Psalm 45 Publications

It is no difficult task to discern that great cultural changes are afoot in the Western world, and that these changes are not friendly to Christianity. But just where are these cultural changes coming from, what is driving them, what are their real implications for the unique message of biblical Christianity, and how should Christians respond? Peter Jones’ perceptive analysis of the new paganism contains invaluable information that all who claim the Name of Christ would be foolish to disregard, and a sobering prognosis that calls for much serious reflection. I would recommend this book both to non-Christians, who might be surprised where so many of the current cultural and political trends really originated, and what the alternative to them is; and also to Christians, who will doubtless be enabled by it to explain the differences between true Christianity and every other option in much more detail. Continue Reading

“The number one error of The Shack,” James De Young summarizes in an appendix to his critique of that influential bestseller, “is that Paul Young commits the great evil that he faults the human race for committing from the beginning onward. Paul Young makes the number one evil in the world…to be the independence from God that Adam and Eve exercised in the Garden of Eden…. Yet Paul Young himself indulges the great sin of independence. By embracing the basics of universal reconciliation, Young creates his own view of how love and holiness or justice relate but does not reflect all those texts that talk about the judgment of God on the unbelievers who reject him”. This analysis, which I find indubitably correct, goes far toward explaining the root error that has sprung up in many bitter fruits, which, elsewhere, De Young enumerates: “Paul Young improperly redefines the meaning of the Trinity and the special roles of God the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He distorts the nature of Christ’s crucifixion, the nature of sin and punishment, the wrath and judgment of God, and the nature of God’s love and having a relationship with him. He has no place for the devil, the enemy of every Christian. He has corrupted the nature of forgiveness, the nature of faith and reconciliation, the nature of salvation, the very meaning of the gospel, who the children of God are, what the bible is, and the role of the institutions of the church, the state, and marriage. Indeed, he rejects the latter, twice calling them a ‘trinity of terrors’”. Continue Reading

If there is one symptom that serves better than any other to reveal the discrepancy between the first Reformers and their Protestant heirs today, when it comes to their respective theological emphases, practical piety, and just what is of central concern to the Christian faith, it may well be the question of the Eucharist. In very few Protestant circles today could it be said of the Lord’s Supper that it obviously stands at the very heart of what it means to be a Christian and pursue a Christian life; in it’s stead, all sorts of other, peripheral means of grace are sought, which usually involve a sort of individualism, and a personal, subjective element quite out of keeping with the objective reality of Christ’s authoritative pronouncement, “This is my body”. The famous (or infamous) unyielding severity with which the Eucharistic wars were waged among the magisterial Reformers, and the fact that the papal mass unexceptionally drew some of the sternest denouncements from all of them, tells us at least this, that the matter was absolutely vital to them, to a degree that the average Evangelical would not understand today. But the question is, Why? What did they see in the Eucharist that was of such vast importance to all of them, regardless of how differently they may have viewed the matter? Continue Reading

There are many books available on the specific question of music in worship, some focusing on lyrical content and others on musical style, with positions ranging from psalter-only, a capella singing to arguments for the superiority of the modern praise and worship genre to classic hymnody; but I’m not aware of any of them that do precisely what O’Donnell’s new book, God’s Lyrics, has done. He has not touched upon many of the pertinent issues: the application of the Regulative Principle of Worship, the question of musical style, and so on, are left untouched. But what he has put together is certainly an important contribution to the discussion, which may prove to be eye-opening at least, and even paradigm-shifting in some respects. Continue Reading

I love it when real scholars can write so simply and practically that someone who doesn’t know it would never suspect that they’re academicians. This is a trait that Carson has displayed from time-to-time – and his recent book on “Living Faithfully in the Last Days” in light of the soon return of Christ is a perfect example of that.

What is the book (or booklet) all about? It’s just a practical exposition of a practical portion of scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1—4:8. Walking paragraph through paragraph, Carson explains what the Apostle Paul has to say about living in the last days; holding the right mentors in high regard; holding few illusions about the world; holding on to the Bible; and holding out the Bible to others. Very practical stuff, that cuts to the heart of certain widespread errors in the modern Church. Continue Reading

It struck me, this week, that if you really want a litmus test of true saintliness, it won’t do to look for sacrificial acts of charity, passion-filled preaching or writing, frenetic occupation with ministry-related works and endeavors, success in filling churches, sending out missionaries, becoming a “pop star” in the world of Evangelicalism. If you want a litmus test of true saintliness, all you really have to know about is a person’s prayer life. There is no truer sign of a genuine, humbled, God-loving follower of Christ than one who, whether in public or private, cannot refrain from pouring out his soul to God continually, because he knows his sinfulness and inability for anything good, yes – but he also knows God as a Father and Jesus Christ as a faithful and sympathetic High Priest. That was one of many things that struck me while I was reading Mike Sarkissian’s book, Before God: The Biblical Doctrine of Prayer; and I would strongly encourage anyone else to give it a careful reading. Continue Reading

What thoughts usually come to mind when the word “catechism” comes up in conversation? Hopelessly outdated? Long, tedious, and abstract? A divisive and uncharitable word-club, wielded to the dread and consternation of poor, stodgy children, who have grown interminably pale and listless by reason of forced exclusion from fresh air and exercise, and over-exposure to sixteenth-century archaisms? True, I may be describing the impression in a bit of an overdone fashion, but I think there’s enough truth in the portrayal to strike a nerve. Catechizing our children is simply not in vogue these days, at least in much of the Western Church; and the perception of catechizing is largely negative. Why is this? Is the skepticism warranted? Kevin DeYoung is to be thanked for doing a tremendous job of answering that question in the negative; and he is to be thanked all the more heartily for choosing to do so with that most precious, gospel-rich catechism of them all (with a couple close contenders!), the Heidelberg. Continue Reading

This Is For You is something of a unique book, that I believe could be put to a very profitable use by a great many Christians. It’s similar to a daily devotional – each chapter is very brief, but contains much food-for-thought that could be ruminated upon throughout the day – but all of the meditations are on the sacrament of communion. Hence, rather than reading it daily, it seems geared toward a weekly use: every Lord’s Day, before approaching the table, believers would do quite well to read one of the meditations, to assist them in reflecting upon the vastly important significance of what is taking place in the breaking of the bread. Continue Reading

