Book Review: The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung

If you’re like me, you struggle with sin daily.  You know that you’re supposed to grow in Christlikeness, but somehow in the back of your mind you really don’t believe it’s possible to really be holy and you expect to rarely have anything other than intermittent victories over sin.  So, you plod along, putting on something of a spiritual mask around people hoping they can’t see that you really don’t make the kind of progress as a Christian that you think you’re supposed to even though you suspect they’re in the exact same boat as you are. Friend, if that’s you, and I know it’s me, then you need to get this book by Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness.

The book isn’t very long.  You could probably finish the book in less than a week without really breaking a sweat but the ideas DeYoung raises in the book with cause you to reexamine your faith and passion for the gospel.  In short, not only does DeYoung show from scripture that holiness is possible for the Christian, but that it should be the norm.  The reasons according to DeYoung that many of us don’t make much progress in our sanctification are that we either try to do it in our own power (legalism) or we’ve resigned ourselves to the fact that we’re doing as good as we can and so we have to settle for what little progress we’ve made rather than actually making holiness something that we pursue.

DeYoung makes the case that we don’t have to settle and that not only is practical holiness possible, but he gives sound, real life advice on how we can and should grow in holiness.  For my part, the most eye opening concept in this book was that striving for holiness is so much more than a legalistic “To-Do” checklist (“Don’t smoke, don’t chew, don’t go with the girls who do.”)  Another concept that the author pointed out that was quite revolutionary for me was that although our obedience will never be perfect that doesn’t mean that our imperfect obedience isn’t pleasing to God and doesn’t bring Him glory.  In fact, quite the opposite is true.  God delights in our obedience even if it isn’t perfect.  I commend this title to anyone regardless of their level of spiritual maturity because I believe you will be encouraged to be a more committed, gospel loving, disciple of Jesus Christ as a result of the truths Kevin DeYoung discusses in this book. 

Book Review--The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy

I'm not going to lie-sometimes reading through the Old Testament is hard for me.  That, of course, says more about me than it does about the scripture.  After all, we know all scripture is God breathed and useful for a multitude of purposes (II Timothy 3:16).  Still, I've always had a hard time making it through the first 5 books, particularly Exodus through Deuteronomy.  So, when I was sent this book by Crossway to review and comment on, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Therefore, let me stop right here and tell you to go order this book NOW.  Stop what you're doing and go buy the book The Lamb of God: Seeing Jesus in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy by Nancy Guthrie.  It's ok.  I'll wait.

Ok, you're back now.  Good.  This is a fantastic book.  Quite simply, I can't think of a better, more clear, thorough, readable explanation as to how the Old Testament books of Exodus, Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy reveal Christ.  Ms. Guthrie does a great job of pointing out how everything from the life of Moses to the wilderness Tabernacle points toward Jesus.

Not only that, but since this is a Bible study, the book provides opportunity to interact not only with the text but with other people if you're studying this in a group.  Of course, I read through the book without working through the study (yet), but the questions are thought provoking and sure to provoke thoughtful discussion.

Much scholarship (so-called) in the past 150 years has centered on the thesis that the Old Testament is best interpreted without reference to Christ.  However, as you read Ms. Guthrie's book, it becomes clear that the only way to truly understand the Old Testament is to read it the way Christ read it:

John 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.

I believe this book will be a great blessing to you and would be a wonderful Bible study for any small group to use. 

Book Review-Am I Called? by Dave Harvey

Occassionally, I receive books from Crossway Publications and they ask me to review the book.  I enjoy that part of blogging because, well, I'm addicted to books like some people are to coffee.  I recently received a book about the summons to pastoral ministry called "Am I Called?"  The author, Dave Harvey, is a pastor and he writes to men considering the call to pastoral ministry.  Therefore, his primary audience is pretty specific.  However, I wold commend this book not only to men who believe they may be called but also to all Christians who desire to be conformed to the likeness of Christ.

I think Dave Harvey does a good job of trying to articulate both the subjective, interal experience of being called by God to service and the objective, external factors involved such as people recognizing your gifting and aptitude for ministry.  The book is practical and ultimately points the reader back to the most important thing any Christian needs to be reminded of--that any call from God is first and foremost intertwined with the call to salvation.  In other words, the most important thing in the ministers life is his relationship with Christ.  Hense, the reason one of his first chapters is titled "Summoned to the Savior".  His second section offers a series of questions that any man thnking about entering the pastoral ministry must ask hmself.  The biblical qualifications for being a pastor are high and therefore a good deal of personal iintropection and examination by others in various contexts are important, to say the least.  I think my favorite chapter, however, was chapter 10, which covered what to do "While You Wait".  The time between you realizing God has called you, he says, and you being able to use that call in a church should be a time for growth and reflection even as you're chomping at the bits to get to work.

In short, I think you ought to get a copy of this book regardless of whether you're a man who believes he is called to ministry or you're a man or woman who just wants to think more deeply about the gospel.  I believe this book would be a great benefit either way.

Book Review: Understanding Scripture: An Overview of the Bible's Origin, Reliability, and Meaning

How do we know what sin is?  For example, how do we know that it’s wrong for someone to cheat on their spouse and then claim it was their lover’s fault (a kind of “indecent proposal”) rather than repenting?  Also, how do we know who God is?  In what way are His attributes (holiness, righteousness, love, faithfulness, etc) made known to mankind?  Finally, how do we know what the gospel is?  Where can we go to learn that God, before the foundation of the world, chose to save people—people He would enable through the Holy Spirit to recognize their sin and exercise saving faith in Christ’s death and resurrection so as to be saved? 

