Be Killing Sin

Endorsements

“Be Killing Sin is a heart-penetrating read and profitable for both new and seasoned believers who sincerely desire to be exhorted regarding the danger of personal sin and educated in the biblical means of defeating sin in their lives. I highly recommend Dr. Steele’s uncompromising and practical book on this much-needed topic!”

STEVE BALVANZ, Senior Pastor, Spring Creek Bible Church

“I was discipled as a young Christian under the ministry of David Steele. For years, I witnessed his life and sat under his faithful preaching and teaching. I know no man who is more well-read, self-disciplined, or biblically and theologically astute. For decades, one of Pastor Dave’s specialties has been apologetics and engagement with cultural issues, teaching followers of Jesus to be discerning, “think Christianly,” and live for the glory of God in all that they do. So, what you’ll receive in Be Killing Sin is guidance that is as biblically grounded as it gets, and which speaks practically to the issues of sin in our culture and in our hearts. If you need help in the fight against sin (and we all do), take up and read!”

– BROCK EWING, Senior Pastor, Homestead Country Gathering, La Grande, OR

“Dr. David Steele’s book, Be Killing Sin, is an excellent reminder of how every believer ought to live the Christian life on a daily basis. Pastor David provides a strategic blueprint for “fighting the good fight of faith,” while standing against the world, the flesh, and the devil with God’s armor in place. In addition to the clear biblical teaching that permeates this book, David also provides a treasure chest of valuable quotes, references, and biblical truths that you will want to access time and again. I highly recommend that you add this book to your library and read it repeatedly to fortify your soul against the temptations and struggles we all have with sin.”

– BRUCE PARKER, Pastor Emeritus, Faith Bible Church, Hood River, OR

“If you talk about sin in our day, you might get some interesting stares from people, even in the Church. Even in the Church today, a large segment thinks sin is a dirty word, and they believe that perhaps we should do away with it. The only problem is if you do away with sin or even talk about it, you do away with the reason Christ came, bled, died, and rose again. If you minimize sin, you minimize the glory of the grace of God. If you live however you want, you minimize the glory of Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit who resides in every Christian. If you think you can live however you want or that there are no differences between a man and a woman, you undermine the clear teaching of Scripture. Understanding sin in our day is vital to rightly understand the prescribed medicine in the finished and sufficient work of the Lord Jesus. A surgeon doesn’t deal only with some of the symptoms; he aims to get to the heart of the problem and deal with the issue so the patient is helped and can recover appropriately. With the skill of a surgeon, from the hand of a seasoned pastor- teacher of God’s Word, and the mind of a scholar, David Steele has gifted the Church with a magnificent and needed book in Be Killing Sin: The Art of War on the Battlefield of Faith. Whether you think sin is a “little matter” or a grave matter, this book is needed in a day that devalues sin and focuses on psychological aspects of our humanity, which causes us to look first to ourselves, or worse, to find a cure that isn’t possible outside of Christ. Wherever you are on that spectrum, I encourage you to read this book, to be taught from Scripture about sin, the glory of Christ, and how putting on Christ in all of life is not some part of the Christian life; it is the whole of the Christian life because of our union with Christ.

– DAVE JENKINS, Executive Director, Servants of Grace Ministries, Executive Director, Theology for Life Magazine, Host, Equipping You in Grace, Author, The Word Explored and the Word Matters

Available now on Amazon.com

The Sin of Cynicism

The church is far from perfect. A quick look reveals that imperfect people sin against each other in the church. Pastors betray people. People slander their leaders. The sins of gossip, pride, and adultery are more common than we care to admit. Sins of words wound weary people. Sexual sin destroys families and brings shame to the body of Christ. The cycle seems endless, like a slow drip that never ends. Drip, drip, drip.

The Description of Cynicism

The ripple effects of sin have consequences that involve people both on an individual and corporate level. One of those consequences is cynicism, a disposition marked by a distrust of people, which leads to a pessimistic and gloomy attitude toward life. Such an attitude may target people or the institutions they serve. Cynicism is not merely a negative attitude; it is linked to a disposition that affects people and their approach to life and ministry.