John Owen is perhaps the most worthy author of being read in the English language; and the doctrine of indwelling sin in a Christian – what it is and how to fight against it without slipping into legalism or antinomianism – is one of the most crucial topics in practical, twenty-first century Christianity. So then, what would hinder any Christian, young or old, from reading such a helpful-sounding title as Indwelling Sin in Believers, by John Owen? Until recently, the argument could perhaps have been made that Owen’s style is just a little too obscure and prolix to be readily accessible to simple believers without a high education or theological training; but with the advent of the new Puritan Paperback, which abridges Owen’s classic work and makes it easy to read, the last potential obstacle has fallen away. Christian, if you struggle with sin (and make no doubt, if you don’t then you’re not a Christian after all), read this book! You may just find it to be one of the most useful books you’ve read in a good, long while. Continue Reading

For any preacher or elder, one of the most sobering truths in all the bible must be that which is taught in Hebrews 13:17 – that one day he will have to give an account for all the souls he is watching over, to the Lord who made them and redeemed them. If this is really true (and of course it is), then how urgent is the need for every elder, whether a full time pastor or an unpaid “ruling elder,” to come to a firm, biblical understanding of just what this office is all about, and what it means to carry out its responsibilities effectively! Are a church’s elders predominantly a board of directors, responsible for vision-casting and steering the congregation through all the major decisions that face it? Timothy Witmer, with very good biblical warrant, would give a resounding “No!”. “The simple thesis of this book,” he states, “is, ‘The fundamental responsibility of church leaders is to shepherd God’s flock’” (emphasis added).

Of course, this verdict makes the sobering weight of the task all the more poignant. Christ himself is the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep (John 10); and in the Old Testament prophecies of Ezekiel and Jeremiah, God had promised to send, not just this Chief Shepherd, but other shepherds as well, after his own heart, to feed his sheep with knowledge and understanding. If, then, the shepherds who neglect their task receive the fierce condemnation expressed, for instance, in Ezekiel 34; and if the standard for fulfilling the task is to be after God’s own heart; then how earnestly ought all elders to seek the heart of God in the scriptures for the shepherding of his flock, and labor intensely, ardently, and practically to follow his example! Continue Reading

Before God is written with the intention of bringing intensely practical, seminary-depth teaching on the vital spiritual discipline of prayer to the common Christian in the pew, whose prayer life has been an on-again, off-again exercise marked at times, perhaps, by passion and effectiveness, but more commonly by uncertainty and tedium. For those who find themselves crying out with the disciples, ‘Lord, teach us to pray!’, this book will be a considerable boon. Comprehensive in scope, seasoned throughout with rich insights from the Puritans and other giants of the faith, and written in a fashion simple enough to enable easy acquisition and passionate enough to stir up a deeper love for the God to whom we pray, it will certainly find a wide and grateful audience in today’s Church.

This is my endorsement of Before God, an excellent book on prayer by Mike Sarkissian; check out the book’s website and order a copy — you’ll certainly find it helpful!

Is the study of theology dangerous? To anyone who has seriously studied theology, the first answer likely to pop into his mind may well come from a memory of some well-meaning old saint with an anti-intellectual bent, earnestly cautioning him about the deadening effects of seminary, which turns simple, impassioned believers into cold, “ivory tower” theologians. Yes, there is some possibility of that danger, as Gerald Bray reflects upon in his chapter on the trials of systematic theology: it is frighteningly possible to lose one’s love for God amid theology’s abstraction. But I like what John Piper said on the back cover: “Is studying theology perilous? Yes. But less perilous than ignorance”. God is a God of unspeakable glory and immense terror; searching out the mysteries of his self-revelation is a sobering and weighty pursuit; but ignoring him, refusing to see in him sufficient worth to motivate one to abandon himself – mind, heart, and soul – to pursuing the personal knowledge that he has vouchsafed to unworthy creatures in his own image, is the most dangerous attitude of all. Continue Reading

The printed sermon is not only a genre of literature unique to Christianity, it is also one of the most potentially useful of genres, both doctrinally and practically, for Christians of all kinds, whether doctors or janitors, pastors or laymen. In a good, manuscripted sermon, there is the potential for skilled exegesis, a more detailed and cohesive explanation of redemptive history, systematic theological instruction, pointed and practical application, devotional and heart-stirring exhortation, gospel-comfort and rousing calls to perseverance – in short, everything Christians may have need of at any point on their journey home. Preached sermons are, in fact, the chief method of instruction that Christ left for his Church to be nourished and sustained by until he returns; and a good book of printed sermons takes some of that unique value and spreads it throughout the rest of the week, to those Christians who feel the need for a “mid-week snack” after the weekly feast of the Lord’s Day. For these reasons, I am always eager both to read and to recommend to a wide audience any good, solid books of sermons prepared by doctrinally sound ministers with shepherds’ hearts for the flock of God. Continue Reading

The problem of attempting to write a midsize book surveying the entire Old Testament is obvious from the outset – there is simply too much information that could be put into it profitably, but that will simply not fit. Is it best to deal at length with the historic culture and context of the original writings, taking into account archeological discoveries and ancient near eastern scholarship? Would it be better to interact with the various approaches to Old Testament exegesis in Church history? Does one give a basic survey of each book in chronological order, or else in the order in which they exist either in our bible or the original Hebrew arrangement? Would it be better to provide a more detailed exegesis of the most significant passages, or an analysis of the different structural elements and over-arching motifs of the various writings? Alec Motyer has clearly wrestled with these issues, and the result has been a fairly balanced mixture of all of the above, although he gives more emphasis to certain elements than to others. The result is a survey that gives the briefest introduction to a plethora of OT related studies, while providing a much fuller treatment of the Old Testament writings themselves, with an eye for overarching structure and a fine sensitivity to the differences between authors and genres within the OT. Continue Reading

