Sinclair Ferguson- Grace Alone

I received this book from the Reformation Trust, I am not obliged to give a positive review.

Sinclair Ferguson is one of Scotland's best exports, a theologian and a pastor he is a conservative evangelical and is a leading conference speaker on both sides of the Atlantic. Ferguson is a heavy weight in the Reformed tradition and writes at both an academic level and like with this book at a more popular level. I would commend anything that he has written so I am pleased to review his book 'By Grace Alone.'

It might seem a strange subject matter especially as the subtitle is How the Grace of God Amazes Me. Yet my father who is not a believer once said "of course God will forgive me that is His job", that statement profoundly misunderstands God and presumes on His grace. That God who is Holy can forgive sinners who have sinned against Him like you and me is truly amazing. It amazes me that even those of us who have been walking with Jesus for some years still take grace so lightly. I believe it is because we misunderstand our standing before God when we were unbelievers, As Ferguson says 'Guilt is not just a feeling. It is not just a psychological condition, although it can become one. It is a legal standing. When the foreman of the jury in a trial speaks the word Guilty, he is not commenting on the feelings of the accused. He is pronouncing a verdict. He is saying that the accused has been judged to have committed the crimes with which he was charged. The accused is guilty and will be treated accordingly—no matter what he or she may "feel."p.56 And before the bar of heaven we would be condemned because we are guilty and justice demands a guilty verdict.

 

The other issue for us is to misunderstand both the meaning of the grace that we have received and its effects upon us for living out our lives before God.

 

This is what Sinclair Ferguson is seeking to redress, he does this by taking the hymn 'How the Grace of God Amazes Me' by the African pastor Emmanuel T. Sibomaname and examining the song verse by verse. This is a mistake in my view because even though it is a great hymn it is not well known, certainly not in the North of Scotland. Each chapter concentrates on the theme of a verse through this Ferguson examines, grace and the Christian life from start to finish. He serves the church well and recognises our need when he says in chapter 7 'Sometimes we imagine that our greatest need is to move on to the "higher" or "deeper" teaching of the gospel. But in fact, our real need is to get a deeper and firmer grasp of the main truths of the gospel' p102. Helping us to get a deeper and firmer grasp of the main truths of the gospel is in essence what Ferguson is seeking to give us through this book and overall he achieves this.

In the grip of His grace

Stephen <><

Steven Lawson- The expository Genius of John Calvin

I have received this book from the Reformation Publishing Trust, I am not obliged to give a positive review.  

Steven Lawson starts this book with a very short biography of John Calvin's life; he does this so we can know something of the man that is the main subject of the book. Lawson quotes extensively from other Calvinists in the evangelical tradition and as the book progresses from Calvin himself. Dr Lawson's style is warm and readable but if you are a preacher though do not get to comfortable at the end of every chapter Lawson finishes off with a challenge from all that he has said throughout the chapter.

 

I had been what is commonly known as Calvinist for about 10 years before I ever read any of John Calvin's work. In some sense I think that was a good idea, as a biblical understanding of issues such as election, sovereignty etc leads to a "Calvinistic understanding" without any dependence upon John Calvin. Yet it was a loss too, John Calvin was not a systematic theologian sitting in some library somewhere but a preacher of the Word and a pastor of souls. Having now read Calvin I realised that I missed out. I believe his Magnus Opus his institutes are totally dependent upon a Bible centred understanding and are worth reading every couple of years.

 

Dr Steven Lawson is a pastor who is committed to the word and wants preachers to learn from his hero John Calvin:

 

 In this present hour, we should pray to the supernatural Author of Scripture Himself, God Almighty, that all preachers would devote themselves to the exposition of the Bible. And like Calvin, may they waste no time in the pulpit, but get straight to the text. May they explicate their passages as soon as is reasonable. May their introductions serve to usher their listeners into the truth of the Word. And may such direct beginnings enhance their preaching, that God's Word should not return to Him void. P.62

 

For this reason alone this book is worth reading that it might stir preachers into being expositor preachers with a deep desire to preach the Word of God. Dr Steven Lawson is clearly a Calvinist who loves Calvin and believes that Calvin is the epitome of a good expositor.  Lawson commends to us not new ways of winning souls but a return to heartfelt biblical preaching.

 

'The church is always looking for better methods in order to reach the world. But God is looking for better men who will devote themselves to His biblically mandated method for advancing His kingdom, namely, preaching—and not just any kind of preaching, but expository preaching.' Lawson p.19

 Lawson sees Calvin reaching dizzy heights in preaching because he sought to understand Scripture. Not just to teach it but to learn from it. Calvin believed that no-one could be a preacher of the word of God if they were not also a student of the word of God. Preaching Calvin believed must do a work on all members of the congregation including the preacher.

 

Lawson provides us with a picture of a man who was committed to let the text speak for itself. I am sure that Lawson seeks to do the same when he enters the pulpit, which is why Calvin is one of his heroes and mine.

Shalom

Stephen <><

Holy, Holy, Holy- various contributors

I have received this book from the Reformation Trust to review, I am not obliged to give a positive review:

In the opening of this book, R C Sproul tells how an introduction to some of the great theologians at college brought him into contact with people who had a profound understanding of God. He writes, ‘I discovered one strand that ran through the works of all these men—they were intoxicated by a profound sense of the majesty and of the holiness of God.’ The same thing it true about R. C Sproul and all of the authors of this book hence the title and the conference from which it is drawn. One of the blessings we are receiving from the resurgence of Calvinism in our day is a greater awareness of who God is and through that a greater awareness of our sinfulness and of God’s amazing grace in saving us.

