time you're on the spot.

Was our Lord's service social or redemptive? Does Christ not command social service to all men? Should we insist on justice because God is just, or deny our rights because God is longsuffering? How will the believer know which is the proper course of social action at a particular time? Should wealthy persons disperse their possessions?

Dr. Ryrie addresses these and other pertinent questions in his timely book on the Church's social responsibility.

Dr. Ryrie gives insight into how we can be both salt and light in today's world, talks about the personal priorities of Christ while on earth, and talks about our duties or responsibilities to all men as well as our civic responsibilities.

Understanding this book is a must for those who desire to determine the extent of their involvement in today's world. It is informative and challenging.

It lies at the heart of our Christian faith—the profound but simple truth that the same power that can turn water into wine can also breathe life into a long-dead corpse.

These are the miracles of Jesus, evidence that he is the Son of God. It is in the Gospel accounts of his ministry that we discover his never-failing mastery over the forces of sickness and sin, nature and Satan, life and death.

The facts about each of the 35 recorded miracles of Jesus—complemented by Charles C. Ryrie's biblical research and personal insights—continue to carry a faith-strengthening message to the Lord's followers today.

Biblical theology is concerned with the reasons why something was written as well as with the content of what was written. It not only examines the product but also investigates the procedures and presuppositions that went into writing the Scriptures.

The Word of God is seen in the manner in which it is revealed progressively. The whole is traced in the way God gave the Bible part by part. The perspective is that of the historical setting in which the truth came. The theology of the Bible emerges out of the thought of the writers as seen in their writings; it is never superimposed on those writings.

This book will help you learn the teachings of the New Testament and see that theology is part of the very fabric of the Bible. It is simply and clearly written and will be of benefit to all who want to learn more about the teachings of the Bible.

Although premillennialism continues to be popular today, it is by no means a new doctrine. Rather, because of its solid foundation in biblical truth, premillennialism has been a prominent system of interpretation throughout church history.

Dr. Ryrie begins this book by introducing systems of interpretation and their vital importance in studying prophecy. He then proceeds to trace how premillennialism has its basis in history, hermeneutics, the Abrahamic covenant, Davidic covenant, new covenant, ecclesiology, and eschatology.

Whether you are new to premillennialist teaching, or whether you are interested in a more systematic understanding of its basis in Scripture, the contents of this book will clarify, instruct, and inspire.

Some say that inerrancy is either unimportant, irrelevant, or unnecessary to the faith.

But that is simply not so, says Dr. Charles Ryrie. Belief about the Bible assumes a place of primary importance in one's doctrinal system. It has to. For if even one part of the Bible is thought to be false, how can any of it be trusted as true?

Through convincing facts and explanations, Dr. Ryrie proves to readers that God did not permit man to divert, misdirect, or erroneously record his message. The Bible, the entire Bible, is inerrant and can be trusted to be totally reliable.

A balanced life: this is the goal of all Christian living. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Perhaps the principle may be, but living by the principle is another matter altogether.

In Balancing the Christian Life, Charles Ryrie reminds you that "the Bible must be the guide and test for all our experiences in the spiritual life … and if any experience fails to past that test, it must be discarded." He warns that "an unbalanced application of the doctrines related to spirituality will result in an unbalanced Christian life."

Ryrie examines numerous key issues of spirituality, including:

• Sanctification
• Using your gifts
• Routine faithfulness
• Wiles of the devil
• Temptation
• Confessing and forgiving

For more than twenty-five years, Balancing the Christian Life has been changing lives worldwide. Take time to read this classic study—and allow it to change yours!

Dispensationalism continues to provoke heated debate within the Christian world. Highly acclaimed theologian Dr. Charles Ryrie addresses this crucial issue from the perspective of classic dispensationalism. He confronts the views of covenant theology, historical premillennialism, ultradispensationalism, and the increasingly popular progressive dispensationalism.

In his bestselling book, Dispensationalism, written more than thirty years ago, Dr. Ryrie made this complex subject more understandable for tens of thousands worldwide. This revised and expanded version of that book will prove to be an invaluable reference tool for your library.

What good is a broken fingernail? What can you do with a frying pan, a hammer, and an egg? How is a balloon different from a brick?

The world around us is full of items useful for interesting and meaningful object lessons. Dr. Ryrie uses pencils, light bulbs, sunglasses, and even the air around us to illustrate truths about salvation and the Christian life.

All of the objects are simple and easy to find, and the lessons can be used for any group of any age. Children and adults alike will enjoy learning more when you present these fascinating illustrations.

What is salvation? How does God work this miracle in our lives?

One of the greatest themes that challenges the mind is that of salvation. It is not a trivial subject; it is a matter of life and death. Many pastors and authors have attempted to expound upon it. Yet how difficult it is to comprehend God's grace that forgives all our sins every day and night, without preconditions, without works.

Scholar and theologian Charles Ryrie writes on the subject of salvation with humility and compassion. He brings clarity where there is confusion. While he quotes carefully and accurately from a wide range of authors, his final authority is the Word of God.

The gospel is the good news of the grace of God to give forgiveness and eternal life. So Great Salvation shows us that we can be confident of our salvation, certain we are forgiven by God, and sure we are destined for heaven.