I submit to you that, while our conscience gives us knowledge of sin and the handiwork of God in nature is a testament to God’s existence, the only place from which we can learn the gospel (and the surest revelation of the other two) is from the Bible.  Therefore, for a Christian, there is no more important task than studying scripture.  Crossway has recently published a new book called Understanding Scripture: An Overview of the Bible's Origin, Reliability,and Meaning edited by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Thomas R. Schreiner which, in my opinion, would be a great help to any Christian seeking to learn more about the Bible.  The essays in the book, written by some of the most respected evangelical scholars in the church today (i.e. J.I. Packer and John Piper, to name a few), were originally published in the ESV Study Bible.  Collected in this one volume, they serve as an excellent resource for someone who wants to know more about the Bible. 

For instance, there are chapters covering how to interpret the Bible (i.e. recognizing the importance of the literary elements of scripture), and how to read the Bible comprehensively (i.e. reading the Bible theologically and prayerfully).  However, in my opinion, the strongest essays and probably the most helpful for the average Christian are the chapters that cover the history of Scripture (how it was put together and canonized) and the archeological support for Scripture.  In my mind, these are particularly important right now in the church with so many people questioning the truthfulness and reliability of scripture—and that’s just the people in the church not to mention the world outside the church that long ago relegated scripture to little more than fairy tales. 

In short, I would recommend this book to any Christian that is serious about their faith and wants to know more about scripture.  I could also see this making an excellent book to use for a group Bible study.

Book Review: Jesus + Nothing=Everything by Tullian Tchividjian

I am a huge fan of the Star Wars movies—particularly the original trilogy that I saw as a child.  There isn’t a man my age that didn’t imagine himself swooping in with a lightsaber to defeat the forces of evil, saving the day, and being hailed as a hero.  One of my favorite scenes comes in The Empire Strikes Back where Luke is talking to Yoda trying to convince him that he is serious enough to train to be a Jedi.  Yoda looks him up and down and says:  

“This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was! Hm? What he was doing!” 

That’s a pretty good summation of the human heart, in some respects.  And, as Tullian Tchividjian says in his book Jesus+Nothing=Everything, when you look in your heart and you see dissatisfaction or longing in some form, you see a place in your heart that needs a confrontation with the gospel.  In this book, he examines Paul’s epistle to the Colossians and drives home the point that the gospel is the answer to the deepest longing of our hearts because in Christ we have been fully accepted by God, blessed, redeemed, and saved from God’s holy wrath against our sin.  In short, Tchividjian drives home Paul’s point that Christ is supreme over all creation and that in Him we have everything we need.  Without Him, therefore, even if we have everything this world offers, we really have nothing.

Rather than extolling a gospel of legalism, or as he terms it “performancism”, Tchividjian exhorts believers using the book of Colossians to trust in the finished work of Christ.  Christ has already kept the law—He has done the work to deliver us from hell by dying on the cross.  Therefore, we can’t add anything to that work by our behavior.  We don’t live holy lives in order to earn salvation, but rather we have been freed by Christ from the curse of the law and enabled by the Holy Spirit to joyfully follow Christ.  When we realize that Jesus is more precious, more beautiful, and more valuable than anything this world has to offer, when our hearts are captivated by the gospel of grace, we find true satisfaction that all the things that we look to now (men’s approval, money, fame, status) can never provide.

In short, this would be an amazing book for personal study and reflection.  I would also commend it for a group Bible study.  We all need to be reminded of the gospel and reminded that the gospel is not just for those who need to be converted, but it’s also for Christians.   We are reminded in this book that the gospel doesn’t just save us, it also sanctifies us.

Book Review—Give Them Grace by Fitzpatrick/Thompson

First of all, stop what you’re doing now and go buy this book. If you’re a parent, you need to read this. If you’re not a parent but you’re a Christian, you need to read this. We need to be constantly reminded of the gospel and so I want you to stop reading this book review and go buy the book.

Ok, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let me say first of all that I appreciate the message in this book and the sincerity of the messengers. Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson, a Christian mother and daughter, did not write this book to give a method or set of steps to improving your child’s behavior. If you’re looking for Twenty Ways to Change your Kid in Twenty Days you are going to be sorely disappointed. In fact, if I had to summarize the book’s message in one sentence, it would be this: Believe the gospel and preach it to your kids.

So often as parents we just want our kids to behave—in my case, I just want quiet. We focus on encouraging good behaviors and punishing bad behaviors and, as the book points out, this kind of training is necessary and has its place. However, what most of us tend to do as parents is focus on doing good and not doing bad as a goal as if it’s the be all end all of existence. In contrast, the gospel tells us the exact opposite. The gospel tells us that we are lost, sinful, and wretched and could never do anything good enough, let alone good. The fires of hell will burn for all eternity all around many good, moral people who showed up on time for work, never talked back to authority, helped little old ladies across the street. If all we do is teach our kids to be good, or worse, to feign goodness when someone is looking, we have failed our children and failed God in the calling He has given us as parents.

Rather, as the authors point out, we should look at our children’s misbehavior and recognize our own sinful heart and open rebellion against our heavenly Father. Further, we should use those opportunities to encourage our kids to see their own sinful heart and remind them that their sin condemns them before God but that God loved us. Because God loved us, He sent a Savior, Someone to rescue us from our sin. This is not to say that we don’t discipline our children and correct them when they misbehave, but rather that we don’t just stop there. We need to preach the gospel to ourselves and our children and using their own sin to remind them of their need for a Savior is a great way to do just that.

In short, I would recommend this book to anyone for that very reason—these ladies explain the gospel clearly and remind the reader of the depths of human sin. They also explain effectively the dangers of moralism. Those are two lessons no Christian can hear too often.