Cynicism is a wholesale “distrust of others’ motives, a belief that people are primarily driven by self-interest, greed, or dishonesty, leading to a pessimistic view that humanity’s professed ideals are false.” Of course, cynicism comes in varying degrees. But when cynicism takes root in our hearts, it will affect how we live the Christian life. We will become less grateful, less joyful, and increasingly skeptical. Ouch! If this description sounds a lot like you, get in line. It has become part of the warp and woof of our culture. However, my primary concern is how cynicism rears its ugly head within the church.

Cynicism has a stranglehold on the church. The seeds of cynicism begin when people we trust fall into sin. One of the Christian leaders who greatly impacted my life succumbed to sexual immorality and was removed from his preaching post. His sin forced him to tender his resignation at his church, the seminary he served at, and the ministry he founded. Looking back, I’ve lost count of the number of pastors and professors who have committed disqualifying sins. My heroes disappointed me. My heart has been crushed many times. But I am reminded, except for the grace of God, there go I.

When Christian leaders are exposed, discredited, and disqualified from ministry because of sin, cynicism’s seeds can germinate rapidly and make the unsuspecting victim fall prey to its hideous designs. Negativity and skepticism replace God-centered faith when cynicism blooms in the heart.

The Diagnosis of Cynicism

Diagnosing cynicism is challenging, to be sure. How can we tell if cynicism has taken root, and how can we avoid it? Several diagnostic questions will help monitor our propensity to grow cynical:

  • Am I growing increasingly cold toward other people?
  • Is my trust in church leadership declining?
  • Do I find my attitude growing darker and more pessimistic?
  • Is my love for ministry wavering?
  • Am I ungrateful?
  • Do I struggle to believe people?
  • Do I struggle to believe the best about people or a given situation?
  • Do I struggle with giving people the benefit of the doubt?
  • Am I always waiting for “the other shoe to drop?”
  • Do I have difficulty trusting people?
  • Is my confidence in the local church waning?
  • Has my attitude impacted my involvement in ministry?

These diagnostic questions will help address what is primarily a heart issue. When people disappoint us and the church misses the mark, we have a tendency to become cynical.

There is a predictable pattern that takes place in our hearts, a trajectory, if you will, that involves cynicism. It begins when someone disappoints us or sins against us. They might lie to us, lie about us, betray us, or sin against us in some way. It might be a sin that is personally experienced, or it may be a sin that someone commits whom we have never even met.

The Dangers of Cynicism

When someone sins (either directly or indirectly), if we don’t process the pain of that transgression through the lens of the cross, we will slowly move down a path of doubt, bitterness, skepticism, mistrust, and anger. Cynicism may start small, but if left unchecked, it will grow incrementally, leaving us paralyzed and ineffective.

Without the cross of Christ, we are all destined to walk down a cynical path. The dangers of succumbing to cynicism are serious, indeed. For the cynic will eventually lose all trust in people and find themselves in a posture of seclusion and self-righteousness. You might reason:

  • “I paid my dues, and this is what I get in return?”
  • “I have served God faithfully, and the people around me couldn’t care less.”
  • “I have sacrificed for the Lord and received so little in return.”

Notice the common theme in the above responses, namely, self-focus. Each of these responses reflects a growing cynicism that takes root in our hearts. When the sin of other people affects us directly, we have a tendency to turn inward and ultimately walk away from the command to love our neighbors (Matt. 22:39). We reach a point where the hurt is too great to engage anymore. Generosity is minimized. Spiritual gifts are underutilized. Motivation is stunted. Eventually, ministry comes to a screeching halt – all because we’ve turned inward, which is a polite way of acknowledging that we have succumbed to the sin of pride and selfishness. We have allowed cynicism to rule our hearts.

The more glaring problem with cynicism, which takes place deep in our hearts, has to do with God. Cynicism at its root is a failure not only to refuse to trust people; it is a failure to trust God and his promises. And when we fail to trust God, we fail to love God, which, according to Jesus, is the greatest commandment (Matt. 22:37-38).

