Book Review: The Reason for God

There has been no one who has influenced me more about bringing the gospel to the urban centers of our country than Timothy Keller.  His vision and love for people who live in the big cities is both personally challenging and authentically engaging.  I have listened to him preach a few times and have been impressed by his conviction regarding the truth of the gospel and his passion for reaching the lost with the gospel.  I knew I had to read his new book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism when it was released. 

Perhaps, I did not realize I was purchasing a book strong in philosophy, yet written for a popular audience.  I actually wish this book was required reading when I took the class Introduction to Philosophy rather than some other of the drier books I had to read.  When I say this book is strong in philosophy, I mean, Keller has a way of getting to the heart of the Christian worldview and all other worldviews to argue for the coherence of Biblical Christianity against any other worldview.  He does a masterful job of explaining what Christianity really is (dispelling what some people think it is) and what the Christian gospel is all about. 

As the subtitle indicates, the audience is the skeptic.  Having a growing church in the heart of New York City and serving there 19 years, Keller is no novice when it comes to having dealt with skeptics.   In the first part of the book Keller deals with seven objections or questions the skeptic might raise against Christianity.  Some of these include, “There can’t  be just one religion,” “How could a good God allow suffering?,” and “How can a loving God send people to hell?”  I found, for the most part, Keller did a good job of responding to these with grace, yet demonstrating how the objection really reflected faulty presuppositions or simply misinformation.

The second part of the book deals with reasons for faith.  Here Keller simply states what it means to be a Christian.  From arguments to God’s existence, to the problem of sin, to the story of the cross, and the reality of the resurrection, Keller shows the unity of the Christian worldview and the rationality of it.

I am thankful for Tim Keller’s hard work and faithfulness to the gospel of Christ.  God is greatly using him to bring many to Jesus Christ. 

There are, however, a few points I did not agree with.

1.        I think Keller should have put more emphasis on God’s Word.  It is not used too much in answering the objections and is still not used much when he talks what faith is all about.  The Bible, being the foundation of the Christian Worldview, must be given ample attention and be given a chance to speak the truth.  It must be the lens which we look through to evaluate all else.  While I believe Keller does this, he doesn’t show the reader how or why he is doing it.

2.         I do not agree with Keller’s view of creation.  Keller says, “The difficulty comes in the few places in the Bible where the genre is not easily identifiable, and we aren’t completely sure how the author expects it to be read.  Genesis 1 is a passage whose interpretation is up for debate among Christians, even those with a “high” view of Scripture.  I personally take the view that Genesis 1 and 2 relate to each other the way Judges 4 and 5 and Exodus 14 and 15 do.  In each couplet one chapter describes a historical event and the other is a song or poem about the theological meaning of the event.  . . . I think Genesis 1 has the earmarks of poetry and is therefore a “song” about the wonder and meaning of God’s creation.  Genesis 2 is an account of how it happened.  There will always be debates about how to interpret some passages – including Genesis 1.  But it is false logic to argue that if one part of Scripture can’t be taken literally then none of it can be.  That isn’t true of any human communication.”  I think there is a lot wrong with this statement.  While Keller does give a few footnotes of those who might support his view, he never really gives evidence for why he believes such a claim.  It made me read this and automatically think, “He has not done his homework, he has just accepted a view which straddles the middle trying to save face in the intellectual society.”  I know it would not have been appropriate for him to go into great detail defending this belief in the book, which is not the point of the book.  I was at least looking for more general support such as, “After greatly studying the original language of Genesis it is clear . . .”  Yet this was never stated.  If Genesis one is a “song” why does it stop at chapter 2?  Why not chapter 3, or 5, or 12, or 50?  Is God’s rest on the seventh day (beginning of chapter 2) narrative?  What about how God created man in Genesis 2 is this just part of the “song?”  There are so many more questions one could ask here.  For an argument as to why Genesis 1 or 2 cannot be poetry read this short article by someone who has thoroughly done his homework. 

While there are these two major points I contend with, I was also greatly convicted with what Keller had to say about fanaticism and moralism in the church.  He has seen what goes on in the church in America and is not ashamed to point out that which is wrong.  I hope the Lord continues to bless Keller’s church and ministry in Manhattan.  As for the book, I hope many skeptics are challenged by it and the Lord uses it to start to soften their heart.  I do not think I would hand the book to a skeptic I encountered, but now would definitely take advantage of the rational given in this book as I present the gospel.

Excerpt:

Pharisaic people assume they are right with God because of their moral behavior and right doctrine.  This leads naturally to feelings of superiority toward those who do not share their religiosity, and from there to various forms of abuse, exclusion, and oppression.  This is the essence of what we think of as fanaticism. 

What if, however, the essence of Christianity is salvation by grace, salvation not because of what we do but because of what Christ has done for us?  Belief that you are accepted by God be sheer grace is profoundly humbling.  The people who are fanatics, then, are so not because they are too committed to the gospel but because they’re not committed to it enough.

Think of people you consider fanatical.  They’re overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive, and harsh.  Why?  It’s not because they are too Christian but because they are not Christian enough.  They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, empathetic, forgiving, or understanding – as Christ was.  Because they think of Christianity as a self-improvement program they emulate the Jesus of the whips in the temple, but not the Jesus who said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7).  What strikes us as overly fanatical is actually a failure to be fully committed to Christ and his gospel.   

 

Book Review: The Cross — The Pulpit of God’s Love

When I saw The Cross: The Pulpit of God’s Love on the Westminster Bookstore website, I knew I had to read it.  Not only do I greatly appreciate the writing of Iain Murray, but it deals with that subject which I cannot learn enough about — The Cross!  This book did not disappoint in drawing my thoughts to the cross. 

From the second sentence Murray writes, “The purpose of gospel preaching is to make known what God has done in the cross of Christ.”  He then goes on with powerful succinctness to lay out how the atonement proclaims God’s love.  It is this love the author urges the reader to proclaim.

The main thrust of the book is to encourage gospel ministry and the center of this work is the cross.  While Murray faithfully demonstrates how we learn about who God is through the death of Christ on the cross, he also calls ministers to proclaim this message practically to all.  He says, “the good news of a provided forgiveness is to be as universally proclaimed as is the command to repent.” 

It is clear Murray believes in particular redemption, but in the conclusion from the book Murray makes it clear how it is dangerous when the doctrines of grace become more theoretical than practical.  God displaying His divine love through the cross should spur us on to tell others.  If we are to do so in such a way that is convincing, the truth of the cross must be impressed daily upon our own hearts.

I highly recommend The Cross: The Pulpit of God’s Love for anyone wanting to continue to understand what the cross of Christ is all about and how it should encourage us to spread the gospel.  It will be particularly helpful for any in or seeking full-time ministry as it focuses on that which is at the heart of gospel ministry.  I was impressed with the depth of content in this short book (about 40 pages).  I hope the little time invested in reading this will continue to have an effect on how I think about the cross, ministry, and evangelism.

Excerpt:

Persuading men of God’s love is the great calling of the Christian ministry.  It is part of preaching ‘to root out all the secret reserves of unbelief concerning God’s unwillingness to give mercy, grace and pardon to sinners.’  It cannot be done without conviction in the preacher that this love is a wonderful reality, and that it is to be pressed on all his hearers.       

Next Book Review:  The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

Book Review: A Gospel Primer for Christians

Stop reading this review and go buy this book.  Then after its on its way, come back and read this.

I was excited when I saw this book on the Westminster Bookstore website.  There are two reasons why I wanted to buy this book.  First, I hoped it would deepen my own understanding of the gospel and be a resource I could use over and over again for my own personal walk with Christ.  Second, I hoped I would be able to use it in family worship.  After reading this book I have found it to be valuable in both ways. 

A Gospel Primer for Christians: Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love is a book not to just be read once and put on a shelf.  It is written so the believer might preach the gospel to himself or herself each and every day.  The truths of the gospel are not just powerful and transforming at the time of conversion, but are designed by God to continue to produce fruit in saints’ life as his or her understanding grows.  Pastor Vincent makes this clear in the introduction, “God did not give us His gospel just so we could embrace it and be converted.  Actually, He offers it to us every day as a gift that keeps on giving to us everything we need for life and godliness.  The wise believer learns this truth early and becomes proficient in extracting available benefits from the gospel each day.”  What Vincent has done by writing this book is to help the believer in extracting these benefits.