Good theology that begins and ends in the classroom is not good theology at all. Right doctrine by its very nature is broad enough to give sense and meaning to every facet of life, whether of the intellect or the affections of the heart, whether in the seminary or the cornfields of Kansas. Unfortunately, this truth is not always recognized; and when it is recognized, it is not always intentionally applied in practice. Michael A. Milton is one who cannot seem to forget the truth of God’s sovereign grace and active providence no matter what he’s doing. The realm of the unimportant, the tyranny of “small things,” doesn’t seem to exist for him – because in the smallest things, there are pointers to and reminders of the very big things of God’s eternal love for his children in Christ Jesus. Small Things, Big Things is a book that will probably help you start to see things the same way; and if it does it will be well worth your while to read. Continue Reading

One of the most central questions related to the daily, practical living out of the Christian life, in any age, is that of preservation and apostasy – May I be sure of final victory over sin, the flesh, and the devil? If so, for what reasons and upon what basis? What can I do today to increase my assurance of final salvation? And what if I apostasize? If I have come to Christ with genuine faith, can I fall away later and lose my salvation? These and similar other questions have plagued (and sometimes paralyzed!) believers in Christ throughout Church history. Beliefs about the security of salvation in Christ and the reasons for that security (or lack of it) have a greater impact upon the everyday experience of Christians all across the world than just about any other theological topic. Wrong beliefs may lead to a lifetime of fear and frantic, works-based endeavors, on the one hand, or a casual flippancy and carelessness, on the other – but right beliefs are certainly one great means of energizing humble, faithful, joyful perseverance in the truth of the gospel and the fruit of good works. Robert Peterson’s biblical-theological treatment of the themes of preservation and apostasy, Our Secure Salvation, has found just the right balance: in this substantial and yet accessible volume, Peterson deals competently with the many strong preservation texts and the sobering apostasy texts alike, and brings them all together in a coherent and mutually-supportive whole. Continue Reading

“If Sunday is the Sabbath then part of the Christian Church is living in wholesale disregard to the will of God and is under his condemnation,” begins the provocative back cover of Richard Gaffin’s analysis and critique of Calvin’s understanding of the fourth commandment; and then, to round out the sober contention, it continues, “If the Sabbath is no longer binding on the Christian then sections of the Church are guilty of Pharisaism and are adding extra rules to Christ’s teaching”. It may not actually be the case that every dispute over the nature of the fourth commandment and its specific application to the Church today necessarily implies as serious an error as this blanket statement suggests – after all, Gaffin sees fit to disagree with Calvin on many pertinent points, but with a respect and demeanor that would be loathe to charge the Reformer with either “wholesale disregard to the will of God,” or “Pharisaism” – and yet in this assessment the importance of the discussion is at least underscored by drawing out the seriousness implicit in adhering too tenaciously to either extreme edge of what may be a wrong understanding of the Sabbath question. And furthermore, even in cases of rather more mild disagreements, the concrete effects on the actual practice of the Church may be very significant. It is indisputably the case, therefore, that this question is worth a great deal of sober reflection, especially at a time in which the visible Church is clearly fragmented over the issue. Continue Reading

Anyone who has even the most basic awareness of Reformation history will know that the Latin phrase sola scriptura means “scripture alone,” and that it is a foundational dividing point between Roman Catholic and Protestant theologies. But what exactly did the Reformers understand sola scriptura to mean, in what ways is it different from the Roman understanding of authority, and more importantly, how is the doctrine of the Reformers faring in modern Protestantism? The cast of Protestant contributors to Reformation Trust’s recent reprint, Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible, have done a tremendous job of answering those questions. The result is not just a book that Roman Catholics would do well to read if they sincerely want to understand where Protestants are coming from – it is also, and perhaps even more fundamentally, a book that modern Protestants would do well to read if they sincerely want to know whether or not they may appropriately consider themselves the heirs of the Protestant Reformation at all. The excellent selection of contributors – Joel Beeke, R. C. Sproul, Sinclair Ferguson, James White, among others – is enough to warrant a presupposition of capable and stimulating writing, and in this expectation they have not failed to disappoint. Continue Reading

I just finished my first volume in P&R’s new series, Explorations in Biblical Theology, which happened to be The Elder, by Cornelis Van Dam. If this volume is representative of the quality and characteristics of the whole series, it should prove to be a very helpful undertaking. Van Dam seeks to see “today’s ministry rooted in all of Scripture”; and the step he has taken to help provide that scriptural rootedness is stimulating and considerable. I, for one, came away with a much greater understanding of and appreciation for the ancient and honorable office of the elder; and I suspect my experience would be shared by persons of all sorts of backgrounds and levels of theological education. I would strongly recommend the book to congregations, to the end that they might be more appreciative of the tremendous gift that God has given them in his gracious supply of elders, and more inclined to show them the honor and gratitude befitting the dignity of their office; but much more strongly would I recommend it to all current or potential elders – the gravity of the office will be very deeply impressed upon you, but the vast blessings that God has interwoven into this high calling will doubtless be a constant source of strength and motivation. Continue Reading

Throughout Church history, there has been a constant tendency, new with every generation, to fall into one or the other of the twin errors of legalism and antinomianism. I know of perhaps no other text that better addresses both of these dangers from a wise, biblical, and evangelical perspective than Edward Fisher’s Marrow of Modern Divinity. Anyone who reads this classic volume will come away much richer in the knowledge of the gospel; with a deeper understanding of the unity of the biblical message as a whole; and vastly better able to pursue a genuinely Christian life in a manner solidly rooted in the true gospel. This new and well done publication of the Marrow is a considerable boon to the modern Church, which I hope will be taken full advantage of. Continue Reading

Anyone who remembers the firestorm of controversy occasioned by the publication of the late John Gerstner’s polemical magnum opus against Dispensational theology may be apt to wonder, “Why another reprint? Aren’t these disputes largely a relic of the not-so-distant past? Haven’t we moved on from the sort of Dispensationalism Gerstner is arguing against?” In fact, there were not a few critics who thought that Dispensationalism had moved beyond Gerstner’s critique before the critique was published! But is that really the case? In academic circles, perhaps to a degree. But what kind of world could sustain the immense popularity of the Left Behind novels, which came out significantly after this work? It must certainly be a world that still stands in desperate need of the rigorous and unabashed sort of refutation brought by Dr. Gerstner. The academics may have moved beyond the debate; but in a tragic sort of disconnect, the average pew-sitter is still left in the lurch. Continue Reading