We get more than we bargained for when we slide down the slippery slope of cynicism. Cynicism is far more than a mere attitude that surfaces from time to time. This is a sin that needs to be rooted out and repented of. The sin of cynicism is serious indeed.

When we peel back the layers of cynicism, we find pride, selfishness, self-righteousness, and a failure to trust in God’s good providential plan. Joseph’s life is a stunning example of a man who could have easily slid into the sin of cynicism. He was hated by his brothers, left for dead in a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, and unjustly thrown into prison. Joseph consciously chose to forgo the path of cynicism. When he faced his brothers, who had betrayed him, his faith shone. Instead of hurling insults at them or using his political power as an act of revenge, he chose to trust in God’s providential control. Joseph responded to betrayal, false accusation, and acts of wickedness with a gigantic heart of God-centered faith! In Genesis 50:20, he says to the brothers who sinned against him, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

The Duty of Christ-followers

Our challenge is to identify the sin of cynicism and allow the Holy Spirit to root out its diabolical influence from our lives, and learn to be content, even when other people sin against us. While our duty is to run from the insidious sin of cynicism, we must consciously choose to delight in God’s providential plans and respond with the God-centered faith of Joseph.

Our duty as followers of Christ is to put sin to death. One of those sins is cynicism. The apostle Paul writes, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming” (Col. 3:5-6). We don’t normally equate cynicism with the sins that Paul outlines in these verses. But the five sins he mentions in verse 5 are not a comprehensive list. He merely samples what he describes as “earthly.” The sin of cynicism, then, is certainly numbered among the sins that need to be put to death. Cynicism, as we have seen, is both destructive and debilitating. So we move forward in obedience by killing the sin of cynicism.

Put to death comes from a Greek term that means, “To stop a state or activity with lethal determination; to put something to death.” The King James is even more provocative:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth … (Col. 3:5)

Mortification, according to John Stott, is “a clear-sighted recognition of evil as evil, leading to such a decisive and radical repudiation of it that no imagery can do it justice except ‘putting to death.’”1 The Puritan divine John Owen says, “The vigor, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.”2 Our battle with sin is holy warfare. We dare not take a pea-shooter onto the spiritual battlefield. We don’t take a squirt gun or a BB gun. Such a move would be costly, to say the least.

The sins that Paul mentions, which we have argued are not a comprehensive list, lead to idolatry (Col. 3:5). In other words, sin unchecked leads to turning away from the living God and a preoccupation with false gods.

Stephen Charnock draws the curtain and reveals exactly what is happening behind the scenes:

All sin is found in secret atheism … All the wicked inclinations of the heart … are sparks from this latent fire; the language of every one of these is this, “I would be a Lord to myself, and would not have a God superior to me.”

Every sin is a kind of cursing God in the heart; an aim at the destruction of the being of God, not actually, but virtually … A man in every sin aims to set up his own will as his rule, and his own glory as the end of his actions against the will and glory of God.3

The Bible is clear on this matter: We must put sin to death. Avoid sin at all costs. Don’t dabble in sin. Don’t even contemplate sin. We must kill the sin of cynicism! The apostle Paul adds, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13).

Four critical principles will push us on the path of victory as we commit to putting cynicism to death, in particular. First, killing cynicism requires decisiveness. John MacArthur writes, “Believers are to make a decisive resolution to put sin to death, bring the flesh under subjection to the Spirit-filled disposition.”4 We must be proactive. We must prepare ourselves. We must actively demolish the sin of cynicism.

