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The Ink Is Dry: God's Distinctive Word on Marriage, Family, and Sexual Responsibility
The book in your hands is for people seeking to understand what the Bible says to Christians of every generation and cultural placement about marriage, family, and sexual responsibility.
This book is not a political appeal to bind Christian morality through law. It is an appeal, instead, for Christians to live the distinctive life to which God has called us in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians 5:12 still rings in our “While we are not responsible for what outsiders to the faith may do with their lives, do we not have a duty to those people who are members of our congregations of believers?”
The ink is dry on the critical issue of what Christians are to regard as marriage. The ink is dry on the fidelity Christian husbands and wives are expected to exhibit toward each other. Equally, the ink is dry on the present-day disputes around same-sex behaviors. With love and respect for those in our culture who adopt and live to other standards, the norm for Christian behavior is fixed within a tradition that is more than 3,000 years old.
While denouncing homophobia and verbal or physical abuse against the LGBTQ+ community, Shelly makes a cogent case from Scripture, history, and reason for Christians to honor God’s design for sex and marriage.
__________
Rubel Shelly, educated at Harding School of Theology (MA, MTh / NT Theology) and Vanderbilt University (MA, PhD / philosophy), has devoted his adult life to local church ministry and university instruction. He is the author of a resource volume to this book, Male and Female God Created A Biblical Review of LGBTQ+ Claims (2023), also published by College Press.
This book is not a political appeal to bind Christian morality through law. It is an appeal, instead, for Christians to live the distinctive life to which God has called us in Christ Jesus.
Paul’s rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians 5:12 still rings in our “While we are not responsible for what outsiders to the faith may do with their lives, do we not have a duty to those people who are members of our congregations of believers?”
The ink is dry on the critical issue of what Christians are to regard as marriage. The ink is dry on the fidelity Christian husbands and wives are expected to exhibit toward each other. Equally, the ink is dry on the present-day disputes around same-sex behaviors. With love and respect for those in our culture who adopt and live to other standards, the norm for Christian behavior is fixed within a tradition that is more than 3,000 years old.
While denouncing homophobia and verbal or physical abuse against the LGBTQ+ community, Shelly makes a cogent case from Scripture, history, and reason for Christians to honor God’s design for sex and marriage.
__________
Rubel Shelly, educated at Harding School of Theology (MA, MTh / NT Theology) and Vanderbilt University (MA, PhD / philosophy), has devoted his adult life to local church ministry and university instruction. He is the author of a resource volume to this book, Male and Female God Created A Biblical Review of LGBTQ+ Claims (2023), also published by College Press.
188 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2023
16 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Rubel Shelly
58 books7 followersDr. Rubel Shelly is an author, minister, and professor Lipscomb University. He is the former president of Rochester College.
Shelly began as an instructor in the department of Religion and Philosophy at Freed-Hardeman University in 1975. In 1978, Shelly began preaching as Senior Minister for the Family of God at Woodmont Hills, formerly known as the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, in Nashville, Tennessee where he continued until 2005. While preaching at Woodmont Hills, he also taught at Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Tennessee State University. From 1979 to 1980 while he worked to complete his graduate work at Vanderbilt University, he served as a graduate assistant in the Department of Philosophy. From 1981 to 1983, he was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lipscomb University. In 1986, while continuing his education at Vanderbilt University, he taught as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Medical Ethics) until 1988. From 2000 to 2004, he was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tennessee State University.
When he stepped down from the pulpit in 2005, he began teaching again as a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Rochester College, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He was named the President of Rochester College in May 2009. He also currently serves as a co-minister for the Bristol Road Church of Christ in Flint, Michigan. In late 2012, Shelly announced that he would be stepping from his role as President at Rochester College by September 2013.
He is known primarily as a preacher. Shelly has been involved in debates and academic lectures on Christian apologetics, ethics, and medical ethics. Shelly has also served with such groups as the AIDS Education Committee of the American Red Cross.
He is the author or co-author of more than 30 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Russian. He has published widely in religious journals.
Shelly began as an instructor in the department of Religion and Philosophy at Freed-Hardeman University in 1975. In 1978, Shelly began preaching as Senior Minister for the Family of God at Woodmont Hills, formerly known as the Woodmont Hills Church of Christ, in Nashville, Tennessee where he continued until 2005. While preaching at Woodmont Hills, he also taught at Lipscomb University, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Tennessee State University. From 1979 to 1980 while he worked to complete his graduate work at Vanderbilt University, he served as a graduate assistant in the Department of Philosophy. From 1981 to 1983, he was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Lipscomb University. In 1986, while continuing his education at Vanderbilt University, he taught as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine (Medical Ethics) until 1988. From 2000 to 2004, he was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Tennessee State University.
When he stepped down from the pulpit in 2005, he began teaching again as a Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Rochester College, in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He was named the President of Rochester College in May 2009. He also currently serves as a co-minister for the Bristol Road Church of Christ in Flint, Michigan. In late 2012, Shelly announced that he would be stepping from his role as President at Rochester College by September 2013.
He is known primarily as a preacher. Shelly has been involved in debates and academic lectures on Christian apologetics, ethics, and medical ethics. Shelly has also served with such groups as the AIDS Education Committee of the American Red Cross.
He is the author or co-author of more than 30 books, including several which have been translated into languages such as Korean, Japanese, Portuguese, French, and Russian. He has published widely in religious journals.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 14, 2024
Easy to understand, well laid out argument for the Biblical perspective. Highly recommend.
February 17, 2025
Very good presentation of a difficult topic for our times
This has been well researched and is presented in a format that most of us can follow the thought process on.
This has been well researched and is presented in a format that most of us can follow the thought process on.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews