GOSPEL WAKEFULNESS – Jared C. Wilson (2011)

In the 1746, Jonathan Edwards wrote Religious Affections (See my Review) – one of the most significant books ever written.     Edwards’ thesis is plain: “True religion, in great part, consists in holy affections.”  Gospel Wakefulness by Jared C. Wilson explores similar themes.  His thesis is a complement to Edwards: “Gospel wakefulness means treasuring Christ more greatly and savoring his power more sweetly.”  The author maintains that gospel wakefulness not an optional add-on to the fabric of the Christian life; Rather it is an essential aspect of vital Christianity.  Exactly what does gospel wakefulness do?  Wilson explains: “Awe.  Transfixion on Christ.  Confidence in him.  Humility.  Assurance.  Transformed worship.  New affections.  Stronger hope and clearer peace in moments of grief and pain.  Assassination of idols.  Quicker conviction, quicker repentance.  Acts of generosity and service.  Unity with brothers and sisters.  Deeper love for God and deeper love for neighbor.”  In the remainder of the book, Wilson continues to unpack the beauty of the gospel diamond and presents practical ways for gospel wakefulness to become a reality in the lives of God’s people.

Wilson’s work should be celebrated for its Christocentric presentation of the gospel.  He delivers a death-blow to legalism and invites Christ-followers to the radical pursuit of a holy God.  He uncovers  the biblical reality of progressive sanctification: “We cannot continue to treat the gospel as if it is the power of God for a conversion experience but not for total life transformation.” Gospel Wakefulness is a welcome addition to a growing number of books devoted to the gospel.

5 stars

Highly recommended

THE FORGOTTEN GOD – Francis Chan (2009)

Forgotten God by Francis Chan is an introductory book about the person and work of the Holy Spirit.  The subtitle describes the essence of the book, namely – Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit.  Many churches through fear or ignorance have done just Chan suggests; they have neglected the Holy Spirit.  And the net results are tragic indeed.

Chan holds that many people “have an eisegetically formed concept of the Holy Spirit.”  His accusation is essentially this: These people have “cut and pasted whatever verses and ideas work for [them].”  So the author sets out to “present the core truths that have been revealed to believers about the Holy Spirit.”

Each chapter includes a brief explanation of the person and work of the Holy Spirit.  At the end of each chapter, the author includes a short vignette of real life characters who exemplify a life led by the power of the Spirit.

Forgotten God reveals much about the author.  This is solid writing that is clear and biblical.  High school students and first year Bible College students will benefit greatly from Chan’s insight.  This book may be the most helpful starting point for anyone seeking an introductory look at the Holy Spirit.

4 stars

THE FORGOTTEN TRINITY – James White (1998)

The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by James White is a book that deserves to be read.  Sometimes a given book slips under the radar screen and fails to receive the credit it deserves.  Dr. White’s book falls in this category.  Christian readers are missing out if they have neglected this excellent work.

White reminds the reader that “an unwillingness to worship God as God is and has revealed himself lies behind every denial of the Trinity that appears down through history.”  Indeed, this doctrine as Shedd says, “is the foundation of theology.”  White does a masterful job at explaining this all-important doctrine.

Good definitions of the Trinity are hard to find these days.  But the author provides a working definitions that is biblical and accurately describes the doctrine under consideration: “Within the one Being that is God, there exists eternally three coequal and co-eternal persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  White argues, “Every error and heresy on this doctrine will find its origin in a denial of one or more of these truths.”    The rest of the book is committed to unpacking the critical elements of the Trinity.  Heretical movements are explained.  The deity of each member of the Trinity is expounded.  Church history is explored.

The Forgotten Trinity is a powerful book.  In fact, this is one of the first books beginning students should turn to for a basic understanding of the Trinity.  And White is quick to point out the importance of the doctrine: “Almost every single imbalance in worship is due to a corresponding imbalance in our view of God … Christian worship will be vital, consistent, and powerful when the proper attitude toward the triune God is maintained.  When that truth is lost, Christian worship ends.”

5 stars

KILLING KENNEDY – Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard (2012)

Evidently, Bill O’Reilly loves writing about presidential assassinations.  And he’s actually very good at it.   One of the many strengths of Killing Lincoln was O’Reilly’s objectivity and lack of political banter.  The same holds true for his newest work, Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot.  Many reviewers will disagree and accuse O’Reilly of partisanship or naively embracing the “one killer” theory.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Other reviews have a bone to pick with O’Reilly because he clearly lays out the amoral behavior of the former president.  Sometimes the facts hurt.  Nevertheless, Killing Kennedy gives readers a front row seat to the events of the 60’s that helped shape the American ethos.