Second, killing cynicism requires a keen understanding. The Bible contains both indicatives (what God has done) and imperatives (what God commands us to do). Some people make the mistake of downplaying the imperatives in Scripture. But Kevin DeYoung reminds us:

There is nothing sub-Christian in talking about obedience to God’s commands. There is nothing inherently anti-gospel in being exhorted to keep the imperatives of Scripture. There is nothing ungracious about divine demands. Just the opposite, in fact, – there is grace in getting law … Both the indicatives of Scripture and the imperatives are from God, for our good, and given in grace.5

Third, killing cynicism requires trust in the Holy Spirit. Paul instructs us to put sin to death by the Spirit. Mortification, then, is not a method; it is a mindset. Ray Ortlund Jr. encourages us with a proper mindset. He says, “It is faith at work. It is a determination to stop dying and start living in the fullness of the Spirit. It is hungering and thirsting for righteousness so much that we act boldly and lay hold of it, looking to the Lord moment by moment for strength.”6 When cynicism rears its ugly head, trust in the Holy Spirit to accomplish a good work in your life.

Finally, killing cynicism requires obedience. As you consider the sin of cynicism, ask:

  • What habits need to be erased in my life?
  • What thought patterns need to be renewed in my life?
  • What attitudes need to be adjusted in my life?
  • What does repentance look like for me?

The crucial question is this: How is the gospel shaping my heart? The Puritan, Isaac Ambrose, weighs in: “Nothing will purify the heart, and mortify sin, like looking unto Jesus, in his love, agonies, and death. If God mercifully delivers you from the power of your inbred corruptions, and the snares of the devil, and blesses you with a pure heart, and a quiet mind, spend the remainder of your days with gratitude to God for such peculiar favors.”7 Our aim is radical obedience to Christ and his commands. So we strive each day to put cynicism to death by the power of the Spirit.

The Delight of Christ-followers

While demolishing the sin of cynicism is certainly a duty we must carry out, it is also a supreme delight. Notice again, Paul’s emphasis in Romans 8:13 —

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

When you submit to Scripture and put cynicism (or any sin for that matter) to death, you will experience life! The Greek word translated as live means “to live supernaturally.” In other words, when you obey God, you will begin to really live! Killing the sin of cynicism, in the final analysis, is both a duty and a delight.

Conclusion

We have discovered that cynicism resides in the heart. We have learned about the dangerous ways that cynicism affects our lives by turning us away from loving people and loving God. And we have come face to face with the command to root out cynicism, to mortify it by the power of the Spirit, which results in daily victory as we obey God.

While the cycle of cynicism seems like a slow drip that never ends, constantly reappearing in our lives, our hope is that one day the insidious sin of cynicism will be finally erased and eradicated. Christ has set his people free from the penalty of sin. Christ has set us free from sin’s power. And one day, Christ will deliver us forever from sin’s very presence: “Behold, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:8).

In the meantime, we see through a glass darkly. And we recognize the need to be a God-centered people. When Christ is the chief object of our affections, our pettiness disappears. When Christ is the chief object of our affections, our complaining ceases. When Christ is the chief object of our affections, we turn our focus from ourselves to him. When Christ is the chief object of our affections, our worship deepens, our fellowship grows sweeter with our friends, and our ministry to one another becomes more fruitful.

So, let us address our “inner cynic” and fight for joy. We stand at the foot of the cross and remember the price our Savior paid to set us free. So instead of being unduly influenced by the sin of cynicism, we commit to trusting people and trusting God. We commit to serving people and serving God. When people hurt us and disappoint us, we forgive them from the heart because Christ forgave us. We love people because Christ first loved us. Instead of withdrawing into our safe little shell, we move outward to impact lives for the glory of God. May the sin of cynicism be daily uprooted in our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and replaced with Christ-centered character, all to the glory of God!

Soli Deo gloria

  1. John Stott, Romans: Good News for the World (Downers Grove IVP, 1994), 228. ↩
  2. John Owen, Of the Mortification of Sin in Believers (Edinburgh: Banner of Trust, 1967), 7. ↩
  3. Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1979), 1:93-94. ↩
  4. John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Colossians & Philemon (Chicago: Moody Press, 1992), 136. ↩
  5. Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in Our Holiness (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2012), 52, 55. ↩
  6. Ray Ortlund Jr. Supernatural Living for Natural People: The Life-Giving Message of Romans 8 (Genie’s House: Christian Focus, 2001), 63. ↩
  7. Isaac Ambrose, The Christian Warrior: Wrestling with Sin, Satan, the World and the Flesh (Digital Puritan Press, 2012), Loc. 1453. ↩

Make the Most of Your Productivity – Ava Avila

Ana Ávila, Make the Most of Your Productivity (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 156 pp.

