Psalm 45 Publications

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

Synopsis: If we are being honest, we will have to admit that every one of us, in a hundred different ways and for a thousand different reasons, has been guilty of murmuring “It’s not fair!” when things don’t go as we would like them to. So how do we respond when we, or others who come to us for counsel, are in such a state of despair? In his simple, compassionate, and eminently biblical way, Wayne Mack drives home the point that our only pathway to hope, when times are tough, is in apprehending the character of the just and sovereign God as he has revealed himself in the scriptures. “It’s Not Fair!” is a gem of a book, that meets people where they are at, but doesn’t leave them there; it takes them to the God who changes sinful hearts, and brings healing and praise out of very real and very painful tragedy. Continue Reading

In the introduction to his booklet in the “Basics of the Reformed Faith” series, entitled What is Biblical Preaching?, Eric J. Alexander confesses that he has “the deepest possible conviction about, and a God-given burden for, the centrality of biblical preaching in the church today”. This conviction of the importance of biblical preaching is directly tied to his understanding of the nature of biblical preaching; and his understanding of the nature of biblical preaching is based on the foundational doctrine of the utter pre-eminence of God, and the unique position that His very word has in the life of his people. If more Christians recognized, with Alexander, just what is true biblical preaching, perhaps more Christians would agree with him on its utter centrality in the church. Continue Reading

Synopsis: In twenty-first century America, young men are in more need than ever of mature, godly wisdom and counsel to instruct them as they set out on their daunting task of living as genuine Christians in a deceptive and ungodly world. But unfortunately, when young men are in the direst straits, it seems as if wise fathers, who will guide them through the daunting world of false philosophies and lying pleasures stretched out before them, are in scarce demand. Recognizing this dilemma, Douglas Bond has undertaken to write a book that shows how advantageous and necessary it is, “in a broken world,” for fathers to speak sensibly and biblically on every issue from work ethics to cultural engagement, and for sons to heed their wisdom and fight against sin with the strength of youth. God grant that both generations, by his power and grace, may continue to hold fast when all the world is falling apart. Continue Reading

Synopsis: By all appearances, Reformed Christianity is in a heyday of growth and fervor; but how well-rooted in the historic Reformation, with its prolific confessions and deliberate piety, is the modern Reformed resurgence among younger Evangelicals? R. Scott Clark would argue that it has more to do with bare predestinarianism than with the full-orbed Reformed life of the past; and in making his case, he demonstrates a competent understanding both of the past and the present, and is not at all hesitant to prescribe very specific steps towards true reformation. Whether one should finally agree or disagree with all of Clark’s prescriptions is a little beside the point: in any case, he has accurately described a troubling trend, and he has been bold enough to suggest a remedy. He has brought the issues to the table, and shown that they demand a response. May the discussion that his work stimulates assist the Reformed community, in the spirit of their forebears, to be semper reformanda – always reforming. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The Courage to Be Protestant, by David F. Wells, is a hard-hitting, no-punches-pulled denunciation of the vast twenty-first century American empire of Evangelicalism which, for all its outward success and vibrancy, is inwardly rotten and spiritually dead. In all the movements and programs, mega-churches and sparkling personalities, the one thing that has largely been lost is the truth. For anyone willing to consider where we are as a (post)modern church in a (post)modern nation, and hoping to find a way forward, this is a must-read. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Dealing with the two major aspects of man’s sin problem before God – objective guilt and moral corruption – and the two major aspects of the redemptive work of Christ that overcome these problems, Justification and Regeneration, by Charles Leiter, is a book that explains in clear, simple, and eminently biblical terms the very heart of the gospel. Its value can scarcely be overestimated, in a day when the true gospel has been all but forgotten in much of Evangelicalism, and many believers struggle to live a truly Christian life in spite of widespread confusion and ignorance as to what constitutes the foundation of Christianity. To anyone who may be discouraged by a seeming lack of progress and real substance in his walk as a believer, in spite of a ready familiarity with all the emphases and strategems of American Evangelicalism, I enthusiastically say, “Read this book!”. It may be the most important book you read this year or for many years. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Set in suburban, twenty-first century America, and yet ambitiously covering all of history in its scope, Grandpa’s Box, by Starr Meade, is a book that speaks to children from a venue that they understand, and tells them what they most urgently need to hear. This is, as the subtitle suggests, simply a retelling of the biblical story; which only means that there is nothing new or innovative in the essential content of its message, just in the mode of its delivery. It is nothing but the overarching storyline of the bible, put into simple and coherent terms, and given a context which emphasizes its all-encompassing importance for covenant children today. In short, it not only tells the story of the bible to the children of the church: it makes them a part of that story as well. Continue Reading