Book Review: What is a Healthy Church Member by Thabiti Anyabwile

In the last 30 or so years, church shopping has become something of a national pastime. People feel like if they’re not getting their “needs” met, they can and should look around for a bigger, better deal. The idea of discipleship in a local church is almost an oddity in the church today—the exception rather than the rule. With that in mind, I would like to commend to you a wonderful book by Thabiti Anyabwile (thah-bee-tee ahn-ya-bweel-ay is about the closest I can phonetically spell it) called What is a Healthy Church Member (Crossway, 2008). The book is an examination of church membership with emphasis on what scripture says about how a Christian should relate to the body of Christ. In short, the author examines how a healthy church member should view scripture, how they should respond to the gospel, and how they should relate to the body of Christ.

First of all, in chapters 1 and 2, Mr. Anyabwile examines how a healthy church member should view scripture. The first chapter, titled “A Healthy Church member is an Expositional Listener”. The Christian, he posits, should be listening to the sermon (and this rightly assumes the sermon is scriptural) to hear what the author of that scripture intended to say rather than listening “…for practical how to advice…” or for “messages that bolster our self esteem” (page 19). Rather, the healthy church member will listen to hear what God has to say and seek ways to apply that truth to their life. Further, in chapter two, Anyabwile explains that a healthy church member is a biblical theologian. In other words, a Christian should be a student of scripture—all of scripture. They should study not only the New Testament but also the Old Testament. A healthy church member recognizes that “knowledge of God comes only from drinking deeply from the message of the Bible with all of its rich themes” (pg 36).

Secondly, in chapters 3-5, Anyabwile examines how a healthy church member responds to the gospel. In chapter 3, he describes such a member as being “gospel saturated”. Rather than viewing the gospel as something that happens to you and then you move on from there, he exhorts readers to constantly meditate on the truth of the gospel and what it means in their lives. With that in mind, he also describes a healthy church member as genuinely converted (chapter 4). If a person has not responded to the gospel in repentance from sin and faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, one can hardly be a healthy church member. The logical outgrowth of these implications of the gospel is, as he notes in chapter 5, a healthy church member is a biblical evangelist. When a healthy church member shares the gospel, it is the true gospel revealed by Christ and taught by His apostles. Furthermore, a healthy church member will seek to order his or her life around the gospel and seek opportunities to share that gospel with those they encounter.

Finally, in chapters 6-10, Anyabwile shares how members ought to relate to the body of Christ. They should be committed (chapter 6) rather than nominally involved. They should seek discipline (formative and corrective) and be available to discipline others (chapter 7). A healthy church member will also experience spiritual growth and humbly support their leadership prayerfully as they follow them (chapters 8 and 9). Lastly, a healthy church member’s spiritual life involves a continual attitude of prayer (chapter 10).

The book is fairly short and you could likely read a chapter a day without great difficulty. The book would make a great devotional and worked really well in our church’s small group study this past fall. Thabiti’s book would be a welcome addition to the library of any Christian.

Ancient Words, Changing Worlds--Overview of Chapter 3

A few months ago, I posted a book review of a book published by Crossway titled Ancient Words, Changing Worlds by Stephen J. Nichols and Eric T. Brandt.  I wanted to share with you some observations I've made after having read the book again.

In chapter 3 of the book Ancient Words, Changing Worlds, the author gives an overview of the doctrine of inerrancy in the 20th century. He begins by looking at the development of controversies surrounding inerrancy in various Protestant denominations in America: the SBC, the PCUSA, and the Lutheran Church. He further discusses the reaction against the concept such teaching by Daniel Fuller, Jr, that some scripture was revelational (the texts dealing with how a person can be saved) and that some scripture was non-revelational (texts that assert matters of science and history). According to Fuller, revelational scripture was inerrant whereas nonrevelational scripture was not. In response to this and other challenges to the doctrine of inerrancy, the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy was formed in 1978 and in that same year the ICBI held a conference in which a document called the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy was written which defined biblical inerrancy. Prominent leaders from various evangelical denominations signed the document demonstrating that though they disagreed on various points of doctrine they all recognized that the source of divine truth was the Bible and that the Bible was inerrant. The author discussed some objections to inerrancy and proposed possible solutions such as observing that while the term “inerrancy” might not be found in the writings of church fathers in historical documents, the concept appeared to be recognized as valid. The author further asserts that while there are issues within the biblical text that do not have an immediately obvious solution that “…a life of faith means trusting in God…” (p. 81). In other words, just because we don’t know the answer that does not mean that there is no answer.


As I read this chapter, I began to think about the objections that are proposed against biblical inerrancy. It appears that many of those arguments boil down to the idea that “It’s just too hard to maintain that the bible is inerrant”. In other words, they deny inerrancy because it solves certain problems for them. I was reminded as I read the chapter, however, that to deny inerrancy creates many more theological problems that it solves. I affirm inerrancy based on my conviction that God speaks truth and therefore, since the bible was inspired, whatever is in the bible must be true, regardless of my inability to reconcile some textual, scientific, or historical difficulty.

Ancient Words, Changing Worlds--Overview of Chapter 1

A few months ago, I posted a book review of a book published by Crossway titled Ancient Words, Changing Worlds by Stephen J. Nichols and Eric T. Brandt.  I wanted to share with you some observations I've made after having read the book again.