It is a sad reality, but a reality nonetheless, that in the broadly Reformed community worldwide, one of the most salient divisions between churches, denominations, and individuals is the “one baptism” which partially constitutes the ground of our great unity in the gospel (see Eph. 4:3-6). As daunting as the proposal may seem, it is still of sufficient importance to be willing to expend great effort in seeking to bridge this tragic disconnect in the understandings and consciences of Christian brothers and sisters, and bring all to a practical unity of opinion on that which really does unite them in Christ. Of course, if this is ever to happen, it will have to begin with humble, articulate, and theologically-astute men from different backgrounds taking the time to explain their positions to one another and respond in gracious dialogue which seeks to understand and critique for the good of the other, not just to score points or win debates. Baptism: Three Views, edited by David Wright, is a very commendable step in that direction, which I can recommend for Reformed paedo-baptists and credo-baptists alike. Continue Reading

“It’s fairly likely that I don’t believe all of the things I think I believe.” This statement, which seems patently false, is one of the first things Gregg Ten Elshof asks his new students – and as counter-intuitive as it may seem, after a little honest probing, the verdict will almost certainly be that the statement is true. By attention management, perspective-shifting, rationalization, and so on, we have all been guilty of intentionally (and effectively) deceiving ourselves, because we are unwilling to live with the painful truth of the wickedness so deeply ingrained within us. Of course, this should not come as a shock to us: did not Paul inform us that the people of this world are guilty of suppressing what knowledge they have, and so becoming vain in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts (Rom. 1:18-21)? That their ignorance is due to the hardness of their hearts (Eph. 4:18)? The problem, however, is that this principle of self-deception, which has been acknowledged and intentionally fought throughout much of Christian history, is very seldom even recognized today. And yet it is having a widespread influence, not just in the world, but in much of the Church. Ten Elshof has laid his finger on a little-noted problem that is perilous and extensive indeed; and for that he deserves thanks. Continue Reading

Risking the Truth is one of the most innovative and interesting books I have come across this year. Structurally, I have never encountered a book quite the same: in addressing a unified question, that of heresy within the Church, it draws on the insights and contributions of many leading Christian pastors, teachers, and theologians across the world (and the selection of contributors, by the way, is absolutely superb!); and yet it is not exactly like any other example of multi-author works available. It is not a collection of essays or chapters on assigned topics, but rather a series of one-on-one interviews, conducted by Downes, which make for a unique set of enjoyable benefits that I discovered to be consistently threefold at least: first is the benefit of a personal glimpse into the lives and ministries of humble and capable men of God; second, immense collective insight into how to discern and address heresy within the Church; and third, analyses and reflections upon specific modern errors and heresies by those who are leading experts in their particular fields. Continue Reading

At the beginning of his classic Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin heads his very first paragraph thus: “Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God”. This observation is strikingly true, and if one would take the time to discuss the gospel in depth with the definite majority of American citizens living today, he would doubtless find that the one great obstacle preventing them from prizing and embracing the gospel of God’s grace is a faulty view of self. The gospel is not for people who are basically pretty good, but just need to believe in themselves, build up their self-esteem, and pick themselves up by their bootstraps. If there is one problem that consistently hinders my attempts at gospel-witnessing, it is that. Oh, for a tool that would give the true picture of man in his sin and helplessness, and so pave the way for a true picture of God in his holy justice and limitless grace! Paul David Washer’s biblical study, The Truth About Man, is just that tool, and I enthusiastically recommend it. Continue Reading

Of all the books available on basic Christianity, evangelism, beginning discipleship, and so on, Stephen Smallman’s new book, The Walk, stands out in two ways: first, it truly does start at the beginning, with the very basics, and without taking for granted any knowledge of Christianity at all; and second, it is a book designed not so much to impart basic information (although it does that too), but to motivate to a course of action. It is not so much an introduction to a religion as it is a guide for anyone willing to consider and act upon what it means to come to Christ. It takes by the hand those who have never heard the gospel, as well as those who are familiar with Christianity but have false or distorted perceptions of it based upon negative experiences or wrong personal choices, and leads them along, step by step, to the One whom to follow as a disciple is the heart of Christianity. The book is very patient and gentle, never pushy or prodding, and yet it makes very clear that to be a true Christian, a person must forsake all else and turn to follow Christ. And then it shows, in practical terms, just how this is done. Continue Reading

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters, by Tim Keller

When Wall Street began its painful crash in the Fall of 2008, a great deal of ill-placed global confidence was uncovered. Why did the Great Recession impact so many people negatively, what should we do in the aftermath, and how can we avoid being so let down as a nation and a culture again? In his latest book, Counterfeit Gods, Timothy Keller offers some real answers, not just for those tragically failed by the economic system, but for those let down and abandoned by any false hope or confidence whatsoever. Could it be that we are all guilty of trusting the wrong things for joy and security in life, and that our mask of idolatry was painfully ripped off when things turned bad? In a very insightful examination of our cultural “gods” the things we look to for meaning and success, Keller diagnoses our true underlying problems, which go far beneath the panic we felt when the stock market crashed, and gives hope for a true and lasting solution. A must-read for America today! Continue Reading

Where do you go when you’re feeling depressed, disconsolate, overwhelmed by sin, discouragement, loneliness, painful afflictions, dark valleys of despair? For the believer, there is no source of comfort that can compare to the psalter, that blessed “anatomy of the soul,” an apt description of the Book of Psalms first given by Calvin and referred to by Sinclair B. Ferguson in his book of remedies for the trials of this life, Deserted by God?. Happily, Ferguson is well aware of the rich cures of the psalter for every kind of painful affliction of the soul, and he spends the entire book walking through the darkest psalms of lament, distilling the precious cordial of hope from the bitterest agonies of the very human psalmists. For that reason, it is not just another book about depression – it is a book that cannot fail to help all who take its instructions to heart, no matter how deep their trials may be. Continue Reading

