Elizabeth Ostring

The book of Exodus provides remarkably full and beautifully well-balanced narratives to aid our theological understanding of the Sabbath, stories that go well beyond the concept of just law. In this classic account of redemption and law,…

Abraham looms large in Judeo-Christian theology, but there is less reflection on the lessons to learn from his wife Sarah. Many stories in the Bible demonstrate that God chooses to show mercy to the apparently weak. The demonstration of God’s…

While the concept of the new covenant is well testified to and expressed in the New Testament, it is directly mentioned only once in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Yet a careful reading of the book of Exodus indicates that the new…

A group of young adults and I studied Hebrews, and I can testify that it changed my life. Hebrews is the perfect bridge between the Old and New Testaments, explaining the meaning of the Old in the radiant light of the New.

But after…

The church of my childhood encouraged a weekly report of “Christian” activities. When first given this report sheet, I surveyed the suggested activities in dismay. Virtually everything on the list was beyond my young capabilities. But amid…

The brilliant beauty of the Bible is that the narratives of the Old Testament illuminate the issues of the New. For example, the experiences of Abraham¹ strongly influenced Paul’s understanding of grace (Rom. 4; Gal. 3:6–9; 4:21–31)…

Pastors often preach that Enoch walked with God, as that is what the text says. Walking with God describes the Genesis term for the ideal relationship between God and His people: Enoch (Gen. 5:22–24), Noah (Gen. 6:9), and Abraham…

A group of experienced ministers was discussing their role in the healing ministry of their churches.

“I had this sick parishioner,” one began, diffidently. “The family asked me to anoint her. I did, but two days later she died. What…

For two millennia Christians have prayed, “Thy kingdom come.” With awe and immense gratitude they have looked back to the first coming of Jesus, in which the whole course of human misery was changed. Now they look forward to a renewed earth,…

Is your church membership on the decline? Has the stewardship growth and financial position of the church not been as robust as you planned or expected? Is your church finding…

The professor of anatomy was a big, impressive man; very impressive. He had iron-gray hair and steel-blue eyes that cut you through to the soul faster than any surgeon's scalpel. I was trembling slightly. It was not…

Luther’s study of Romans provided the dramatic insight that salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, and not through any good deeds humans perform. Recent studies have given rise to further opinions about the central theme (righteousness…