Chapter one of this book outlines the development of the arguments for biblical inspiration that began in the mid-19th century with theologians from Princeton Seminary. The author indicates that the need for discussion about this crucial doctrine came about as a result of scientific and cultural developments in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. The theory was that scripture was written for ancient men and that men and women of the modern age had moved beyond such a superstitious document. However, Charles Hodge, his son A.A. Hodge, and B. B. Warfield contented that scripture was not a time bound document that spoke only to ancient people but rather was God-breathed, propositional truth that still applied today. A.A Hodge and B.B. Warfield co-authored a series of 8 articles in The Presbyterian Review discussing, among other things, the doctrine of the inspiration of scripture. They demonstrated that the bible was an inspired text and that inspiration was verbal (the words of the text) and plenary (all of the text). Of course, they were met by challenges to these key doctrines. For instance, Joseph Henry Thayer called these concepts a “yoke which they—unlike their fathers—are unable to bear”. Also, Henry Fosdick described belief in these two doctrines as trading “the shekinah for the Shrine”—the true beauty of the truth of scripture was not in the words of human authors but in the timeless, spiritual truth that they contained. This sort of mystical “what does it mean to you” approach to scripture is seen within the church, even today.


As I read this chapter, I was amused by what I perceived as arrogance of those who question the authority of scripture on the basis of so-called scholarship. I was reminded of something I read a few weeks ago in The Fundamentals “A third objection remains…all the scholarship is on one side. The old-fashioned conservative views are no longer maintained by men with pretension to scholarship. The only people who oppose the Higher Critical views are the ignorant.” The prevalent idea, even among some Christians, is that scripture just can’t have a supernatural origin and be true in the face of overwhelming evidence. Therefore, you have liberal Christians preaching a false gospel that cannot save because they reject the source of divine truth—God’s word.

Book Review: The Heresy of Orthodoxy by Kostenberger/Kruger

In today’s society, there appears to be only one unassailable absolute truth—there is no absolute truth. Further, the quickest way to be labeled hateful, intolerant, or mean spirited is to suggest that the gospel as revealed in scripture is true and is the exclusive way to God. It used to be that those who would label you hateful or mean spirited for saying that were those outside of the church. That is no longer the case, however, and in fact it is among those who profess Christ that you are likely to find the loudest, most shrill voices railing against the notion of absolute truth. Many of those who advocate accepting any and all beliefs as being equally Christian base their position on the works of German theologian Walter Bauer and a contemporary disciple of his, Bart Ehrman. In short, Bauer, and now Ehrman, propose that what we know today as Christianity is not the Christianity of the apostles and certainly not what Jesus taught. Rather, they propose, there was a diverse opinion about Jesus, what He taught, and what the apostles taught and that there was no one view that was more “right” than any of the others. The fact that we today believe that there is only one correct theological position on, for instance, the Virgin Birth is because the Roman church finally won enough theological and political power to squash any theological opposition to their positions. In fact, they assert, what we know today as orthodox Christianity represents the view of the winning side rather than the truth of the gospel.

The book The Heresy of Orthodoxy was not written to refute this Bauer-Ehrman thesis. Rather, as the authors’ state, the purpose of the book is to determine “why the Bauer-Ehrman thesis commands paradigmatic stature when it has been soundly discredited in the past”. As such, the authors’ review three areas where this idea of multiple but equally valid “Christianities” has been thoroughly refuted in the three sections of the book. They first examine whether, as the Bauer-Ehrman thesis suggests, there were actually a wide array of theological beliefs in the early church and that heresy (diversity) actually preceded orthodoxy. Further, they review material related to the development of the New Testament canon and attempt to determine from the historical evidence if the 27 books we know as the New Testament are more the result of random chance (“some books have all the luck”), as Bauer and Ehrman, would have us believe rather than there being something peculiar about these books that makes them Scripture. Finally, they evaluate the assertion made by Bauer and Ehrman that the New Testament Text is so riddled with errors and inconsistencies that it is virtually unreliable as a record of what Jesus and the apostles taught.

Through the 8 chapters, the authors Kostenberger and Kruger deliver a slam dunk in their presentation. They take the thesis that there were no absolute truths in the early church and we certainly have no way to know exactly what they believed anyway and clearly present convincing evidence to the contrary. In fact, as the reader discovers, the evidence for what we know today as orthodox Christianity is overwhelming and that the thesis presented by Bauer-Ehrman ignores significant historical and textual evidence that discredits their position in addition to engaging in occasional circular reasoning. In short, the book would encourage any Christian to have confidence that their faith is in fact “the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. (Jude 1:3-NASB)”.

I would recommend this book for all Christians who are interested in a better understanding of their faith or who are looking to better educate themselves in issues related to apologetics. The work is a scholarly text and as such is not a “casual read”. I could see this being used in a college or seminary classroom. If you’re looking for a resource to gain a better understanding of issues related to postmodernism and its effect on Christianity, this would be a great book to add to your library.

Book Review: One Rock at a Time-Building a Spiritual Legacy for God in Japan

A few months ago at a meeting of our Home Fellowship Group from church, one of the ladies gave a testimony about having gone back to visit the area in Japan where she and her husband served as missionaries for over 30 years. She was telling about some of the people that came to Christ during that time and mentioned one man whose wife had come to faith and wanted to be baptised. However, she would not do so until her husband was OK with it. He finally agreed and decided he wanted to do something special for his wife. He decided to write the bible out by hand in the Japanese language using his skills in calligraphy. While writing a copy of the scripture for his wife, he was moved, came under conviction and trusted in Christ as his Savior and Lord. As she told this story, I was moved to tears.

I mentioned how touched I was during our next meeting and she said she would give me a book that her daughter had written about their experiences as missionaries in Japan called One Rock at a Time-Building a Spiritual Legacy for God in Japan. Let me tell you the honest truth--you have to get this book and read it. If you have never read a book about a missionary and want to know the unvarnished truth of what their lives are like, this book without a doubt tells it like it is. You will be blessed, challenged, encouraged, and moved to weep at the experiences of this missionary family.