What exactly is Christianity, and what are its proper and necessary effects on our daily lives? According to Horton, Christianity is not pietism, social activism, personal transformation, or religious experience, it is first and fundamentally gospel – “good news”. And really grasping that dramatically changes how we pursue the life of a Christian. What do people do when confronted with real news, that is really good? When the front page headlines announced “Victory in Europe” on May 8, 1945, people forgot themselves, embraced strangers for sheer joy, danced in the streets. They had been confronted by objectively true and external good news, and the effects were immediate and obvious. But Christianity, bringing the objectively true announcement of a historically-verifiable triumph over sin and Satan, is usually met with no such response. Why is this? Continue Reading

It has long been the consensus among the intellectual elite of America that secularism in the public square is a neutral approach to culture and politics, and that it is the only effective way to protect the various constituents of a pluralistic society from the conflicting ideologies of religious fundamentalists. It has also been assumed that this approach is the true genius of American democracy, and that its ongoing validity is ensured by the “separation of church and state” clause in the first amendment. But are such widespread assumptions valid? In a very compelling little volume, The End of Secularism, Hunter Baker argues that they are not. Continue Reading

The subtitle to Arnold Frank’s comprehensive study on the fear of God says all that is necessary to commend its subject matter to today’s Church: “A Forgotten Doctrine”. If there was ever a major doctrinal understanding, suffused throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, that a notable segment of the historical Church entirely overlooked, then it is the doctrine of the fear of God, which the vast bulk of contemporary Evangelicalism has blithely, carelessly, and altogether shockingly ignored. The Fear of God is a timely and potent cordial for a very widespread and malignant disease. Continue Reading

No Time to Waste is a difficult book to categorize: is it a collection of amazing but true war stories? Yes. Personal memoirs? Yes. Engaging epistolary correspondence? Yes. Collected reflections on life, beauty, and even politics, with an occasional dash of humor splashed in? Yes. A practical and scripturally-grounded guide to personal evangelism? Well yes, it’s that too. But perhaps predominantly, it’s a book of evidences that, behind all the sometimes amazing and often mundane events of life, which seem random, happenstance, or guided by blind luck, there is a God who is not just aware in some distant and unaffected way, but a God who is actively directing every matter from small to great, for the eternal good of all whom he has chosen to preserve for himself and his Kingdom. This is true in times of war, when men who do not know or acknowledge God win extraordinary victories that they should not have won, by his meticulous providence; but it is true just as certainly and much more powerfully in times of peace, when the more miraculous victory of new, spiritual life is given to the least likely of subjects. That, above all, is the lesson this book drives home; and it is a lesson that we would all do well to bask in afresh. Continue Reading

It will probably come as no surprise to many of you that much of what is passed off these days as biblical counseling is actually nothing but modern, godless, popular psychology dressed up with a few bible verses. But I am very pleased to inform you that Counsel from the Cross, by Fitzpatrick and Johnson, contains nothing of the sort. It is counseling, yes: but true to its title, it is always most eminently counsel from nowhere but the cross of Jesus Christ. Highly recommended for counselors, counselees, and all those Christians who simply have a hard time remembering the gospel when life gets hard. Continue Reading

Having never before read any of John Colquhoun’s considerable output, and only having, for that matter, a very sketchy idea of his place and significance in Reformed history, I was eager to get into what I thought could not but be his most important work, a treatise on the sum of biblical revelation, considered under the headings of Law and Gospel; but if I was eager beforehand, my enthusiasm only grew from the first page and on. “How,” I wondered, “did so insightful, meticulous, and applicational a writer escape my notice for so long?”. The treatise was a feast, and served further to drive home to me the unparalleled tendency of the historic Reformed faith to ground its adherents in the vast and glorious freedom of the Gospel, and always in such a way as not to minimize a life of practical holiness, but rather to excite and encourage true piety and devotion. I would earnestly recommend A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel to anyone at all, and in order to lend force to my recommendation, I would mention a few outstanding features of the work. Continue Reading

Throughout much of Church history, the Lord’s Prayer (together with the Decalogue and the Apostle’s Creed) has been one of the most foundational elements used in instructing new believers and children in what it means to be a Christian. But unfortunately, while it is frequently recited by rote today, it is not so commonly used as a guideline to teach Christians just what it means to pray, how we should approach God, what we should speak to him about, and so on. Even books on the topic of prayer itself, in the modern church, rarely employ the Lord’s Prayer, given to his disciples for the specific purpose of teaching them how to pray, as a foundational shaping paradigm. The Prayer of the Lord, by R. C. Sproul, is a very refreshing exception to this trend, and in a crystal clear and surprisingly simple way shows modern disciples of the Lord, in his own words, just what it means to pray. Continue Reading

What precisely did God mean when he told Adam to fill the earth, subdue it, have dominion over it, and to cultivate and keep the Garden? What significance does that command retain after the Fall? What meaning does it have for Christians living on the earth today, after the resurrection of Christ? In a word, what exactly is the “Dominion Mandate” or (“Cultural Mandate”) and how is the Church to obey it? The question is nuanced and complex; but John Barber’s landmark study in Christianity and culture, The Road from Eden, is well adapted to make sense of the “culture wars,” not just of today, but of the past two thousand years, by uncovering the real issues, placing the development of questions and perspectives squarely within the broad flow of Church history, and supporting a particular opinion from a trinitarian framework of theology. For all serious students of the relationship between the Church and culture, whether sympathetic to Barber’s perspective or not, this masterly study requires careful interaction and genuine consideration. Continue Reading

The Fracture of Faith, by Douglas Vickers, is a book written in response to the manner in which “the testimony of the church has been tarnished by the devaluation of its doctrine and the uncertainty that clouds its statement of the gospel” (from the preface). It is therefore, by immediate admission, a book concerned with critiquing contemporary Christianity, a goal which it does in fact incisively accomplish at certain key points along the way. But the way in which it does this is just by laying out in a very compelling manner the doctrinal foundations and ethical implications of the gospel, and superimposing the modern teaching and practice of the church upon this carefully formulated paradigm. The end result is a product that is helpful on a variety of fronts – its contributions to ethical theory and Christian apologetics no less than its critique of contemporary confusion within the Western church. Continue Reading