Synopsis: “Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules….Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes…”, begins Sally Lloyd Jones, in The Jesus Storybook Bible; “but the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing,” she continues: “It’s about God and what he has done”. This refreshing God-centeredness continues throughout the book. To Sally Lloyd-Jones, the bible is not primarily a book full of stories which contain moral lessons or instructions to follow (although it does contain those as well); it is a book about a Hero who leaves everything and does something unthinkable, to rescue those whom he loves. And while the Bible does in fact have many stories to tell, they can never be understood until this Hero is seen. Because, when you really have the ears to hear, “every Story in the Bible whispers his name”. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The Big Picture Story Bible, written by a gifted story-teller with an uncanny insight into childhood imagination, and illustrated by a talented child-at-heart, is for all its simplicity a rock-solid explanation of the big-picture message of the bible: the gospel story of Jesus Christ, promised and prepared for in the Old Testament, fulfilling all the promises in a spectacular and unexpected fashion in the New Testament, and culminating in unimaginable glory in the very good ending of the apostle John’s Revelation. Any parent who wants to bring up his children, not in moralism or fragmented lessons, but in the big-picture story of the bible, would do well to invest in this compellingly-wrought re-telling of the greatest news ever heard. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The discussion between dispensationalists, covenant theologians, and others on the wide spectrum in between, has been as energetic and voluminous as just about any other major theological controversy of this generation; and yet much of the time it seems that the two opposing parties are speaking past each other, and that the most watertight arguments one might lay out against the other system are shrugged off with ease. In Understanding Dispensationalists, Vern Poythress addresses the problems that arise when argumentation and exegesis from an outside perspective are brought to bear on a basically self-contained hermeneutic. In a perceptive and disarming manner, Poythress illuminates the misunderstandings of the past and points the way forward, in the belief that, when dispensationalists and covenant theologians can actually listen to each other, there is much progress to be made. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Although the book of Leviticus contains the foundational set of instructions – civil, ceremonial, and moral – for the entire Old Testament economy, and although it is an absolutely necessary backdrop for understanding the significance of the work of Christ (and hence it is likewise foundational for the entire New Testament economy); yet it remains one of the most obscure and little-understood portions of the entire bible. There is no doubt, therefore, that a great many Christians would profit most wholesomely from having “the book of Leviticus simply explained”. This is just what Philip H. Eveson’s proposes to do in his commentary, The Beauty of Holiness; and I am pleased to say, that he has in fact succeeded in doing so quite admirably. Continue Reading

Synopsis: “No One…”: When Jesus Says it, He Means it, is a clear and helpful little book that occupies a unique place in a world of postmodern uncertainty and academic elitism. In a simple, unadorned, and yet heartfelt style, J.D. Wetterling gives a concise presentation of a handful of truths that are both rock-solid in a world full of shifting-sand epistemologies, and practically applicational for a people that have been left without moorings by the prevailing popular opinions which decry all absolutes. Throughout its length, this book is characterized by that rare combination of diverse qualities which was most perfectly expressed in our Savior: a no-nonsense affirmation of absolute truth together with a true compassion for those who have been deceived. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The American Puritan Jonathan Edwards is well known for his keen insight into theological matters, his brilliant rational mind and the logical precision with which he explores every question he encounters in the text of scripture, and the flame of soul-deep passion and ardor which those minute biblical explorations fuel. These characteristics are seen nowhere more clearly than when he is speaking of the person and work of Christ. To Edwards, the beautiful mystery of Jesus Christ is the only illimitable and eternal source of heart-thrilling meditation and worship. And when so gifted a theologian and so passionate a Christ-lover as Jonathan Edwards turns the fire of his heart and the brilliance of his mind to the subject of the glory and excellency of Jesus, the result is a profound celebration of joy and an exhilarating foretaste of the very blessedness of heaven. Altogether Lovely, from the pen of America’s most exact thinker and heavenly-minded theologian, is a rich, rich book. If it cannot stir your heart to rejoice in the Savior, then your heart must be utterly dead indeed! Continue Reading

