Synopsis: Sex is worth celebrating. It is one of God's loveliest gifts to the human race. But the loveliness of sex is ruined whenever it is found outside the proper context of marriage. And God knows what powerful temptations come our way in the area of sex. The Song of Solomon is a celebration of sex and love within marriage, as this book explains. Jonathan Bayes draws out the practical advice implicit in the Song for husbands, for wives, and for courting couples. He points out the warnings in the Song against sex outside the context of marriage. The Song of Solomon has often been read as an allegory of the relationship between Christ and his people. Jonathan Bayes does not see this as the main purpose of the Song, but agrees that human relationships are a reflection of that highest love of all. In Sex, Love, and Marriage--A Celebration, Bayes brings out the interplay between heaven and earth. We are directed upwards from human love to learn about that "Love divine, all loves excelling." Then we are brought back down to earth to make God's love for us in Christ the model, which we seek to imitate in our human relationships. Author Biography: Jonathan Bayes (PhD, University of Sunderland) serves with Carey Outreach Ministries, training Christian leaders worldwide. He is the author of The Weakness of the Law (2000), The Threefold Division of the Law (2005), and The Apostles' Creed (2010).

In this first volume of a systematic trilogy, the reader is confronted with the gracious character of God and the glorious being of God in Trinity. The wonderful revelation of God in and through his Word and creative acts are then examined, followed by the immutable sovereign decrees of God and God's wisdom through providence. To help with our understanding of biblical truth, Dr. Bayes has examined the formation of doctrine from the early church creeds, such as the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, to modern creeds and confessions. Each chapter closes with an emphasis on pastoral application, reinforcing the fact that theology is meant to practically equip the believer for both life and worship.

Throughout the centuries churches all over the world have confessed their faith in the words of The Apostle's Creed. The Creed is a brilliant summary of the essence of biblical truth. But, as this book shows, the Creed is not just a dry statement of abstract doctrines. It is an expression of passion. As they composed the Creed, the earliest Christians were giving voice to their passion for the God who has made himself known in the person of Jesus Christ. The Creed stands as an invitation to believers of every generation to that same passionate commitment which has marked our predecessors in the faith.This book expounds the Creed phrase by phrase, and seeks at every point to apply its teaching to the life of believers in the world of today. Taking the Creed as his starting point and framework, Jonathan Bayes presents a wide-ranging account of Christian theology. His reflections on the Creed lead to some challenging and stimulating meditations on various aspects of biblical teaching.