J. Carl Laney

Divorce. No one likes it, but it doesn't go away. Even among Christians, the divorce rate continues to climb. How should Christians approach this issue? May Christians ever legitimately divorce? If they divorce legitimately, may they remarry? Not everyone who appeals to Scripture agrees on how we should understand what it says about divorce and remarriage. In this Spectrum Multiview volume, four authors present their distinct perspectives. Carl Laney argues that the Bible indicates that marriages are always intended to be permanent, that there is never a need for divorce and that remarriage is never permissible after divorce. William Heth contends that while there are legitimate biblical grounds for divorce, there are no legitimate grounds for remarriage after divorce. Thomas Edgar defends the position that Scripture allows for divorce and remarriage in cases of adultery or desertion. Larry Richards holds that Scripture, while decrying divorce and the pain it causes, points to a God of grace who will not condemn those who divorce and remarry. Such a sensitive debate cannot remain abstract, so a case study accompanies each position, followed by critical responses from each essayist. The result is a thoughtful, helpful resource for all who wish to think biblically about a crucial issue confronting the church. Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

Jesus was the ultimate disciple maker. This book examines the teachings which Jesus shared with eleven of His disciples who were with him in Jerusalem on the night before his death. The apostle John recorded these discipleship instructions in his gospel (chapters 13-17). This book will focus on twelve important lessons Jesus shared with his disciple or apprentices which were intended to prepare them for life and service on earth after His resurrection and return to heaven. This book is an expositional study of John 13-17 which is designed to prepare and empower followers of Jesus to live out the implications of their faith. The chapters contain practical principles and personal application. Study questions appended to each chapter make this book useful for individual and group Bible study.

Just about everyone wants to be successful in life. But what does "success" really mean? For many people, success is defined by money, careers, or celebrity status. Yet almost three thousand years ago, God provided the key to true success in the Bible's wisdom books--Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. "Biblical Wisdom" explores the time-proven wisdom of the Bible to address the issues that concern us the most--family, careers, finances, marriage, sex, and parenting. The twelve chapters presents guidelines and principles which help people attain success in the most important areas of life. Each chapter includes engaging review and discussion questions for group interaction and further study. The book is authored by a seasoned Bible teacher, Dr. J. Carl Laney, who has been teaching biblical studies at Western Seminary since 1977.The message of this book has the potential to change lives, steering readers away from avoidable complications and failure and onto the path of successful living.

One of the Old Testament's most enigmatic prophecies is Ezekiel's vision of a new, restored temple in Jerusalem. Some dismiss the notion of a rebuilt temple as irrelevant to both the Christian faith and the modern world. But what if Ezekiel's prophecies are true? What would a restored temple be like? How would it operate? And when might it be built? These and many other intriguing questions are answered in this newly updated and expanded work based on extensive research and discussions with leading Jewish leaders and rabbis in the United States and Israel. This work provides the most accurate and complete description currently available of the future center of worship during the coming messianic kingdom. Along with clear and sound biblical interpretation of the key prophecies of Ezekiel regarding Messiah's coming temple, the work includes photos and descriptions based on a unique and detailed three-dimensional model of the future temple constructed by author John Schmitt.

The commonly asked question today is, "Should divorced people remarry?" With great compassion and warmth, Dr. Laney maintains that the more fundamental question with which Christ dealt is, "Should married people be divorced?" His purpose is to draw the church up short against the runaway divorce epidemic with a theology of marriage.Challenging the church on the subject of divorce and remarriage, the author carefully builds evidence from scripture and from cultural and historical data for a no-divorce/remarriage position. Not everyone will agree with Laney, but it deserves the careful attention of all who are genuinely concerned about the divorce issue.

Zechariah, written to encourage the remnant of Israel struggling to follow the Lord, looks ahead to the eventual triumph of God's people and the coming of the Messiah. It contains many prophecies about Messiah, His life on earth, His millennial reign, and the salvation He would bring--so many in fact that it has been called the "Revelation of the Old Testament." In this easy-to-read, easy-to-use commentary, J. Carl Laney takes you through these prophecies carefully, giving you guidelines for interpreting apocalyptic literature and enriching your understanding of the times in which Zechariah lived. With this Everyman's Bible Commentary as your guide, you can discover rich truths about the Lord Jesus Christ found in the minor prophets. Use it in your personal study or as the basis of group or Sunday school study.

Ezra and Nehemiah record the exciting drama of the restoration of the Jews to their land following Babylonian captivity. The restoration period offered the Israelites a unique opportunity to re-establish the Temple, worship institutions, and the city of Jerusalem on lasting spiritual foundations. But that period also brought the recently returned exiles into great temptation and potential disaster. The biblical record of the three returns of the Jews from Babylon provide not only a history of the restoration, but also many spiritual lessons concerning God's faithfulness, Satan's strategy, and the importance of separation from sin. Dr. Laney presents a synthesis of the restoration period and discusses the interpretive, historical, geographical, and theological issues involved in these often-neglected but spiritually-rich books.

The books of Samuel focus on the lives of three men: Samuel, Saul, and David. They are first seen as individuals rising in their respective careers. As time passes, their lives more frequently interact and become interwined with each other. J. Carl Laney covers these two books section by section, often pausing to clear up a difficult passage that would mean trouble to the reader. This volume is complete with many maps that prove to be an invaluable aid to the reader in helping him to plot out where the action of a particular chapter is taking place. Dr. Laney helps the reader to understand the anguish and agony David experienced as a result of the division of his household and the rebellion of his son Absalom. We can see how Saul met his ultimate downfall as king because of his reliance upon outside sources for guidance instead of implicitly trusting in the Lord. One also sees the godly Samuel who, nevertheless, was unable to keep his own household in order. Contemporary lessons are plentiful in these two Bible books andavailable to those who take the time to study their truths."