First of all, the book is written primarily from the point of view of Dale Oxley who served with his wife as a missionary to Japan for 30 years. In reading this book, I saw not just the ups and downs of a missionary serving in what I would call difficult conditions (but then again, I'm a wimp) but I also was able to get a sense of the man's heart. Dale had a love for the Japanese people and a desire to reach them with the gospel. In my opinion, it was this love for these people who were so different than he was that unified the whole book. It was this love that enabled him, and his family, to sacrifice so much to bring the gospel to people that were lost in complete spiritual darkness. Seeing a story like this told from the perspective of the man who lived it makes for a truly gripping read.

Secondly, I would recommend the book because there was no attempt to sugar coat the story. Their kids were kids and got in trouble sometimes like all kids do. They didn't see fruit from some of their labors for years. The living conditions were difficult. This is not some pie in the sky in the sweet by and by rose colored glasses picture as if to say "God's people never have problems". The family and the ministry experienced ups and downs but through it all you can see the hand of God at work as you read. It makes it hard for me to complain about my life and things that happen when I see the faith this family displayed as they endured struggles to bring the gospel to the Japanese people.

Finally, I would recommend this book because I know Ms. Betty, Dale's wife, personally. The love and faithfulness she shows her husband, who now suffers with Alzheimer's, is a testimony of the love that Christ has for His church. The gospel she, Dale, and her family shared with the Japanese people is a gospel they still live. I've been blessed to know Ms. Betty and to get to know her family through this book.

In Hebrews, we're told to spur one another on to good works. Reading books such as this is one way to do that. When we see the faithfulness of men and women who have served God, we are challenged to follow their example. I believe you will be blessed by this family's story. I know I was.

Book Review--Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper

People demonstrate how important something is to them by how they treat it. For instance, someone who says spending time with their family is important but they spend time doing anything but spending time with their family demonstrates where their priorities truly lie. In much the same way, Christians who profess that Christ is their Savior and Lord but live lives that are not in line with that profession exhibit a severe disconnect between what they say and what they mean. It is this problem that John Piper's book "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ" was meant to address. In fact, the author writes that his intent is that the reader "see him [Christ] as solid truth and savor him with great joy".

The point that Piper makes in the book is that the kind of seeing he wants us to do of Christ, seeing with spiritual eyes, will lead to savoring Christ as being supremely valuable. In the chapters of the book, he proceeds to outline some of the majestic biblical truths that should make Christ someone who, upon really seeing Him, we should also savor Him. In a world of 2 minute highlight reels and blazing fast 3G downloads, Piper calls us in this book to take a long, deep look into scripture to see what it says about Jesus Christ and then calls us to respond.

Each of the chapters invites the reader to meditate upon one facet of Christ's glory and then includes a prayer to pray as one reflects on the truth. The chapters are short enough that they could be read in one sitting and mentally "munched on" for the rest of the day. The reader is challenged with truths such as The Excellence of Jesus Christ (Chapter 3) or The Desecration of Jesus Christ (Chapter 7--my personal favorite. Each of these rich truths offers another insight into the marvelous character and majesty of our Lord.

I would highly recommend this book to any Christian who wants to grow in their love for the Lord. I believe you will be greatly blessed.

Fearless by Max Lucado-A Guest Book Reivew

I have been lucky to be married to a wonderful, smart, beautiful woman for now 13 years. Recently, as part of the Book Review Bloggers Program at Thomas Nelson, I was able to obtain a copy of Fearless by Max Lucado. I ordered the copy because my wife said she wanted to read and review it. So here, for the first time in cyberspace and on this blog, is my MUCH better half, Patricia, and her review of the book.

Fearless by Max Lucado is an entertaining read. It is the sort of book one could likely sit and read in one or two evenings. Fearless addresses the issue of, (obviously from the title) fear. Lucado seeks to identify and describe instances of fear as well as how each should be dealt with by a Christian.

While scripture is used in the book, it is, at best, glossed over . Scripture is used primarily to highlight or emphasize the author’s points. For instance, Lucado relates an experience of a journey to the local animal shelter to retrieve the family’s pet stirring emotion within. He wanted to take every lost pet home with him. This “urge helps me understand why Jesus made forgiveness his first fearless announcement. Yes we have a disappointed God. But, no, God has not abandoned us.” He states. Three scripture references follow to further drive home his point. Additionally, in the chapter titled “I’m Sinking Fast”, Lucado lists three instances in which humans might long to hear “I am here” from family and friends who are near. Again, he links these to scriptures which indicate God saying these three coveted words.

Further, the author tends to add supposition and conjecture into scripture. For instance, Luke 8:51 is quoted next to a heading “He united the household.” When Jesus went to the house, he let only Peter, Joh, James, and the girl’s father and mother go inside with him.” In the case of Jairus (Luke 8:51), Lucado supposes that perhaps the mother has not been mentioned previously due to her having been at Her child’s bedside or because the child’s illness driving a “wedge between Mom and Dad”. God does not give us any details about the dynamics of the family. It seems that Lucado adds such conjecture to appeal to those in such circumstances today, instead of allowing scripture to speak for itself.

What’s more, Lucado often treats scripture with a degree of irreverence. He quotes Matthew 8:23-24. Then, he paints an image of Matthew poring over a thesaurus for the perfect term to depict the storm. Additionally, Lucado refers to the same setting as a “dinner cruise” transformed into a “white-knuckled plunge. Finally, he pictures the disciples shuffling cards for a “midjourney game of hearts”.