Killing Kennedy is a bold reminder that strong leadership must be combined with strong ethics.  For a leader who lives a moral life but embraces a policy of appeasement (think Jimmy Carter) is marginalized from the start.  But a leader (like Kennedy) who leads with strength and conviction but fails in the area of personal ethics is equally marginalized.  Yet another reason to be thankful for Presidents like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush – men who led from a position of strength and embraced strong ethical values.

Finally, this book reminded me about the importance of historical fiction (a genre that I formerly scoffed at).  Historical fiction may be the path that some students need to take in order to develop a hunger for history.  Killing Kennedy forges such a path and will likely lead many readers on a new historical  pilgrimage that will spark fresh discussion and revitalized insight.

4.5 stars

Highly recommended

MAKING SENSE OF THE TRINITY – Millard J. Erickson (2000)

Making Sense of the Trinity by Millard Erickson is a basic book that asks three profound questions:

1. Is the doctrine of the Trinity biblical?

2. Does the doctrine of the Trinity make sense?

3. Does the Doctrine of the Trinity make any difference?

Erickson succeeds in answering each question in the affirmative.  He unpacks the biblical doctrine and links his answers to the Bible as well as church history.  He alerts readers to some of the Trinitarian errors that have emerged throughout church history.  And he shows how the Trinity affects the daily life of Christians.

Making Sense of the Trinity is a good introductory resource on a crucial doctrine.  The author does not answer every objection.  He does not present a series of comprehensive arguments.  These matters can be covered in other works.  For a more detailed study that concerns the Trinity, see The Holy Trinity by Robert Letham.

4 stars

HERALDING THE TRUTH: PASSING GOD’S WORD TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Psalm 78:4 gives specific marching orders for followers of Christ, namely – we must herald the truth of God’s Word:

“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done” (Psalm 78:4, ESV).

Instead of “hiding” the truth, we must herald the truth.  Obeying this divine command means we tell people about God; that is to say, we proclaim the Word of God.  The Psalmist proclaims, “Walk about Zion, go around her, number her towers, consider well her ramparts, go through her citadels, that you may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will guide us forever” (Psalm 48:12–14, ESV).

Psalm 78:4 lays a heavy burden of responsibility on parents to pass the torch of truth to the next generation.  Exactly what does this proclamation look like?  What are the high points of a faithful herald?

WE TELL THE NEXT GENERATION ABOUT GOD

We tell the next generation about the works of God:

““Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4–9, ESV)

Like our Jewish forefathers, we tell of the greatness of God throughout redemptive history.

Additionally, we tell them about the wonders of God..  We show them how the Redemptive story unfolds in Scripture.  We help establish a strong Christian worldview in our children by marking out the key stages in redemptive history, namely – creation, fall, redemption, and consummation.  And telling our children about the wonders of God involves constantly retelling the gospel story.  J.I. Packer remarks, “God saves sinners” – “By this we mean that, God – the Triune Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit; three Persons working together in sovereign wisdom, power and love to achieve the salvation of a chosen people, the Father electing, the Son fulfilling the Father’s will by redeeming, the Spirit executing the purpose of the Father and Son by renewing; saves – does everything first to last, that is involved in bringing man from death in sin to life in glory: plans, achieves and communicates redemption, calls and keeps, justifies, sanctifies, glorifies; sinners – men as God finds them, guilty, vile, helpless, powerless, unable to lift a finger to do God’s will or better their spiritual lot.”

WE TELL THE NEXT GENERATION TO HOPE IN GOD

“He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;” (Psalm 78:5–7, ESV)

Notice the conscious decision to “arise.”  There is a decisiveness, a resolute spirit that should characterize every parent.  The reason for “rising up” is to tell the next generation to hope in God:

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.” (Psalm 62:5–8, ESV)

“But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.” (Psalm 71:14, ESV)

We tell the next generation to hope in God because God calls us to put our hope in him.  John Piper adds, “The beauty of the gospel is that in one simple demand (“Put your hope in God”), we hear good news and God gets the glory … This is the command of the gospel that keeps God at the center – the center of his affection and ours.”  So we commit ourselves to this sober task – we tell the next generation to hope in God!

WE TELL THE NEXT GENERATION NOT TO FORGET THE WORKS AND WONDERS OF GOD

Here is the shocking reality.  We are one generation away from abandoning God entirely.  Judges 2:10 describes the dreadful fate of Israel, “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”  Like Israel, we are on the cusp of losing all we hold dear.  Thankfully, God will always have his remnant.  Despite the apostasy of the nations, God will maintain a faithful band of brothers.  God will as Steve Lawson has described, “have a long line of godly men” who herald the Word of God.

