Tough Topics 2: Biblical answers to 25 challenging questions

by Sam Storms

Overview

Countless people are worried, angry, fearful and just plain confused when it comes to some of the more perplexing issues that life poses and the Bible provokes. Tough Topics 2 provides solid and scriptural answers to 25 such questions. Sam Storms seeks to tackle frustration by looking deeply, not superficially, at what Scripture says, deriving clear and persuasive explanations for these thorny matters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781781915523
Publisher:	Christian Focus Publications
Publication date:	01/20/2015
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Sam Storms is Pastor Emeritus at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, the President of Enjoying God Ministries, and Executive Director of the Convergence Church Network.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

1 If God is Triune, Do Christians Believe in Three Gods? 15

2 Can God Create a Rock so Big That He Can't Pick It Up? 25

3 Is God Guilty of Genocide? 35

4 How Did Jesus Perform His Miracles? 47

5 Did Jesus Descend into Hell? 63

6 Can a Christian Commit the Sin unto Death? 77

7 Is Suicide the Unpardonable Sin? 91

8 Are All World Religions Pathways to the Same God? 99

9 Do Atheists Actually Believe in God After All? 111

10 Can All Christians Pray for God to Save the Lost? 117

11 Is Water Baptism Necessary for Salvation? 133

12 Does Hell Last Forever? 151

13 Will the Horror of Hell Spoil the Happiness of Heaven? 165

14 Did Joshua Really Make the Sun Stand Still? 181

15 Does Paul Restrict the Office of Elder and Senior Pastor to Men? 195

16 What Did Jesus Teach about Divorce and Remarriage? 211

17 What Did Paul Teach about Divorce and Remarriage? 223

18 Can a Divorced Man Serve as an Elder in the Local Church? 239

19 Is It Ever OK for a Christian to Swear an Oath (or to Lie)? 245

20 Does the Bible Endorse Capital Punishment? 257

21 Does Prayer Really Change Things? 271

22 Is the Man in Romans 7 a Christian or a Non-Christian? 289

23 What Does It Mean to Forgive Someone as God Has Forgiven Me? 309

24 What Did Jesus Mean When He Said 'Turn the Other Cheek' and 'Love Your Enemies'? 329

25 What is the Meaning of '666? 341

Subject Index 353

Scripture Index 359

What People are Saying About This

Adrian Warnock - Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific blogger at adrianwar

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read.

Ray Ortlund ~ Lead Pastor

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

Adrian Warnock ~ Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific blogger at adrianwar

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read.

Matt Chandler - Lead Pastor

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Ray Ortlund - Lead Pastor

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

From the Publisher

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read. ~ Adrian Warnock (Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific Blogger at adrianwarnock.com )

Andy Naselli - Assistant Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Andy Naselli ~ Assistant Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Daniel L. Akin - President

Tough Topics 1 was a real gift to the Body of Christ from one of our Lord's gifted Bible teachers and theologians. Tough Topics 2 provides more of the same!

Matt Chandler ~ Lead Pastor

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Daniel L. Akin ~ President

Tough Topics 1 was a real gift to the Body of Christ from one of our Lord's gifted Bible teachers and theologians. Tough Topics 2 provides more of the same!

Editorial Reviews

...the answers are filled with biblical scholarship, theological acumen, and pastoral sensibility.

Justin S. Holcomb

... offers the compelling blend of sound theology, biblical reasoning and practical wisdom that we have come to expect from Sam Storms's writings. I warmly commend Tough Topics 2.

Brian J. Tabb

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Matt Chandler(Lead Pastor

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Andy Naselli(Associate Professor of New Testament and Systematic Theology

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

...hard to imagine a better display of difficult and important questions, followed by thoughtful, careful, reasoned, biblically-based answers. What a benefit this book will prove to be for many.

Bruce Ware

...biblically grounded, theologically thoughtful, and practically applied. With the Bible as our guide, the exegetical, pastoral, and reasonable method Storms uses is a model of how we should find answers to the questions we have, so we can worship God as he deserves.