This lack of depth, postulation, and irreverence add to the overall feel that the book’s primary purpose is one of entertainment or self-help. For a true Christian looking for spiritual nourishment from the meat of the Word, this is not a book to spend time on.

Ancient Word, Changing Worlds: A Book Review

In the book of Genesis, we find in chapter 3 verse 1 the first recorded words of Satan—“Indeed, has God said…” (NASB) From the beginning, Satan has attempted to cast doubt or even to destroy the word of God. In the past 150 years, the word of God has come under attack as never before. However, the most vicious attacks have not come from outside the church by scientists who sneer at the idea of God creating the world out of nothing or by philosophers who dismiss the Bible as just another book.

In fact, the most sinister attacks have been from those who call themselves “Christians” but who reject the idea that the Bible is the word of God with all the authority that being the word of God entails. The book Ancient Word, Changing Worlds: The Doctrine of Scripture in a Modern Age written by Stephen J. Nichols and Eric T. Brandt seeks to give a solid overview of the fundamental doctrines of scripture (inspiration, inerrancy, and interpretation) by reviewing some of the writings of major theological figures in the debate over these key issues regarding the Bible ranging across denominations from the end of the 19th century through the new millennium. While the book itself is not very long, it does an excellent job of packing quite a bit of information in a concise, accessible format that would be useful for all Christians interested in defending God’s word.

First of all, the book is a fairly quick read. Including three appendixes, the book totals only 175 pages. Furthermore, each chapter is laid out logically presenting both the arguments for and against the conservative evangelical position including material from a wide variety of scholars. The book is full of good information without being overly technical. A person could read the book in under a week without having to devote a undue amount of time to reading it.

Second of all, the book does an outstanding job of tracing the development of the doctrine of biblical inerrancy in the modern age, going all the way back to the Princeton Theologians Charles Hodge and B.B. Warfield. While not giving an exhaustive examination of all their writings, the authors do a splendid job of including some of their major writings on the subjects covered while also providing a fair examination of the opinions of dissenting theologians. In short, a person who read this book would come away with a solid foundation of the major points related to the inerrancy, inspiration, and interpretation of the sacred text.

In short, I highly recommend this book. It would make an excellent addition to any Christian’s library and would also work well for a small group study. In a world where the word of God is constantly under attack, it is imperative for all Christians to be able to give solid answers to the hard questions regarding the reliability of the word of God.

Book Review: The Hole in Our Gospel

All too often, we Christians take for granted the blessings we have in this country. Even the poorest among us do pretty well when compared to the poor in some other coutries. Even now, in the worst economic conditions that have occurred in recent memory, people call in to radio shows on their Blackberry's to complain about how bad things are while they are driving their BMW's to meet their spouse for dinner at Red Lobster. I dare say that most of us don't really know what it is to suffer lack.

In essence, this is what the author of The Hole in Our Gospel is saying. If we profess to be Christians but can turn a blind eye to the suffering of impoverished people all over the world, there is a disconnect between our faith and our practice. It is not enough for us to say be warmed and well-fed, we must put feet to our faith and make it tangible.

I found the book to be encouraging in the sense that it made me realize that while I can't do everything I can do something. I can help to make a difference even it's a small one. In short, taken for what it is, this book is a challenge to all Christians to no longer look at suffering as someone else's problem but to seek ways that they too might help someone who needs it.

Book Review: Christianity in Crisis-21st Century

There are people who claim to be Christians and preach the Gospel of Christ who are liars. I know that’s no surprise to anyone. The sad part is that there are Christians who are immature in their faith and don’t know the scriptures who are lead astray by these charlatans. In fact, I spoke to a man this evening that professes Christ but is shacked up with his fiancé’. When I asked him what his pastor thought, he said “He’s ok with it”. I was dumbfounded so I called the pastor and asked him and he confirmed that he didn’t think it was sinful and would not call them to repent. This sort of rejection of biblical truth by Christians creates a fertile ground for heresy to grow. Christians are deceived and led astray by false teachers today just as they have been for years. Hank Hanegraaff in his book Christianity in Crisis-21st Century gives a great overview of the sorts of theological heresies found in the Word of Faith movement and should be a must read for all Christians.

First of all, as Henegraaff points out, I would like to add that the book is not a refutation of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement. I personally do not agree with those of that theological tradition but the theological heresy addressed by the book is the Word of Faith movement. In the book, Henegraaff details the errors of the movement. He begins by describing their recreation of God as being less than omnipotent and sovereign. In fact, God is subject to our demands and whims when we speak using “words of faith” much as a waiter in a restaurant saying “May I take your order, sir.” He outlines their theology of redemption that teaches Christ suffered in Hell as payment for sin in contrast to what the Bible teaches. Henegraaff goes on to explain their theological gymnastics regarding health and wealth for all believers. He provides ample scriptural exegesis to refute the false claims of the false teachers and clearly explains why believers should reject their goofy theology.

Also, Henegraaf profiles the men and women who peddle these destructive doctrines. He includes men as far back as “Papa” Haggin all the way through Todd “Kick you in the face” Bently. Seeing the men and women behind these demonic doctrines helps drive home the point to the reader that these people and those like them are to be avoided like the plague. He also goes on to trace the roots of the word of faith theology and explain the impact it had on the teachers who teach it.

In short, I highly recommend this book. If you know someone, as I do, who is caught up in this nonsense I would recommend reading it and passing it along. If you don’t know much about this brand of false teaching, I recommend this book as an excellent resource of information to educate yourself. We need to not only know the truth but be familiar with the lies of the enemy so that we effectively contend for the faith.