WE TELL THE NEXT GENERATION TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

Solomon is a man who experienced a life of sin and finally came to his sense at the end of his days.  He says, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14, ESV).  Therefore, in order to be faithful heralds, we must tell the next generation to obey God and his commands.  Greg Gilbert wisely says, “It is through our proclaiming the gospel – whether through preaching or teaching or conversations over meals with friends, family members, and coworkers – that God has determined to save sinners.”

Establishing the next generation in the gospel requires us to herald the Word of God.  We must tell them about God.  We must tell them to hope in God.  We must tell them not to forget the works and wonders of God.  And we must tell the next generation to keep the commandments of God.  May God grant us the heart of King David who instructed Solomon moments before he died:

“Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’” (1 Kings 2:2–4, ESV).

OUR TRIUNE GOD: Living in the Love of the Three-In-One – Philip Graham Ryken and Michael LeFebvre (2011)

Philip Graham Ryken and Michael LeFebvre add to the growing list of books on the doctrine of the Trinity with their release, Our Triune God. Their work focusses on the essence of the Trinity – how the Trinity saves, the mysterious nature of the Trinity, how the Trinity relates to the Christian life, and the joy he brings the people of God.

Our Triune God steers clear of the debates that take place in church history.  The authors leave that discussion for another time.  The strength of this work is that  Ryken and LeFebvre cut to the heart of the Trinity.  This book may be the perfect starting place for Christians who desire to learn more about the Trinity.  Practical, solid, and readable.  Highly recommended!

4 stars

WORDS, PROPOSITIONS, AND PROCLAMATION


We live in a day where words, propositions, and proclamation is met with suspicion and skepticism.  But living in postmodern times should not prevent Christ-followers from faithfully proclaiming the Word of God.  Paul the apostle instructs the believers in Colossae:

“Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28, ESV)

The ministry that Paul demands here involves strong proclamation.  The Greek verb, καταγγέλλω [kataggello] means “to declare plainly, openly, and aloud; to announce, to celebrate, to preach.”  In Acts 17:2-3, we find Paul engaged in the ministry that he demands from the Colossian believers: “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ”” (Acts 17:2–3, ESV).  J.I. Packer refers to the gospel as “a proclamation of Divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good … Its center of reference was unambiguously God.”

Notice several features of strong proclamation:

1. Strong proclamation must be Christ-centered

Christ-centered preaching does not water-down the hard edges of the gospel.  This kind of preaching refuses to proclaim a health and wealth gospel.  It refuses to elevate man’s free will.  And it refuses to minimize God’s sovereignty.  Christ-centered preaching must be gospel preaching; preaching that proclaims that Jesus died for sinners who was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25); preaching that proclaims sinners may be forgiven (Acts 13:48); preaching that proclaims the way of salvation (Acts 16:17).  Packer adds, “The preacher’s task … is to display Christ: to explain man’s need of him, his sufficiency to save, and his offer of himself in the promises as Savior to all who truly turn to him; and to show as fully and plainly as he can how these truths apply to the congregation before him.”  Strong proclamation must be Christ-centered.

2. Strong proclamation must be unabashedly bold

Paul modeled this bold proclamation in his preaching ministry: “This I proclaim to you …” (Acts 17:23ff).  We must commit ourselves to boldness when we proclaim the Word of God.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes …” (Rom. 1:16).  Timid proclamation is tantamount to cowardice.

3. Strong proclamation must be fearless

Of course we live in a cowardly culture, where many preachers back-peddle and compromise the precious doctrinal realities of Scripture.  We can scarcely recall the days of the Puritans when the doctrines of hell, unconditional election, the sovereignty of God, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the lordship of Christ were powerfully proclaimed from their pulpits.  Paul the apostle “did not shrink” from declaring the truth of God’s Word (Acts 20:20).  We should do no less!

4. Strong proclamation must be comprehensive

Strong proclamation must include the whole of Scripture.  We must resist the urge to present bits and pieces:  “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).  The only way of proclaiming the Scripture in a comprehensive way is expository preaching.

5. Strong proclamation must lay the foundation for the Christian worldview

Strong proclamation must drive home the reality that Christ is at the center of all things.  The Scripture tells us that Christ is the creator of all things (Col. 1:16), Christ is the sustainer of all things (Col. 1:17), Christ is the Redeemer of sinful men (Col. 1:13-14), and Christ will make all things new (Rev. 21:5).  So faithful Christ-f0llowers have a responsibility to present the Christian worldview which will strengthen believers and challenge the pagan presuppositions of the unbelieving world.

