The set to which this volume belongs is informally entitled "The Eternal Series," because each volume of the set unfolds an aspect of the reality of God's relationship with humanity that reaches from eternity past to eternity future. The formal title of the series is "An Evangelical Introduction to Reformational Theology." Here are the volume titles: Part I: Scripture: The Revealed Source For Theology I/1 The Eternal Word: God Speaking To Us I/2 The Eternal Torah: Living Under God Part II: God: The Personal Source Behind Theology II/1 The Eternal God: God Revealing Himself To Us II/2 The Eternal Christ: God With Us II/3 The Eternal Spirit: God Living In Us Part III: Redemption: The Christ-Centered Heart of Theology III/1 The Eternal Purpose: Living In Christ III/2 Eternal Righteousness: Living Before God III/3 Eternal Salvation: Christ Dying For Us III/4 Eternal Life: Christ Living In Us Part IV: Consummation: The Lived Shape of Theology IV/1 The Eternal People: God in Relation To Israel IV/2 The Eternal Covenant: Living With God IV/3 The Eternal Kingdom: Living Under Christ Part V: Method: The Comprehensive Foundation of Theology V/1 Eternal Truth: The Prolegomena of Theology These volumes have been written for the informed Christian who is somewhat familiar with both the Bible and Christian theology. As you will learn in these volumes, that order-first Bible and then theology-is crucially important. So too is the distinction (but not the separation!) between these two: the Bible is not theology, and theology is not the Bible. Both following that order and honoring that distinction are prerequisites for healthy, charitable, and enduring Christianity. Dr. Willem J. Ouweneel is a Dutch author whose three doctorates-one each in biology, philosophy, and theology-rank him among the premier Bible scholars of this generation, and equip him with breadth of vision and depth of insight. When these volumes are read alongside an open Bible, the patient reader will acknowledge the authority of the claims being defended. The reader's certitude will ultimately come to rest, not in any particular theological system or model, but in the inspired, infallible Word of God, and more importantly, in the God of that Word. As such, this entire series and these volumes are fresh and faithful reformulations of the essence of biblical faith and life as that was transmitted throughout the centuries, was rediscovered in the Reformation, and has come to be known as Reformational theology: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, soli Deo gloria.