Synopsis: As unpleasant and heart-wrenching as controversy in the Church might be, it may nevertheless be put to very useful ends, when handled appropriately. The new ideas that become the subject of scrutiny may have some elements of truth by which to nuance more accurately the old, beloved doctrines. The refutation of all which rings false in those new ideas calls for new arguments and a more involved and minute understanding of the doctrines under question. In either case, the end result is that the truth is understood more clearly, provided the controversy is approached with the wisdom and Christian grace and sobriety that ought to characterize the leaders of the Church. Polemical works which reflect these qualities (rare as they may be!) are an indispensable help in addressing the contemporary needs of the Church. The Future of Justification, by John Piper, is one of those works – clear-minded, fair, gracious, and sober – which turns a controversy into an opportunity for growth. It is all but indispensable for the pastor or Christian leader who would be up to date on the current issues within Christianity. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Walter Marshall’s classic seventeenth-century treatment of the doctrine of sanctification lays out in clear and simple terms the means by which a Christian might be enabled to grow in holiness. His basic proposition may seem foreign to many modern believers, who are desperately striving to produce in themselves the fruits of obedience, and so guarantee God’s continuing favor. But it is as scriptural as it is refreshing: sanctification, just like justification, is God’s free gift of grace, and can be apprehended only through the faith which looks to Christ and his perfect work. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Written in the mid-nineteenth century and recently made available again as a facsimile reprint, God Sovereign and Man Free sets forth an irrefutable defense of the scriptural doctrines of divine foreordination and election. Its balance of positive scriptural proofs, rebuttals of philosophical Arminian objections, and practical applications make it useful for any believer who is seeking to understand the biblical teaching on divine sovereignty and human responsibility, regardless of his primary motivation. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The Marrow of Theology, by William Ames, is a comprehensive and minutely-reasoned dogmatic theology of the Puritan worldview. In its own time, it was commended by such Puritans as Thomas Hooker and Increase Mather as the only book outside the bible needed for making one a sound theologian. And today, there may be no other single volume which will give as broad and insightful an understanding of Puritan theology as this. Continue Reading

Synopsis: God of Promise, by Michael Horton, is a lucid summary and defense of that traditional understanding of Covenant Theology which has its roots in the first Federal Theologians of the Reformation; and which has been defended and developed, more recently, by such scholars as Louis Berkhof and Meredith Kline. Both as a condensation of a vast body of Reformed writings, and a modern defense of the same, it is perhaps unequalled among one-volume introductions to that vital skeletal framework of all biblical revelation, Covenant Theology. Continue Reading

Synopsis: All too often, the absolute, all-encompassing sovereignty of God is seen as one of those distant doctrines, which have little impact on the day-to-day life of an average Christian. But on the contrary, as Frederick Leahy demonstrates, there are few, if any, scriptural doctrines that have more to do with every aspect of the believer’s life on this earth. This is not just doctrine – it is doctrine that teaches us how to walk, how to trust, how to view every struggle in our lives. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The Heavenly Footman, which comes from the pen of the man who gave us the most beloved allegory of all times, is a striking testimony to the richly varied and always impactful body of writings left for us by the Puritan John Bunyan. The book is basically an extended sermon on I Corinthians 9:24-26 – and, as befitting an exceptional sermon, it displays a keen, insightful exegetical competency, combined with a passionately heartfelt exhortation for all of us to “run so as to obtain.” Continue Reading

Synopsis: Such diverse literary phenomena as the findings of the “Jesus Seminar” and the popular novels of Dan Brown have in common that they are willing to go to any necessary lengths in order to make their pre-conceived ideas seem plausible. The careful scholars behind Reinventing Jesus, an easy-to-read and historically-insightful critique of such recent phenomena, tellingly document the intellectual dishonesty and prejudiced misinterpretations which underlie all of these modern attacks on the historical Jesus. Here is a harmless proposition: let everyone who is considering a revised understanding of the historical figure of Jesus, on the basis of the speculations of authors like Dan Brown, withhold judgment until giving this irenic analysis an honest consideration. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The doctrine of sanctification is at the very heart of the gospel message; for it answers the mysterious and all-important question, “How can an impure sinner approach a holy God?”. It is also among the most difficult doctrines to study exhaustively, due to the hundreds of passages which speak to the topic, in a myriad of diversely complementary ways. Few persons have unraveled the threads in as comprehensive and practical a way as A.W. Pink. The Doctrine of Sanctification is highly recommended to anyone passionate about pursuing a life of true holiness! Continue Reading

Synopsis: Thomas Boston, a Scottish Puritan of the eighteenth century, produced at the beginning of his ministry what was to become a classic expression of the Puritan, and indeed the Reformed, attitude towards evangelism. Today we know this passionate and soul-searching meditation as The Art of Manfishing. Anyone who has ever been brought to despair by the lack of success attending his ministry, or the dullness of heart which he often finds seeping into his soul, would find much balm in these weighty words, written by one who truly feels that of which he speaks; and who knows, moreover, where the healing and hope is to be found. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Gnosticism – Montanism – Arianism – Pelagianism – what do all of these big words mean, and how do they apply to us today? James McGoldrick, in his helpful historical analysis, Christianity and Its Competitors, explains in understandable terms all of these old heterodox philosophies, and how they are still alive and vibrant today. This volume is an insightful look into the origins and legacies of some of the most destructive heresies in Christian history. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The Lamb of God, by Robert Reymond, is an admirable attempt, everywhere edifying, to trace, not the thread, but the “thick cable” which runs from Genesis to Revelation, and binds together all of scriptures in one unified story. Reymond’s well-supported conclusion is that the Lamb-work of Christ is that thick cable; and that the scriptures are nothing but an ever-increasing unveiling of this Lamb-work in all of its rich significance. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Paul: An Outline of His Theology is perhaps the most comprehensive evangelical introduction to the theology of the Pauline epistles available today. Herman Ridderbos is an outstanding and meticulous scholar who fairly engages conflicting viewpoints, and consistently appeals to the careful exegesis of scriptures as the final authority in any dispute. But his primary intention is not polemical; it is nothing less than a detailed and systematized enquiry into the doctrine of Paul the Apostle, as preserved for us in the letters of scripture. This is a rich and thought-provoking read. Continue Reading