6. Strong proclamation must carry the full weight of biblical authority

Strong proclamation must reprove, rebuke, exhort, and include solid teaching in keeping with 2 Timothy 4:-4.  It must confront worldly ideology (Col. 2:8).  Lloyd-Jones referred to preaching as “logic on fire.”  Therefore, faithful Christians are faced with the challenge of presenting the weighty truths of Scripture with passion and God-centered logic.

7. Strong proclamation must have a sense of urgency

Strong proclamation must be blood-earnest and have a sense of gravitas: “Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears” (Acts 20:31, ESV).  Boring preaching should be considered a capital crime.  Woe to the preacher who puts his people asleep.

8. Strong proclamation must be intensely theological

Al Mohler rightly says, “As a theologian, the pastor must be known for what he teaches as well as what he knows, affirms, and believes.  The health of the church depends upon pastors who infuse their congregations with deep biblical and theological conviction, and the primary means of this transfer of conviction is the preaching of the Word of God.”  Therefore, theological categories should be taught relentlessly for the building up of the body of Christ.

9. Strong proclamation must make a lasting difference in the hearts and minds of people

Lloyd-Jones writes, “Preaching should make such a difference to a man who is listening that he is never the same again.”  The photo above marks the location in Wartburg where Luther translated the Greek New Testament into the German language.  His tireless work and faithful proclamation made a difference in the lives of the German people, not to mention the continent of Europe.  His strong proclamation made a lasting difference in the hearts and minds of people.

So words, propositions, and proclamation matter.  May the courage and conviction of the “wild boar in the vineyard” captures the hearts and minds of pastors all around the world.  And they proclaim the message of the gospel so the nations might rest and rely on the all-sufficient Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

GOD’S PASSION FOR HIS GLORY – John Piper (1998)

Some books are worth reading again and again.  John Piper’s excellent work is such a book.  God’s Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards is composed of two parts.  Part One is a Personal Encounter with Jonathan Edwards.  Part Two is a republication of Jonathan Edwards magisterial work, The End for Which God Created the World.

The Personal Encounter with Edwards includes the rationale behind Piper’s book, a brief but powerful biography of the Puritan divine, a survey of Edwards’s inner life as it relates the life of the mind, and the relationship between Edwards and culture.

Central to the thought of Part One is the Piper’s assertion (that he credits to the hard work of Edwards) is this: “the exhibition of God’s glory and the deepest joy of human souls are one thing.”  Or to state it another way, “God’s passion for his own glory and his passion for my joy are not at odds.”  Piper builds on this reality by presenting fifteen critical implications that he has drawn for Edwards’s life and writing.  The final Edwardsean insight is in reality that thesis of Part Two, namely – that “God created the world to exhibit the fullness of his glory in the God-centered joy of his people.”

Part Two, then, is the complete text from Edwards book, The End for Which God Created the World.  The complex argument may be summarized in one critical sentence: “Hence it will follow, that the moral rectitude of the disposition, inclination, or affection of God CHIEFLY consists in a regard to HIMSELF, infinitely above his regard to all other beings; in other words, his holiness consists in this.”  Readers should struggle through the text to see the weight of biblical evidence that Edwards provides.  It is a humbling, earth-shattering, Christ-exalting stick of dynamite.  I first read this tremendous book over fifteen years ago in seminary at Starbucks – in one sitting.  It continues to affect me the same way it did so many years ago.  Readers will be struck with the depth of insight that emerges from the pen of the Puritan divine.  But readers will mostly be in awe at the glory which belongs to God and God alone!

“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36, ESV)

WHAT IS THE TRINITY – David F. Wells (2012)

What is the Trinity by David F. Wells is an outstanding addition to the Basics of the Faith series by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing.

Wells introduces readers to this vital subject matter in a mere 37 pages.  Readers should be aware that the author does not intend to fully unpack the doctrine of the Trinity.  Rather, he merely gives readers of taste of this critical area of theology.  He begins with the unity of God and proceeds to explain the three persons of the godhead.

The author alerts readers to some of the battles that have surrounded the doctrine of the Trinity in church history.  He also makes practical applications that flow out of the doctrine.  Highly recommended for beginning theology students.
“There is so much more than we now know about God’s glorious being and his triune nature.  We stand at the edge of a vast ocean and see just its shoreline.  We cannot see beyond the horizon, though we can be entirely confident that what we cannot know about God is fully consistent with what we do know because of his self-revelation to us.” – David F. Wells