Resources from Every Last Word

We’ve all heard people say it: “The problem with Christians is that they think Jesus is the only way to heaven.” Even reason says: We go to the college of our choice, watch the cable channel of our choice, and eat the food of our choice. So why can’t we pray to the god of our choice and get to heaven by any means we choose? These are fair questions. Questions that demand an answer if Christians are going to insist that their claims are true—and that all other religions’ claims about salvation are thereby false. They are questions Philip Ryken confronts head-on. The four essential Christian beliefs that pluralists find most troublesome are explained in clear, everyday terms. Ryken argues not only that Jesus is the only way, but also why this must be true.

The world is full of beautiful things—the vibrancy of trees in fall, the joy of sitting around a table with family—but in our fallen world, many beautiful things have been turned into ugly distortions. How should Christians think about beauty in a world that is often ugly? In Beauty Is Your Destiny, Philip Ryken provides readers with an introduction to the theology and practice of beauty, striving to awaken a longing for beauty that he explains “can only be satisfied in the face of Jesus Christ.” Adapted from chapel messages given at Wheaton College, Ryken considers key topics on Christian thought—including the Trinity, the incarnation, sexuality, and racial diversity—through the lens of beauty, showing how beauty illuminates each of these biblical principles in our world today.

Why do we need to be saved? The simple answer is, because we are sinners! Yet even though that is the straightforward, simple answer, it’s still one that we need to understand because we live in a culture that tells us we’re ok, we’re doing alright, and we’re getting better with every generation. But if we open our eyes and look around—or are honest about our own hearts and motives—the evidence tells us that we’re anything but okay. In this penetrating nine-part series, Dr. Ryken addresses with a pastoral heart why we need to be saved, what we need to be saved from, and what we need to be saved to.

The incarnation of Christ is so spectacular, so fundamental to our faith, so full of implications for our lives that three gospel writers approach it in three notably different ways to capture its nuances. Matthew leads us to consider the connection between Jesus and the people of Israel, Luke presents four theologically rich songs that exult in the Lord’s work, and John sees the incarnation from the perspective of the Father in heaven as his plan of redemption comes to fruition. In this short devotional work, theologians Daniel Doriani, Philip Ryken, and Richard Phillips present twelve readings that combine accessible Bible commentary with pastoral insight. Deepen your understanding of the incarnation with a multifaceted view that draws on the complete arc of biblical teaching.