In recent Reformed treatments of Covenant Theology, there have been several trajectories tending to emphasize ever more strongly the continuity between the Abrahamic, Sinaitic, and New covenants as different administrations of the Covenant of Grace, and correspondingly, to de-emphasize any discontinuities that may exist, particularly when it comes to the works-principle so evident in the giving of the Law, and in Paul’s treatment of the Mosaic administration. Examples include John Murray’s “monocovenantalism,” the New Perspective on Paul, and the Federal Vision, but the impact is wider than these examples might suggest, even to the extent that any suggestion within Reformed circles that Sinai entailed, in some sense, a republication of the Covenant of Works, is often met with stiff resistance and charges of Lutheran or (worse yet!) Dispensational influences. But does this widespread reaction against the teaching of republication have roots in historic Reformed thought? And more importantly, can it find support in the whole tenor of the Pentateuch and in the prophets and apostles who later interpreted it? According to the authors of The Law Is Not of Faith, the answer to that question is a resounding “No!”; and in support of that contention, they have mounted a redoubtable defense. This is stimulating, well-researched and exegetically-formidable writing, and at the same time it is very pertinent to many of the most hotly contended issues in Reformed theology today. I earnestly recommend it. Continue Reading

Regardless of one’s particular field of study, no education can be considered complete without a full-scale survey and competent analysis of the origins and historical progress of Western thought; and this is particularly true when it comes to Christians, who have both a message of truth that transcends human speculation and a ringing commission to proclaim that truth in this (post)modern world, which in far-reaching ways has been shaped in its ability and propensity to hear and understand by the historical flow of Western thought. The need for such a work as Revolutions in Worldview is therefore indisputable; and of all the available histories of philosophy and critiques of worldview, I would suggest that this is one of the best of its kind, for the following reasons: Continue Reading

The tenth of July, on this year of our Lord, 2009, will be a highly significant date for the reformed community, marking as it does the five hundredth birthday of John Calvin, the acclaimed Reformer of Geneva and author of one of the most enduring works ever penned, Institutes of the Christian Religion. As a sort of birthday present, editors David Hall and Peter Lillback have gathered together the insights of many competent scholars and teachers in the reformed tradition, to celebrate the occasion with A Theological Guide to Calvin’s Institutes, a volume marked by a variety of characteristics ranging from warm appreciation for Calvin the man to insightful and up-to-date contributions to the ongoing discussion of the Genevan Reformer in the plethora of secondary literature that has grown up around his legacy. If you desire to delve a little deeper into Calvin and his stunning contribution to Christianity and culture (and who should not so desire!), then what better occasion than his five-hundredth birthday, and what better way to make good upon your desire than a foray into this riveting volume? I found myself much benefitted by my own excursion into its pages, and I’m certain you will echo my own sentiments if you take the same journey. Continue Reading

To many people, the doctrines of grace are essentially just the five points of Calvinism, commonly remembered by the acronym “TULIP”; but in reality, the doctrine of God’s sovereign, reigning grace impacts every part of Christian doctrine and life. Few people give more evidence of having come to understand and delight in the far-reaching implications of this marvelous grace of God than eighteenth century Baptist Abraham Booth. When he first learned of the doctrines of grace, his life was transformed, and he was driven to write of the precious treasure he had encountered in the warm and compelling volume, The Reign of Grace. For both the dour, stodgy old Calvinist whose affections are quite out of keeping with his doctrine and the non-Calvinist who is suspicious either of the truth or the practical effects of Calvinism, this masterpiece of heart and mind would be a very salutary cordial. Continue Reading

The rich and prolific theological legacy of Jonathan Edwards is one of modern American Christianity’s greatest treasures, and interest in the great eighteenth century scholar and pastor is currently quite high. It is no surprise, then, that theologians of all persuasions have attempted to use Edwards to support their own points of view. What Augustine was to the sixteenth century doctrinal conflicts, Edwards has largely become to present day theological battles – everyone wants him on his side, and so all are quick to wrest bits and pieces of his vast output to the service of their own agendas. He has been touted as an inclusivist, essentially a Catholic, and a proto-neo-orthodox, among other things. But what did Edwards actually teach, what was the real heart of his theology? In The Infinite Merit of Christ, Craig Biehl has undertaken to let Edwards speak for himself on a topic that colors everything else in his theology; and the admirably-researched product is sure to lend a lot of sanity and clarity to the muddled state of modern Edwards scholarship. Continue Reading

When the apostle Paul speaks of his great sufferings, at the beginning of his second epistle to the Corinthians, he finds purpose in the realization that God is using them for the consolation of many other saints who are also deeply afflicted. If he had not been afflicted, the consolation of Christ could not have abounded to others. No matter how much truth he knew, it was the experience of sorrow that fitted him to put it to a practical use in binding up the sorrows of the saints. This basic truth – that God often brings his chosen saints through immense sorrows, in order to pour out his consolation through them to others who suffer – is more aptly expressed in the meditations of the nineteenth-century minister B. M. Palmer than any other modern work I’m aware of. Not just anyone, no matter how theologically astute or exegetical adept he may be, could have written this book. It took someone like Palmer, who suffered much but was enabled to triumph by grace. Through his deep afflictions, he has composed something weighty and enduring, that may prove to be of inestimable value to any suffering saint to whom nothing else has sufficed to lift the veil of sorrow from his battered heart. I am certain there are many Christians currently in that condition. I trust that God in his merciful providence may lead some of them to this book. Continue Reading