The Shack and Salvation

I have not read the Shack. I don't plan on ever reading it. I don't have to go in a bathroom with a stopped up toilet that has been used and cannot be flushed to know the room is going to stink. I have read quotes from the book that are totally heretical. The truly sad part is this book has spread like a cancer through the church. Micheal W. Smith, Gloria Gaither, and other high profile Christians are raving about what a wonderful book this is. I know a Southern Baptist Church that has asked the author to "preach the gospel" during a Sunday morning service knowing full well that the man denies the penal substitution of Jesus' death on the cross. How do you have a "gospel" without penal substitution? You don't.

People have argued that the book is a book of fiction and, therefore, people who criticize it are making a mountain out of a proverbial molehill. However, I submit that the book, while having fictional elements in it, is a far representation of the theology of the author. To demonstrate that, listen to this interview with the author where he says in his own words what he thinks about the cross, the substitutionary death of Christ, and the punishment of sin. As John Piper said "We must separate from error before we can unite in the truth".

The Shack-Heresy At Its Finest

Below is a reprint of a book review I did of The Shack a few months ago. I am reposting here today because I've noticed several folks finding my blog by a Google search using the search terms "Review of the Shack". If this review causes one person to decide NOT to read the book, I will feel that I have done my job.

One time, while watching an NFL preview show on HBO, I saw a comedian named Wanda Sykes do a short monologue on one of the games for the upcoming weekend. She said, “I have never been to Cincinnati, and I don’t ever plan on going, so I can say this with complete boldness—the Bengal’s stink”. I suppose that I would have to say the same thing about the pile of tripe that is The Shack. I am never going to meet the author and I am never going to read the book. However, I feel totally comfortable saying that I regret calling The Shack garbage in my previous post where I reprinted a review of the book. That was not the right thing to call it. I was wrong to call it that.

Calling it garbage was being far too generous. If I have garbage in my house, I can wait until the next day or so to take it to the dump (we have no city trash collection service, go fig). If my children walked into the room where we keep the trash till we’re ready to take it to the dump I’d be like “Come on, now. Get out of there.” If I found a copy of The Shack in my home I would probably burn the place down. If my children got their hands on the wretched thing I’d get industrial strength hand cleaner to wash their hands with. You know, the kind mechanics use after they’ve worked in grease. I mean, the things this man writes in this book go so far beyond heresy that it’s hard to believe that he actually wrote them. I’m not saying he’s not a Christian, or that he’s a bad husband or father. Heck, as far as I know he may be the Michael Jordan of the bar-b-que grill and give 10 hours a day volunteering at the local charity. But his book makes the Purpose Drivel Life (that was not a misspelling, I meant for it to look like that) look like Matthew Henry’s Commentary. I am going to take just a few quotes from the book and give page numbers. If you can in good conscience read the book after you see what’s in it, well, just make sure you don’t leave your copy on my doorstep when you’re done. I’d rather not have to take a jackhammer to my front porch because it had been polluted with that filth.

On page 120, the character who is written to represent God, a woman called Papa, says “I don’t need to punish people for sin. Sin is its own punishment, devouring from the inside. It’s not my purpose to punish it; it’s my joy to cure it.” Huh? Do what? God doesn’t need to punish people for their sin? Ok, I must really need new glasses because the Bible I read says in Psalm 1 that the wicked will not be able to stand in the judgment of Almighty God but instead will be blown around like chaff. In Matthew 7, Jesus says that some people who thought they were all religious will be told to depart from Him because He never knew them. Time and time again He mentions that those folks will be in eternal punishment “where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. The book of Revelation spells it out even clearer. In chapter 20 verse 15, it says anyone who is not found with their names written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire. This fire, it says in that chapter, brings torment forever and ever. While it is true that God provided the perfect cure for sin on Calvary in the vicarious substitutionary death of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is also true that God punishes sin. Therefore, what is written in The Shack contradicts clear biblical teaching. Regardless of any good anyone might find in there, reading the book is not worth it. I mean, who would look in a pile of cow manure to find a diamond. Boy, if I was going to do that, it would have to be a really big diamond.

Oh, but wait—there’s more. On page 182, the character meant to represent Jesus says “Those who love me come from every stream that exists. They were Buddhists or Mormons, Baptists or Muslims, Democrats, Republicans and many who don't vote or are not part of any Sunday morning or religious institutions”. Mack asks for clarification. “Does that mean...that all roads will lead to you?” “'Not at all,' smiled Jesus...'Most roads don't lead anywhere. What it does mean is that I will travel any road to find you'”. Jesus then goes on to say “I am the best way any human can relate to Papa or Sarayu (the character who plays the Holy Spirit).” Here is the problem with these two quotes. The first might not be something that would make you go “Eek” upon first reading. I believe God can save anyone anywhere. You don’t have to be a part of the right group to be saved. Could God save a Mormon? No doubt if that Mormon confessed with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in their heart God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). I mean, they’d need to get out of their LDS cult and all because you can’t be a Christian and stay there. That’s a rabbit trail for another sunny day. However, what the character doesn’t do is say that there is only one way to heaven. In fact, the next quote from the character playing Jesus says “I am the BEST way any human can relate” (emphasis mine) to God. “Best” isn’t exclusive folks. When I’m at work, I have quite a bit of control over how I do my work. There are times where, when I have finished an assignment, that my supervisor will review it and say “Let’s do this”. Sometimes I find that what I did was good but their way was better. There may be a way to do the task even better than what my supervisor had suggested and that way might be best. So, if Jesus is the BEST way that suggests by the very way that it was worded that there are other ways that are not as good but would still do the job. Saying Jesus is the BEST way is a far cry from saying He is the ONLY way, which is what the Bible teaches.