Erik Thoennes

I believe that in this volume you are going to find a careful theologian with a caring pastoral heart seeking to help everyone think through some of the toughest topics out there. You are going to find a man that upholds the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, and seeks to understand all of Scripture and apply it to all of life. As such, I believe that this volume, as well as its predecessor, belongs on your shelf as a go-to resource to help you answer and think biblically about some of the most challenging topics in Scripture.

Zack Ford

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Andy Naselli

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Matt Chandler

Tough Topics 1 was a real gift to the Body of Christ from one of our Lord's gifted Bible teachers and theologians. Tough Topics 2 provides more of the same!

Daniel L. Akin

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read.

Adrian Warnock

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

Ray Ortlund

Tough Topics 2 tackles twenty-five more challenging issues with the same biblical wisdom as employed in the original. Is this sequel as good as the original? Read it and see!

Gregg R. Allison

... digs deep into Scripture and solid works of theology to give gravitas to his answers, yet the 25 chapters are easy to read, interesting, pastoral and challenging.

The Evangelical Magazine - Published by Evangelical Movement of Wales

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

Ray Ortlund - Lead Pastor

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Matt Chandler - Lead Pastor

Tough Topics 1 was a real gift to the Body of Christ from one of our Lord's gifted Bible teachers and theologians. Tough Topics 2 provides more of the same!

Daniel L. Akin - President

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Andy Naselli - Assistant Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read.

Adrian Warnock - Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific blogger at adrianwar

This is a truly refreshing and thought-provoking read.

Adrian Warnock ~ Author of Raised with Christ and Hope Reborn and prolific blogger at adrianwar

Tough Topics 1 was a real gift to the Body of Christ from one of our Lord's gifted Bible teachers and theologians. Tough Topics 2 provides more of the same!

Daniel L. Akin ~ President

... thoughtful brief answers that aren't superficial. As a model pastor-theologian, he answers with clarity, wisdom, and grace.

Andy Naselli ~ Assistant Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology

Sam Storms tackles difficult questions in Tough Topics 2 like only a seasoned pastor can... This is a great book to use as a resource or to read straight through.

Matt Chandler ~ Lead Pastor

Wouldn't it be great to take, say, fifteen minutes and think with Sam about the Trinity, or whether all religions lead us to God, or whether prayer really makes any difference in our lives? Tough Topics 2 offers us that.

Ray Ortlund ~ Lead Pastor

... digs deep into Scripture and solid works of theology to give gravitas to his answers, yet the 25 chapters are easy to read, interesting, pastoral and challenging. ~ The Evangelical Magazine (Published by Evangelical Movement of Wales)
•..biblically grounded, theologically thoughtful, and practically applied. With the Bible as our guide, the exegetical, pastoral, and reasonable method Storms uses is a model of how we should find answers to the questions we have, so we can worship God as he deserves. ~ Erik Thoennes (Professor of Theology, Chair, Undergraduate Theology, Biola University/Talbot School of Theology & Pastor, Grace Evangelical Free Church, La Mirada California )
•..hard to imagine a better display of difficult and important questions, followed by thoughtful, careful, reasoned, biblically-based answers. What a benefit this book will prove to be for many. ~ Bruce Ware (Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)
•.. offers the compelling blend of sound theology, biblical reasoning and practical wisdom that we have come to expect from Sam Storms's writings. I warmly commend Tough Topics 2. ~ Brian J. Tabb (Bethlehem College & Seminary & Managing Editor of Themelios, Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Tough Topics 2 tackles twenty-five more challenging issues with the same biblical wisdom as employed in the original. Is this sequel as good as the original? Read it and see! ~ Gregg R. Allison (Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky)
•..the answers are filled with biblical scholarship, theological acumen, and pastoral sensibility. ~ Justin S. Holcomb (Adjunct Professor of Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, Florida)

From the Publisher