What is the primary purpose of the local church? What is the relationship between the church’s mission to make disciples in all the world and her responsibility to worship God? How do mission and worship relate to the gospel? What does a church in which the gospel is central look like in practical terms? Undoubtedly, the answers to these and similar questions should have a major effect on what we’re doing in our churches; but have we ever sat down and considered them as honestly and scripturally as possible? Do we really know how much of our practice is driven by a priority of the gospel and how much is peripheral or unnecessary tradition that may or may not have a legitimate and helpful place? The Gospel-Centred Church, by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, may not answer these questions, but it at least gets the conversation started. And this particular conversation is one that we very much need to have, as we strategize and mull over how to go about finishing the last commission with which our Savior left us, to call out and equip worshipers from every people group under heaven. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The question of the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the Old Testament saints is a difficult and complicated one, which has received a variety of different answers from within the Reformed community. In God’s Indwelling Presence, James M. Hamilton, Jr. undertakes to trace out a biblical theology from the whole testimony of the scriptures, but most particularly the Gospel of John, in order to discover a biblically-consistent testimony regarding Old Testament pneumatology; the result is a thorough, up-to-date, and compelling case for a position which may be surprising to some, but in support of which Hamilton has laid out some very compelling evidence. All in all, this is a very insightful and engaging work, and deserves a reading far beyond the borders of the scholarly community. Continue Reading

It’s an age-old problem: teenagers who are rebellious, angry, unmotivated, acting out, and in desperate need of the truth; but when anyone confronts them with the truth, they will not listen. They see the parent or counselor as hypocritical, judgmental, disconnected, totally unable to understand them or their problems. It’s as if they are speaking different languages. How can a parent or counselor get beyond this impasse, and speak to teenagers in a way that will command their respect and willingness to listen to what they have to say? In Get Outta My Face, Rick Horne addresses this question with a good dose of common sense, practical wisdom, and the insight that comes from years of experience. Continue Reading

In the Christian life, progress is ultimately made through learning. We do not become better Christians by pursuing good works which are divorced from an increasing understanding of God; but rather, our good works increase, by the power of the Spirit, as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why, as we seek to grow in grace and to disciple other believers, especially those who are new to the faith, it is of first concern that we strive to do so by pursuing a biblical understanding of who God is, and how he relates to man. The One True God, by Paul Washer, puts feet to that concept. It is perhaps the best basic disciple-making tool on the doctrine of God that I have come across, and will be one of my first recommendations to new believers. Because of the following three characteristics, in particular, I find this workbook highly commendable: Continue Reading

From the first days of the Protestant Reformation, when the reformers began studying the scriptures for the essential signs of a true church, the most fundamental of the signs was only this: the true preaching of the word. In fact, according to Luther, “Even if there were no other sign than this alone, it would still suffice to prove that a Christian, holy people must exist there, for God’s Word cannot be without God’s people and, conversely, God’s people cannot be without God’s Word” (quoted on the first page of Feed My Sheep). In other words, the preaching of the bible is central, foundational, and vital to the functioning of any local church. But in modern American Evangelicalism, there is a staggering deficiency in this area. The place of preaching is often marginalized, and the character of preaching is frequently lackluster and inadequate. Because of these two things, the need for a passionate plea for preaching, from faithful pastors who passionately preach, is desperate. This new edition of Feed My Sheep could not come at a more opportune time. It delivers a message that is eminently needed. Continue Reading

Synopsis: By now, many of us are familiar with the slogan so often trumpeted by Jerry Bridges (as well as others), that we should “preach the gospel to ourselves everyday”. But what is the gospel, exactly, that it should be able to stand up under the weight of this life-encompassing dictate? Surely, after enough time has lapsed, this will become dull and redundant, right? Surely, in all of life’s multifarious exigencies, some problem will arise that requires some other answer, some more practical solution, will it not? Perhaps, if this is our perspective, it is because we have a reductionistic understanding of what the gospel is, and all the benefits it entails. And if this is the case, then Jerry Bridges’ book, The Gospel for Real Life, will prove a valuable resource for working through just what the gospel is, and what it means for everyday life. Continue Reading

Synopsis: There are very few doctrines, if any, that are more central to the distinction between true Christianity and false religion than the doctrine of the new birth, or regeneration. When a very religious Nicodemus sought Jesus out by night, it was the doctrine of the new birth that proved him an unbeliever, still dead in his sins. When the gnostic heretics were filling the church with confusion in John’s day, it was the doctrine of the new birth, over and over again, that he used to distinguish true believers from false imposters. And so today, if we would learn what it really is to be a Christian – what distinguishes a true Christian from a merely religious person, how a person becomes a true Christian, what true Christianity looks like in a person’s everyday life – it must be the biblical teaching on the doctrine of regeneration that informs our understanding. John Piper’s new book, Finally Alive, is a lucid and compelling study of this vital doctrine. Argued adroitly from a wide range of scriptural passages, and applied poignantly and appropriately to the state of the Church in modern America, Finally Alive cannot fail to have a dramatic impact on our understanding of what a Christian really is, how we can examine our own hearts to discern if we are truly in the faith, and how we can labor more passionately and effectively for the gospel-accomplishment of regeneration in the hearts of those all around us and across the world who are still dead in trespasses and sins. This is not just first-rate exegesis – it is convicting, practical, exhortational material. Highly recommended! Continue Reading

Synopsis: It is a universal truth without exception that everyone’s lot in life, since the fall of Adam, is marked at times with certain crooks, whether imperfections, afflictions, relational discords, and so on, under which one chafes and groans, and cries out for relief. But where is God in these times, and why does he allow such evils and adversities to occur? Employing the full counsel of scripture, Thomas Boston gives a very compelling and comforting explanation: all the crooks in our lot come ultimately from God’s own hand – and they are not meaningless, arbitrary, or meant for our destruction, but rather employed for our eternal profit, and a necessary means to the glorious end of our being lifted up in God’s due time. When we understand God’s design in our trials, and the means he would have us make use of in conforming our hearts to his desire and hoping faithfully for his sure and soon relief, we may put to the proof the apostle’s admonition to consider it pure joy when we come into the temptation of the various crooks he has placed in our lot. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The doctrine of sin is a doctrine that pervades every part of the bible from Genesis to Revelation, and helps to shape and define every other aspect of biblical teaching. Without an understanding of the utter sinfulness of sin, redemption is not so great, grace is not so mighty, salvation is not so sweet, the work of the God-man is not so powerful. The need for an exhaustive treatment on the biblical teaching of the horrific extent of sin is, therefore, an eminently needful and salutary thing; and thankfully, that need has already been admirably fulfilled in Ralph Venning’s classic work, The Sinfulness of Sin. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Today’s Christianity is in the midst of a great conflict: modernity versus postmodernity, liberals versus conservatives, Emergents who emphasize living like Jesus versus Evangelicals who emphasize believing in Jesus; and in the heat of the conflict, each side tends to push the other to further extremes. But is there another way forward, a way that refuses to polarize the complementary spheres of orthodoxy and orthopraxy? Michael Wittmer suggests that there is; and while he would call on modern, conservative Evangelicals to prove their faith by their works, the primary thrust of his message is to the growing community of postmodern Emergents, who have made doubt the new Christian conviction. To them, he addresses the appeal in the title of his book, Don’t Stop Believing! Continue Reading