Models for church government, guidelines for evangelism and mission work, the challenge to triumphant faith in the face of opposition and persecution—this is the book of Acts. The book of Acts is critical for our understanding of the church—its origins, mission, and purpose, both in its early days and into the present. Acts explains God's new ways of revealing himself. We see this most vividly in the Spirit's presence at Pentecost, but also in the calling of Paul, and in the spread of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. As a renowned scholar of both the Bible and the church, Charles Ryrie explores the message and mandate of the book of Acts.

Dr. Ryrie's admiration for these letters and for the beneficial teaching and encouragement they provide is clear: "These epistles are like finely cut gems. They reflect the depths of theological thought, especially in the area of future things," he writes. "From every part shines forth the character and conduct of Paul's missionary heart, and they sparkle with the brilliance of the captivating power of the Gospel of Christ."

Paul's letters to the Thessalonians were those of a pastor who was basically satisfied, even thrilled, with the progress of his flock. But he wanted to encourage them to go on in their faith, to be strong in persecution, wary of temptation, and watchful for the Lord's Second Coming. In Charles Ryrie's timeless commentary on 1 and 2 Thessalonians, the great theologian illuminates Paul's clear teaching for his strong but not infallible church in the powerful, sensual city of Thessalonica. He shows how the apostle had to defend himself and his conduct from charges of slander, and how Paul was pleased with his recent converts and their vibrant, durable faith.

But despite Paul's favor, he wanted to clear up some misconceptions the young church had about the Second Coming of Christ. In these two letters, he corrects confusion about when Christ would come back, and more important, he bolsters the hearts of this persecuted flock with the glorious hope of Christ's resurrection, his return, and eternal life.

According to Dr. Charles C. Ryrie, the book of Revelation was "designed not to mystify but to clarify." Revelation, written by the apostle John while in exile on the island of Patmos, is one of the most important and fascinating books in the Bible, but its content has often seemed hidden and mysterious to many.

Dr. Ryrie's straightforward interpretation of Revelation is characterized by understandable explanations and careful attention to significant features of the book.

This refreshing, concise new edition, with helpful charts and graphs, is written especially for those who want to understand what lies ahead in God's plan. The more one learns about that plan, the greater the confidence that God's victory over Satan, death, and sin is only a matter of time.

In this concise and compelling handbook, Ryrie writes to Bible students and practicing pastors alike about the importance of communicating the doctrines of Scripture. He clearly explains why doctrinal truth from the Bible must be a key part of every preacher's message. Using practical illustrations and applications, Ryrie offers helpful ways of embracing doctrine through the use of major Bible passages, systematic theology, biblical theology, concordances, and more.

Are you on a not-for-profit board? A church board? A business board? Or do you approach the thought of such a responsibility with trepidation?

Charles C. Ryrie has served on all sorts of boards, and he has thought much about their great opportunities. He has also noted problems that are common to boards:

• Finding good members
• Keeping them when they are found
• Resolving conflicts
• Using meeting times efficiently
• Overseeing financial accountability

The practical advice in this book addresses these and other issues for the novice or experienced board members. The principles are applicable to a wide variety of profit and not-for-profit organizations and ministries. Ryrie gives the reasons for having a board and the ingredients for managing them well.

Your concept of God can become worn thin by years of familiarity, hard circumstances, or a society that frowns on his uniqueness or even his existence. But when you lay aside these threadbare images and return your gaze to God's awesome character, you come away not only refreshed but inwardly different.

In this book Charles Ryrie turns your thoughts specifically to the glory of God. It's a subject little written about and perhaps even less understood, but in his gifted way of making dry theology everyday practical, Dr. Ryrie clearly explains what it is, how it changed the men and women of Scripture, and how it can change you.

If your Christianity hasn't been making a difference lately, perhaps your idea of God has lost its glory. Allow this book to help you reflect anew on his glory now and to encourage you that one day you will see that glory face-to-face. You won't be the same tomorrow.

During his accomplished career, Charles Ryrie authored dozens of articles in academic journals and popular periodicals. His articles deal with theological topics, biblical texts, contemporary concerns, and other subjects.

This resource includes the following articles:

• Credo
• Is Your Home Scriptural?
• Should a Christian Be Afraid?
• The Significance of Pentecost
• The Cleansing of the Leper
• An Act of Divine Healing
• The Necessity of Dispensationalism
• The Pauline Doctrine of the Church
• A Trilogy of Theology
• Especially the Parchments
• The Importance of Inerrancy
• Apostasy in the Church
• Calvinistic Emphases in the Geneva and Bishops' Bibles
• The Mystery in Ephesians 3
• The Bible and Evolution
• The End of the Law
• What is Spirituality?
• The Christian and Civil Disobedience
• The Doctrine of Capital Punishment
• The Church and the Tribulation: A Review
• Perspectives on Social Ethics, Part 1: Theological Perspectives on Social Ethics
• Perspectives on Social Ethics, Part 2: Old Testament Perspectives on Social Ethics
• Perspectives on Social Ethics, Part 3: Christ's Teachings on Social Ethics
• Perspectives on Social Ethics, Part 4: Apostolic Perspectives on Social Ethics
• Some Important Aspects of Biblical Inerrancy
• Modern Galatianism
• Satan's Counterfeit
• Biblical Teaching on Divorce and Remarriage