I’m a sucker for books that address personal productivity. So when the chance came to review Make the Most of Your Productivity by Ana Ávila, I jumped at the opportunity. Mrs. Ávila is a senior writer for Coalición for el Evangelio. The author brings some keen insight into the subject of productivity.

The groundwork for the book is established with a working definition of productivity:

The productive life is a life that seeks to honor God with all that you have.

Such a definition goes against the grain of conventional wisdom and is grounded first and foremost in the gospel. In other words, we don’t seek to be productive to merit favor in God’s eyes. Instead, we work hard and strive to live productive lives as an overflow of gratitude for what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Or as Ávila writes, “God is God and does not need us, but he still delights in making us part of his plan. He uses our efforts to accomplish his purposes.”

Ávila reminds readers that, in the final analysis, being productive isn’t about following regimes and routines: “But being productive isn’t about finding the perfect tool to keep your schedule under control. Rather, being productive is being transformed day by day into a person who uses what they have for the glory of God and the good of others.”

Make the Most of Your Productivity contains valuable tools and suggestions that one would expect. But this book is a cut above since the principles are grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, the only thing that matters is glorifying God. This theme echoes throughout the book. For this reason, I enthusiastically commend it without reservation.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience – Mike Pence

In 1960, Barry Goldwater wrote The Conscience of a Conservative. Much has changed since that time, but conservative principles remain etched on the hearts and minds of many Americans.


What Conservatives Believe: Rediscovering the Conservative Conscience, by former Vice President Mike Pence, picks up where Goldwater left off. His aim in writing the book is clear: “Give American conservatives fresh insight to rediscover the timeless values and ideals that have defined our movement and preserved our freedom.”

Mr. Pence is committed to the cause of conservatism, driven by faith in the triune God and informed by the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. His personal integrity has inspired many, even amid spurious accusations that stem from his decision to certify the results of the 2020 election.

What Conservatives Believe is a simple summary of the principles that have made America great. Pence argues that conservatives believe:

  • Our rights come from God.
  • In the right to life.
  • In limited government and the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution of the United States.
  • In law and order and a secure border.
  • In economic freedom and free markets.
  • Taxes must be low, simple, and fair.
  • The national debt is a crisis that threatens our economy and national security.
  • In federalism and the indispensable role of the states.
  • Parents must be the primary educators of their children.
  • All men are created equal.
  • The traditional family is the building block of society.
  • Peace through strength.
  • Standing with our allies and standing up to our enemies.
  • Israel is our most cherished ally.
  • Character, civility, and statesmanship.
  • Faith in God and the American people.

Each chapter carefully explains these conservative values and beckons people to maintain their allegiance to what made America truly great.

Pence warns against the rising tide of populism, which cannot coincide with conservatism. And of course, he warns Americans against progressivism, which is socialism in disguise.

The clarion call in this book is a return to the conservative ideology of Goldwater and Reagan. Pence argues, “If we allow radical voices to continue dumping toxic waste into the headwaters of culture, our politics will only get more poisonous over time.”

The Hope of the Resurrection: How Jesus’s Defeat of Death Changes Everything – Patrick Schreiner

Patrick Schreiner, The Hope of the Resurrection: How Jesus’s Death Defeat of Death Changes Everything (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2026), 140 pp.

We live in a war-torn world, a world that longs for hope. The prospects of “hope” usually come from fleeting and unreliable sources, leaving people empty and longing for something eternal and true. Patrick Schreiner’s new book, The Hope of the Resurrection, gives readers exactly what they’re looking for. The subtitle, “How Jesus’s Defeat of Death Changes Everything,” accurately conveys the heart of the book and compels a thorough investigation.

The author establishes three fundamental realities that concern the resurrection of Christ. 1) The resurrection is true. 2) The resurrection is good, and 3) The resurrection is beautiful. The three parts of the book are explored in detail and ultimately reveal how the resurrection offers hope to the hopeless.