Oh, but lest you think I’m finished, check out this little nugget from the author. On page 99, the character who is supposed to be God says “When we three spoke ourself into human existence as the Son of God, we became fully human. We also chose to embrace all the limitations that this entailed. Even though we have always been present in this created universe, we now became flesh and blood”. Dear reader, God the Father did not take on flesh and dwell among us. That was God the Son-the Word of God (John 1:14). Nor did the third person of the Trinity take on flesh—I mean, He’s called the Holy Spirit, right? Further, Jesus says in John 4:24 that God is a Spirit. Again, what we see is the clear distinction between the heresy written in The Shack and the truth written in God’s word.

In the end, you and I have to make a choice. Where do we stand? Do we stand with what Scripture plainly teaches or do we allow ourselves to entertain thoughts that obviously contradict scripture. My prayer is that you will decide to fill your mind with things that edify you and build you up as a believer. The garbage that is between the covers of the Shack will do neither.

John Calvin-His Preaching

I’ve been reading John Piper’s book The Legacy of Sovereign Joy. I highly recommend it as an excellent read particularly for those interested in expository preaching. I found the following passage about John Calvin to be particularly edifying. I hope you will be likewise encouraged.

Calvin’s preaching was of one kind from beginning to end: He preached steadily through book after book of the Bible. He never wavered from this approach to preaching for almost twentyfive years of ministry in St. Peter’s church of Geneva—with the exception of a few high festivals and special occasions. “On Sunday he took always the New Testament, except for a few Psalms on Sunday afternoons. During the week . . . it was always the Old Testament.” The records show fewer than half a dozen exceptions for the sake of the Christian year. He almost entirely ignored Christmas and Easter in the selection of his text.

To give you some idea of the scope of Calvin’s pulpit, he began his series on the book of Acts on August 25, 1549, and ended it in March 1554. After Acts he went on to the epistles to the Thessalonians (forty-six sermons), Corinthians (186 sermons), the pastoral epistles (eighty-six sermons), Galatians (forty-three sermons), Ephesians (forty-eight sermons)—until May 1558. Then there is a gap when he was ill. In the spring of 1559, he began the Harmony of the Gospels and was not finished when he died in May 1564. On the weekdays during that season he preached 159 sermons on Job, 200 on Deuteronomy, 353 on Isaiah, 123 on Genesis, and so on.

One of the clearest illustrations that this was a self-conscious choice on Calvin’s part was the fact that on Easter Day, 1538, after preaching, he left the pulpit of St. Peter’s, banished by the City Council. He returned in September 1541—over three years later— and picked up the exposition in the next verse.

Why this remarkable commitment to the centrality of sequential expository preaching? Three reasons are just as valid today as they were in the sixteenth century. First, Calvin believed that the Word of God was a lamp that had been taken away from the churches. He said in his own personal testimony, “Thy word, which ought to have shone on all thy people like a lamp, was taken away, or at least suppressed as to us. . . . And now, O Lord, what remains to a wretch like me, but . . . earnestly to supplicate thee not to judge according to [my] deserts that fearful abandonment of thy word from which, in thy wondrous goodness thou hast at last delivered me.”
Calvin reckoned that the continuous exposition of books of the Bible was the best way to overcome the “fearful abandonment of [God’s] Word.”

Second, Parker says that Calvin had a horror of those who preached their own ideas in the pulpit. He said, “When we enter the pulpit, it is not so that we may bring our own dreams and fancies with us.” He believed that by expounding the Scriptures as a whole, he would be forced to deal with all that God wanted to say, not just what he might want to say.

Third—and this brings us full circle to the beginning, where Calvin saw the majesty of God in his Word—he believed with all his heart that the Word of God was indeed the Word of God, and that all of it was inspired and profitable and radiant with the light of the glory of God.

Book Review: The Word of Promise-The Gift of Psalms

I’ve never much cared for devotionals. I would rather read a solid, theologically sound exegesis of a bible passage and have to spend half an hour of my time reading it than to read a quick little devotional thought loosely based on a bible verse. Even the classic My Utmost for His Highest doesn’t hold my interest all that much. I recently read a devotional based on the book of Psalms with audio recordings of selected Psalms called The Word of Promise-The Gift of Psalms. While there are things about this book that are positive, I’m not sure that all Christians would find it worth the money.

As to the positive things about this book, I would say first of all that the book is very attractively bound. The cover has a leather like feel and seems fairly sturdy. Further, the text print is very easy on the eyes. Also, the audio recording of the selected psalms is very well done with unobtrusive yet beautiful background music. The readers are some of the best actors from television (Gary Sinese) and screen (Sean Astin) among others. You have to love being able to hear Samwise Gamgees read through selected Psalms. By far these recordings are the highlight of the book.

However, the devotionals based on the Psalms range from pretty good to questionable. For instance, the devotional for Psalm 1 rightly extols the spiritual nourishment of the word of God in the life of a believer. However, in Psalm 18:36, the psalmist writes “You enlarged my path under me so my feet did not slip” (NKJV). The writer says in the devotional that this phrase means that David is saying that “God has been building David’s character through his trials”. Now, it is beyond the scope of this book review to expound upon this particular psalm but I feel pretty confident in saying that what the author offers for an interpretation has nothing to do with anything that David intended to communicate when he wrote that psalm. The devotionals have just this kind of odd interpretation throughout the book in various places.

The book might make a pretty good gift for someone if they were looking for some light reading material or if someone wanted to listen to the Psalms read. However, I’d probably just buy a copy of the Word of Promise audio Bible. If you’re looking for a devotional, there are better ones out there.