Synopsis: Among Reformed Christians, there are few figures as respected as John Calvin, and few theological systems as revered as federal theology. Hence, it is not surprising that the question of Calvin’s influence on the development of federal theology has received considerable attention. In this extensive analysis of the covenant in Calvin’s thought, Peter A. Lillback interacts with a multitude of contradictory perspectives, and gives a compelling case for his argument that Calvin was indeed highly influential in developing an extensive, albeit at times inchoate, covenant theology. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The recent attack on the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to the sinner, by those who espouse a “New Perspective” on Paul’s doctrine of justification, demands of the Christian a solid grounding in the biblical witness of Christ, who is revealed to us in Jeremiah’s prophecy as “the Lord our righteousness”. This timely reprint of Obadiah Grew’s classic treatment is a most welcome contribution to that end. Continue Reading

Synopsis: The books of the Pentateuch are among the most foundational for understanding the message and significance of the biblical story. They are also among the least understood. A clear, in-depth, and Christ-centered introduction to these books is, therefore, a pressing need. And The Shadow of Christ in the Law of Moses is admirably suited to fill that need. Continue Reading

Synopsis: John Owen’s Biblical Theology is unique in that, in a very real sense, it stands at the head of the modern biblical-theological method of studying the scriptures. The comprehensiveness with which it treats of natural and special revelation, combined with the eminently practical exhortations with which it concludes, makes it well worth reading, not just by virtue of its unique place in history, but in its own right. Continue Reading

A Biblical Theology of Christian Mission

Synopsis: The outstanding popularity of the Left Behind novels (and other eschatological fiction), and the widespread acceptance of an impending “secret rapture” of the Church, after which will transpire seven years of tribulation, have combined to make the book of Revelation an intricate schematic in which all but the most gifted scholar will lose his way. Poythress’s invitingly simple introduction to the last book of the New Testament dispels the myth that one must be brainy scholar to follow its progression, and offers encouragement to all who would benefit by its comfortingly Christ-centered teachings. Continue Reading

Synopsis: A thorough grounding in biblical theology is among the most pressing needs of Evangelicals today; and Vos’s work is still the standard modern treatment of the discipline. The reader will come away fully equipped to refute the liberal theories of the history of religion, and thoroughly grounded in the biblical account of redemptive history – a must for the discerning Christian’s bookshelf! Continue Reading

In a day in which it is common to find the bible employed to argue for every conceivable philosophy, ideal, and theology, D. A. Carson’s Exegetical Fallacies is an indispensable resource. Building on the foundation that, because the Bible is the very word of God, it is of utmost importance that we handle it carefully and accurately; and acknowledging that all of us are susceptible to misinterpreting scriptures in our reading, studying, and preaching, Carson lays out in systematic fashion the most common ways in which the bible is misinterpreted, in an eminently useful effort to help us safeguard ourselves against a variety of errors which are as serious in their import as they are easy to stumble into. The ability to detect and avoid exegetical fallacies, which the reader will no doubt come away with, is in greater need today, when Christian writings and resources have proliferated to an unprecedented degree, than at any other point in redemptive history. Continue Reading

Two underlying presuppositions of Ridderbos’ monumental work, first, that the actions and teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the synoptic gospels, comprise the sum and substance of redemptive revelation; and second, that the coming of the Kingdom of God is both the central event of redemption and the central theme of Christ’s teaching; serve to establish The Coming of the Kingdom as an indispensable reference for every student of the bible. The life of Christ, what he said and what he did, is one and the same thing as the message of God’s great redemptive work; and therefore, every Christian would do well to be firmly grounded in the message of the synoptic gospels. And there is perhaps no work extant which is more valuable in laying a firm foundation for understanding the message of the gospels than this. Continue Reading

The Five Most Impacting Books I Have Read (Excluding the Bible)

Well, I spent most of my day off continuing my read through Reymond’s systematic. I was so thoroughly enjoying it, that by the end of the day I just had to dash off a quick book review recommending it to all the ReformationTheology readers. If you don’t have it, sell your car and buy it. Then quit your job and read it. Well maybe you don’t have to be quite that drastic — but it really is worth a good perusal.

A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith by Robert Reymond