Synopsis: There has always been doctrinal conflict in the Church, as Kenneth Talbot points out in his foreword to Gentry’s defense of predestination; but in modern times, no controversy has been as widespread or as heated as the controversy over the doctrine of predestination. So why enter into a discussion that is certain to spark disagreement and dissension? Would it not be better just to overlook differences, and find unity in common ground? Dr. Gentry has presented a compelling case that even though – or perhaps because – the doctrine of predestination is so controversial, it is nevertheless a vital subject to broach, if for no other reason than that, the bible has much to say on the topic, and one’s understanding of it will deeply affect his view of the character of God and the nature of his salvation. Not only has Gentry provided a compelling survey of the biblical testimony to predestination, he has also given compelling and practical reasons to spend the necessary time and energy to study and defend these deep and intricate truths. For anyone seeking a straightforward, non-abrasive explanation of both the what and the why of biblical predestination, for himself or others, this will certainly prove to be a resource of tremendous value. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Few preachers in the history of the Church have had as profound and lasting an impact as Charles Haddon Spurgeon, whose ministry in the Metropolitan Tabernacle was characterized by an amazing output in a vast array of ministries, and a worldwide influence for the cause of Christ. For this reason, perhaps, few lives have been as frequently recorded in biographies and as often used for exemplary inspiration as his. In Miller’s book, which is not quite a biography and not quite a collection of themed quotations, but displays a little of both, the reader is introduced in a very manageable way, not just to Spurgeon, but to the very heart of the great preacher, and to his thoroughly Christ-centered and Spirit-dependent philosophy of ministry, largely in his own words. For anyone aspiring to the sacred call of the ministry, or for that matter, any believer at all whose heart-cry is simply not to waste his life, this book will be instructive and inspiring reading, everywhere suffused with the godly wisdom that came from a heart that rested always on Jesus alone, and strove always for the greater display of his matchless glory. Continue Reading

Synopsis: In Lord and Servant, Michael Horton has argued, meticulously and adroitly, that a truly biblical christology cannot be got at except through the lens of a strictly biblical covenant theology. What it is to be God cannot finally be arrived at through the metaphysical and ontological categories of the philosophers, for God will ultimately be known only as he reveals himself through his mighty saving acts as the Lord of the Covenant. What it is to be man, in the image of God, can only be apprehended through the ethical and relational parameters of covenant responsibility. Hence, the covenant is necessarily the locus in which we meet Christ, at once the Lord and Servant of the covenant, who both reveals the nature of the covenant God and brings man to his intended position as the ruling representative of God on earth. Irenic in tone, academic in presentation, and engaging a wide spectrum of opposing viewpoints, this work is sure to be a conservative standard for all who would stay up-to-date on the contemporary conversation about the person of Christ and the nature and design of the atonement. Continue Reading

Synopsis: As many bible handbooks, surveys, and overviews as are already in print, a reader may glance at the non-descript title Bible Overview, groan, and wonder, “Why another one?”. Such at least was my initial reaction; but it took only a few pages for me to realize that this is a different kind of bible overview, which fills an urgent need, and which I cannot recommend highly enough. It’s a simple enough book, really: easy-to-follow, down-to-earth writing, peppered with homey illustrations and straightforward explanations; but what it says is so certainly true, so earth-shatteringly important, and yet sadly, so often overlooked today, that it has a value which far outweighs its unacademic presentation. This is a book written for ordinary, unknowledgeable Christians, to help them see the whole point of the scriptures in spite of their lack of acquaintance with the outlandish and inexplicable customs and cultures of their original settings; but it should also be read by scholars and theologians who likewise miss the whole point of the scriptures even in the midst of all their erudite research into those same difficult questions. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Although the ancient psalmists of Israel were holy men of God, who wrote by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they were also deeply human, and were not above honestly describing their struggles and temptations, as well as the truths they discovered and the hopes that they clung to, in order to find victory at last in the grip of a sovereign and merciful God. In Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ masterful study of Psalm 73, this truth comes to the fore; and what worked for the psalmist is painstakingly distilled and analyzed, and put into a modern context, where Lloyd-Jones is certain that it will work for readers today, who face the same overwhelming problems of perplexity and despair in suffering. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, by common attestation, was a skilled physician of the body; but in this work, the reader will encounter indisputable truth that he was also a physician of the soul, whose skill to apply sure remedies to deeply hurting souls is perhaps unrivaled in today’s world. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Nearly five hundred years after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, Reformed theology and piety continue to have a worldwide impact on the Church; but how many Christians who consider themselves to be heirs of the Reformation have drifted from an understanding of what its central and distinguishing doctrines have always been? In his comprehensive and hugely helpful survey, Peter Golding argues that the key of theology in Reformed thought and tradition – the essential genius of the vastly diverse and yet fundamentally unified phenomenon known as the Reformation – is simply Covenant Theology. For a generation of Protestants who have lost their roots and are adrift in the sea of nebulous contemporary Evangelicalism, this book cannot be too highly recommended. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Just about everyone is familiar with the story of the prodigal son, perhaps the most well-known parable of Jesus. Many have found comfort in its moral of the free forgiveness available to repentant prodigals, who have consumed their lives with dissipate living. But is that the whole point of the story? Keller would argue that Jesus’ parable is more properly the tale of two lost sons, and the prodigal grace of a loving father, who is willing to invite both the infamous scoundrel and the straight-laced prig to his feast of joy. And when the story is understood that way, it just might change one’s whole perception of true Christianity. Continue Reading