The Hope of the Resurrection is intellectually compelling, emotionally uplifting, and spiritually encouraging. The author writes in a way that will appeal to the person in the pew but also satisfy the curiosity of trained theologians. In the end, this book offers solid hope, grounded in God’s authoritative word. Schreiner argues:

Only because of the resurrection will our lives conclude joyfully. God will wipe away every tear. Christians will be immortal and dwell with those they love. At the end of history, God wins, death is defeated, and all who believe in Christ will live forever. God will renew the entire world and make it as it was supposed to be. Death will no longer disturb Christians, and they will live in eternal happiness.

The Hope of the Resurrection is a book for our times. Dr. Schreiner’s work deserves serious study and contemplation. Anyone willing to invest in this excellent resource will be rewarded with dividends that will extend into eternity.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Offensive Christianity: Restoring the Strength of Men in a Feminized Age – J. Chase Davis

Many Christian men have grown weak and effeminate. They have abdicated their God-given responsibilities to women and surrendered their calling to lead in the church, the home, and the marketplace. J. Chase Davis offers a timely response in his book, Offensive Christianity: Restoring the Strength of Men in a Feminized Age. The author argues, “Without Christianity—an offensive Christianity—the West will continue to wither.”

The first review of Offensive Christianity on Goodreads offered this brutal critique: “The most important thing to know is that this is not a book that looks at what the Bible has to say about men and masculinity.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

The author’s thesis is straightforward: “Christian men, stripped of their God-given power by a culture that reduces manhood to ideas and demands endless empathy, must embrace an offensive Christianity that boldly asserts authority and action over passive rebellion.” Pastor Davis defends this thesis with skill and biblical precision by warning men, challenging them, and offering concrete habits that push them in a Godward direction.

Davis pulls no punches in this work: “The world God governs is dripping with a sweet beauty of order and hierarchy. Men, being the glory of God, are destined for glory. But there can be no glory apart from Christ.” This book will anger egalitarians. It will make passive men uncomfortable. And it will make weak men squirm. Yet Offensive Christianity is precisely what our world needs. Receiving a damning diagnosis is painful, but ignoring the cure will lead to a slow death in the home, the church, and society. I commend this work to men who are prepared to lead with boldness and decisiveness in a world increasingly shaped by feminism.

Come, Lord Jesus – John Piper

John Piper, Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2023), 304 pp.

The Second Coming of Christ is a critical theme that emerges in the New Testament. Tragically, the blessed hope is often eclipsed by love for things of the world. John Piper sets out to challenge this problem in his new book, Come Lord Jesus. The book’s goal is to help readers love the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Piper stands with Paul the apostle, who wrote:

Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)

The book is arranged in three parts:

Part 1: Reasons to Love Christ’s Appearing

Part one is the heart of the book and the most helpful part of the book. The author sets forth twelve reasons why followers of Christ should love his appearing. Each reason is grounded in God’s Word and loaded with encouragement.

Part 2: The Time of His Appearing

The second part of the book is the most controversial as Piper presents the rationale for the post-tribulational return of Christ. I urge pre-tribulational proponents to carefully weigh the arguments that the author proposes.

Part 3: How Then Shall We Live?

Finally, the book focuses on practical concerns that relate to the second coming of Christ. Readers are urged to be alert, patient, and gentle, plug into the local church, and pray for the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

A Commendation

As usual, John Piper “delivers the goods.” Come, Lord Jesus is a thoughtful book, packed with biblical wisdom and encouragement. Dr. Piper skillfully navigates through the eschatological fog and points the way forward by focusing on the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. I commend Come, Lord Jesus without reservation and trust that God will use it to strengthen his people as they wait for the glorious return of his Son!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Understanding Judaism: A Primer for Curious Christians -J. Carl Laney

Understanding Judaism: A Primer for Curious Christians by J. Carl Laney alerts and educates readers on a topic that many Christians have neglected for far too long. Thought-provoking and accessible, this book serves as an excellent entry-level introduction for anyone seeking to understand Judaism better.