In this book we are treated to several of the leading reformed evangelical pastors and teachers exploring different aspects of holiness. Sinclair Ferguson for example takes us into the garden with Jesus where we get to see Jesus’ great emotional desire to be with the Father and to share the Father and the Son’s glory with his disciples, this is the greatest thing that we shall ever experience.

Alistair Begg writes about the departure of Jesus and the sending of the Spirit in the fourth chapter. He reminds us beautifully of the unity that Jesus enjoyed with the Father, ‘When we read the Gospels carefully, we see that Jesus’ sense of intimacy with His Father, an intimacy they shared in eternity before Jesus’ incarnation, 'was pressingly meaningful and precious to Him.’p.43. Begg helpfully points out the work of the Spirit in bringing all that has been said and making it understood. It is not the work of the Spirit to bring new revelation in new and novel ways. Begg quotes Calvin on this issue, which shows that his day and ours was no different with people seeking innovation rather than illumination.

In chapter 5 Thabiti Anyabwile points out the utter sinfulness of sin against a holy God, he reminds us that God is not a kindly grandfather, or as he puts it a teddy bear, ‘God is no teddy bear. He is sharp. He has edges. His wrath pierces. His holiness consumes. Those who would commit treason against this God will have this God to deal with on that great day of reckoning.’ P.62

I find that this gets to the heart of the problem with much of contemporary evangelicalism; we do treat God like a teddy bear. This is because we do not see ourselves as we truly are in our sinfulness or God in His immense holiness.

Derek Thomas reminds us that having a high view of God’s holiness is not a badge to be worn as a doctrine but something that should be our passionate concern. This for me was the most challenging chapter in the book. I know from past experience that it is easy to let your head convince you that you are passionate about God’s holiness without it having an effect on the heart. R C Sproul Jr helps us with this as he invites us into his family worship times. He dislikes the term family devotions because it suggests to him a duty rather than something that springs from a grateful heart.

The final chapter of the book by R.C Sproul Sr takes us to the holiness of God as a gospel event; he reminds us that if God exists and is holy then he is a consuming fire. It is through understanding this and our great sin that we understand what is amazing about grace.

I knew I was going to like this book as the subject is one of my favourites and I like many of the contributors. What a great conference it must have been and what a great book!

Shalom
Stephen <><

The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards- Steven Lawson

I have recieved this book from The Reformation Trust to review, I am not obliged to give a positive review:

I have never heard of Steven Lawson but Jonathan Edwards is always a draw as I have read many books at both an academic and popular level on Edwards as well as reading him myself. This book is at a more popular level but Lawson has drunk deep from the well that is Jonathan Edwards and so there is much to gain from reading this book.

The book starts excellently ‘Sanctification is never an elective course that a believer may or may not take. Neither is it an upper-level graduate study, required for only a few disciples. Instead, it is a core class, mandated for all Christians.

Godliness is a lifelong study for no-one graduates from the school of Christ this side of heaven.’ Wow I am hooked from the opening thought!!

Lawson is concerned to show that Edwards was not just the greatest theologian of American history but also that he stands above the rest not just because of his great intellect but because of his even greater piety. Edwards took God’s holiness seriously, it wasn’t just that Edwards was on a path to heaven but Edwards was on a path to greater and greater sanctification. Not for Edwards a dry academic faith or a sit back and wait for God type of attitude. Edwards was seriously committed to his own sanctification even though he knew he couldn’t do it on his own but was dependent on God. Lawson states,

‘This requires, as it did for Edwards, humble submission and dedication to God, all for the honor of Christ. Only in such self-denial is divine grace multiplied in one’s life.’ p 60

One of the reasons this book should be a best seller is because Lawson is committed to the same understanding as Jonathan Edwards. It is not that he has the same reformed theology as Edwards (although he clearly does) but that he has the same desire for himself and desires for us his readers to seek after God for holiness, to have the resolve of Edwards and the same loathing for own sinfulness and passion for his glory. He gives us this challenge, ‘God is looking for individuals in this generation who will rise above the status quo of contemporary Christianity and say with Edwards, “I am completely Yours.” P.60

Jonathan Edwards took God’s holiness seriously and because he took this seriously he took is own sinfulness seriously. Lawson points out that for Edwards sin was the opposite of God’s glory and as Edwards wanted to glorify God in all that he did sin needed to be conquered.

Jonathan Edwards was a passionate man, it is hard to believe sometimes as the disciplined character that he was that he was also white-hot in love with God and God’s grace. Yet Edwards was a man who knew that God loved him and this gave him a heart that was aflame with love. Lawson seeks to show us that behind the shy, social awkward man was a man who loved his neighbour intensely.

At the end of each chapter Lawson challenges us from something we have learnt from Edwards, and these are serious challenges as the Edwards who he presents to us is a man who is so earnest in his desire to please his God in all things.

Why you should read this book, firstly it is well written and a joy to read but secondly and more importantly, Lawson like Edwards is a pastor who cares for the soul. His desire in writing is not just to introduce you to Edwards but to help you in your walk with the God of Jonathan Edwards. ‘In this day, some three hundred years after Edwards’ time, there is a desperate need for a new generation to arise onto the scene of history that will prize and promote the glory of our awesome God. Beholding the soul-capturing vision of this all-supreme, all-sovereign, and all-sufficient God transforms individuals in life-altering ways.’ P.154

Shalom

Stephen