Dr. Laney writes with grace and humility as he surveys the history and development of Judaism. He unpacks the various forms of Judaism that have emerged from 1400 BC to the present day. Students of the Old Testament will recognize the Israelite religion (1400 BC–586 BC), rooted in the Hebrew Bible and its threefold structure: the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings. Laney carefully explains God’s covenant with Abram, including circumcision as the sign of that covenant. This ancient practice distinguished Jewish males as members of God’s covenant people. The author also discusses the major religious offices of Israel, including priests, Levites, prophets, and kings. Most significant is the anticipation of the coming Messiah, who would fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament.

The book also includes an excellent discussion of the Old Testament sacrifices and festivals instituted by God. As Dr. Laney writes, “There was forgiveness of sins through Old Testament sacrifices, but Christ’s blood ultimately paid the penalty which God demanded.”

Dr. Laney further explores and contrasts Second Temple Judaism, Rabbinic Judaism, Talmudic Judaism, and contemporary Judaism, allowing readers to identify both historical and modern distinctions within Jewish belief and practice.

The persecution of the Jewish people is presented with special attention given to the Holocaust, which the author calls “the twentieth century’s darkest hour.” These chapters, which recount the horrific treatment endured by Jewish people, are both humbling and deeply instructive. One hopes that American readers, in particular, will grasp the magnitude of the suffering that Jewish people have endured, both those who paid the ultimate price and the survivors who continue to bear wounds inflicted by cruel anti-Semitism.

Sufficient attention is also devoted to eschatological matters and the role of Israel in redemptive history. Jewish beliefs concerning the Messianic Age, the return to the land, the resurrection of the dead, and the restoration of the Temple are clearly presented. Students of theology will be challenged to think carefully about these distinctives and to wrestle with interpretive questions in light of their own eschatological convictions. Laney also discusses several cultural matters, including Jewish festivals and traditions, the Jewish life cycle, and Jewish home life.

What stands out most about this book is the author’s clear love for and respect for the Jewish people. That spirit of respect is noteworthy and should be carefully considered by Christians who too often generate more heat than light in discussions about Judaism. Understanding Judaism should be required reading for every thoughtful Christian. Dr. Laney’s gracious approach to this subject should be emulated by all who bear the name of Christ. May Christians grow in their love for the Jewish people, seek to understand their cherished beliefs, and faithfully bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. May Christians build bridges with the Jewish people to share the good news of the gospel.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry – Ray Ortlund

Some books educate; others inspire. Ray Ortlund’s book, Eat, Drink, and Be Merry, does both. Drawing from decades of pastoral wisdom, Dr. Ortlund leads readers down the joy-filled path of Ecclesiastes. His hope is that each traveler will discover that life is both short and good—not either/or. Life is but a radar blip on the map of history, yet it is also an enthralling ride.

The author urges readers to take Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 11:9–10 seriously. Therefore, we must rejoice. We must set aside trivial concerns and enjoy each day as a marvelous gift from God. “Let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth,” writes Solomon. Our task, then, is to savor the small things and delight in ordinary blessings, knowing that God has given them to us for our enjoyment and his glory. Amidst the joy, however, stands the sobering reality that “God will bring you into judgment.” This truth should steady us and remind us that life is fleeting and eternity is near.

One of the great strengths of this book is its emphasis on the goodness of God’s creation (1 Tim. 4:4). Because God created all things good, we are free to enjoy his gifts with gratitude. Ortlund delights in this reality while also warning against the dangers of excess and indulgence. The principle of balance and moderation is central here—something many Christians would do well to consider carefully.

Enjoying God’s good gifts is a foretaste of what believers will experience on the New Earth. Accordingly, the author continually directs the reader’s gaze heavenward. Enjoyment. Delight. Joy in Christ. These themes, which we taste now and will experience fully in the age to come, are woven throughout this excellent little book. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry is a joyful reminder of our rich inheritance in Christ. Our task is to recognize it, revel in it, and ensure that the gospel shapes every attitude and action.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.