The book is divided into four parts.  Part one is entitled, “Reasons to Rehearse the Gospel Daily.”  Here Vincent gives 31 impacts the gospel should have on our life.  These include a cure for distrust, enslaved by Christ’s righteousness, perspective in trials, and mortifying the flesh with fullness.  All of this is written in the first person so it is as if we could speak these reasons to our self as a reminder.  I decided to put a small number next to each section so I would read one of the reasons each corresponding day of the month. 

Part two is entitled, “A Gospel Narrative — Prose Version.”  In this part Vincent simply lays out the gospel in prose.  It is no more than eight pages long so it does not take long to read.  I have been reading over this each day with my devotional time so I might continually preach the gospel to myself.

Part thrre is entitled, “A Gospel Narrative — Poetic Version.”  This is the gospel, just in the form of a poem.  Vincent has done a great job at helping the reader make the gospel memorative.  I think this part might be especially helpful in teaching young children the gospel.  I think it would be very appropriate to even put it to song.  How cool would it be if Sovereign Grace took these as used them as lyrics to a song!

Part four is entitled, “Surprised by the Gospel.”  Vincent here gives teestimony to the gospels work in his own life.  It is encouraging to hear his struggles, even as a pastor, over justification and sanctification.  I think this section will offer much encouragement to many believers who can easily fall into the trap of trying to keep themselves in God’s good favor. 

One of the great features of this book are the footnotes.  Read the footnotes, all of them!  I am not a big footnote guy, but in this book all the footnotes are Scripture where you can find the truth VIncent is talking about.  It is truly a powerful aid and brings the truth of God’s Word to the forefront.

Like I said at the beginning, buy this book.  Buy it because you want a gospel-centered life, buy it because you want to teach the gospel to your kids, or buy it because you want to use it to disciple someone else.  You won’t be disappointed, you might even be surprised by the gospel.   

Book Review: Culture Shift

Let me be honest.  The reason I live in Louisville right now is because of one man.  If God had not worked through this man, who knows where I would be attending seminary.  That man is Albert Mohler.  His commitment to the sufficiency, inerrancy, and authority of God’s Word has brought The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary back from the depths of liberalism. 

You can imagine how excited I was to hear of the publishing of his first book, The Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues With Timeless Truth.  I do not know of another theologian who has a more comprehensive grasp of what is going on in the culture or one who answers the questions more biblically than Dr. Mohler.  What more appropriate topic could he write about for his first book? 

As I thought about what books I wanted to read this summer Culture Shift was at the top.  It did not disappoint.  Dr. Mohler clearly articulates how Christians are to think and live in this culture.  He talks about very specific events which have taken place (or are taking place) and then guides the reader to think biblically about the issue.  He systematically clears away all peripheral distractions and is able to tackle the heart of the problem.  From the Christian in politics, to the Supreme Court, to torture, to education, to postmodernism, to abortion, to natural disasters, to nuclear war, Dr. Mohler gives us insight on how we should approach these topics. 

While this book is about the culture, it is also about wisdom.  Dr. Mohler has given us godly wisdom and points us to fear the Lord so we can deal with cultural problems.  The subtitle of this book (Engaging Current Issues With Timeless Truth)really says what he does.  The chapters of the book deal with very specific examples.  One might think that these examples will one day be obsolete, but Dr. Mohler masterfully applies the Truth of God’s Word so the reader will have the timeless truth.  He is not just giving us renewed thinking on limited topics, he provides a lens for the Christian to look through no matter what cultural issue they encounter.

It would serve everyone well to read Culture Shift.     This is an excellent book, which does not take long to read.  The benefits gleaned, though, will last a lifetime. 

Excerpt:

“…a faithful Christian will affirm the true character and power of God–His omnipotence and His benevolence.  God is in control of the entire universe, and there is not even a single atom outside His sovereignty.  At the same time, God’s goodness and love are beyond question.  The Bible leaves no room for equivocation on either truth.” — pg. 126

“We must speak were the Bible speaks and be silent where Scripture is silent.” — pg. 126-127

Book Review: Raising Children God’s Way

With the Iowa caucuses being held today, it is easy to hear many messages which promote change to our society.  Every presidential hopeful has an answer to what they would do in order to change society.  While they say much about taxes, health care, the war on terror, international experience, and education, I have not heard one talk about parenting.  What part do parents play in the fabric of society?  Would things be different in the word if parents parented differently than they currently do? 

Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers these questions and more in Raising Children God’s Way.  These five sermons from Ephesians 6:1-4 compiled by Banner of Truth Trust give great insight into how parents are to raise children for the kingdom of God.  Even though these sermons were given decades ago, they still are accurate with the trends of parenting today.  It goes to show that God’s Word is timeless.  Dr. Lloyd-Jones has given biblical precision concerning what the Lord requires from parents.  When one picks this book up they will immediately see the passion and concern he has for the family. 

Only 85 pages, Raising Children God’s Way is a short read, but it must be thoroughly digested.  It is packed with biblical truth applied accurately to the fallen conditions of man.  Those parents who are seeking to raise children who glorify God will be challenged and convicted by this book.  The church thirsts for books like this, which brings the light of the Word of God to shine on the family.  God has designed the family, instituted the family, and been an example to the family.  We can no longer ignore the problems of parenting or seek to remedy them with anything other than the Bible. 

Read a few excerpts from the book:

I believe that Christian parents and children, Christian families, have a unique opportunity of witnessing to the world at this present time by just being different.  We can be true evangelists by showing this discipline, this law and order, this true relationship between parents and children.  We may be the means under God’s hand of bringing many to a knowledge of the truth.  Let us therefore think of it in that way.

Whether we like it or not, a breakdown in home-life will eventually lead to a breakdown everywhere.

But the tragedy of today, with its superficial thinking, is to assume that the opposite of wrong discipline is no discipline at all.

There is no more important influence in the life of a child than the influence of the home.  The home is the fundamental unit of society, and children are born into a home, into a family.  There you have the circle that is to be the chief influence in their lives.  There is no question about that.  It is the biblical teaching everywhere; and it is always in so-called civilizations were ideas concerning the home begin to deteriorate that society ultimately disintegrates. 

Raising Children God’s Way is a must read for any parent.  It will help shape one’s thinking around the truth of God and convince him or her of the importance of the necessity of the family.  God’s design must not be forsaken and those of God’s church must uphold it for the glory of God and the testimony of Christ.  Raising children God’s way will make your family look different than the rest of the world, but think of the opportunity it opens for the proclamation of the gospel.  May the church encourage fathers and mothers to faithfully uphold the biblical standards of child rearing.             

Tearing Your Heart

What is your heart glued to?  In reading, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, Jeremiah Burroughs says there are only two options.  Either your heart is glued to the world and the creature comforts therein or it is glued to the glory of Jesus Christ.  To have a heart glued to the glory of God is to have a soul bound to eternal glory, joy, and ultimate satisfaction.  On the other hand, to have a heart glued to the world only brings discontent, despair, and ultimate sorrow.  Hear how Burroughs describes God’s calling our hearts from the world.

The disengagement of the heart from the creature is the calling of the soul from the world – ‘whom the Lord hath called he hath justified’ – what is the calling of the soul but this?  The soul which before was seeking for contentment in the world, and cleaving to the creature, is now called out of the world by the Lord, who says: ‘Oh Soul, your happiness is not here, your rest is not here, you happiness is elsewhere, and your heart must be loosened from all the things that are here below in the world.’

How do you know what your heart is adhered to?

Something which is glued to another cannot be taken off, but you must tear it; so it is a sign your heart is glued to the world, that when God would take you off, your heart tears.

Does your heart tear when God takes something from you which is of the world?  Or, is it easy to let go since your heart is not bound to such a thing?  In a materialistic age and culture, we are surrounded by people who find it easy to set their affections on things, but they come to ruin and despair when they lose those things.  How effortless it is to live by sight rather than by faith.  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a heart set on him will gladly let all the material things of this world go for the glory and greatness they see in Him.  One’s heart can be seen in how they deal with affliction.

If God, by an affliction, should come to take anything in the world from you, and you can part from it with ease, without tearing, it is a sign then that your heart is not glued to the world.

What is your heart glued to? 

Reading For Relationships

I snapped the above picture to demonstrate what books you might find stacked together at our house.  When I first saw this grouping of books it seemed funny.  Here are all these kid books with one big thick theology book in the middle.  As I thought about it more it became clear this stack of books has a profound message.  The message was that I read for relationships.  Another way I might say it is: I read to enhance my relationships. 

One of my favorite things to do with my son is read to him.  From the time he was only a few days old we have read together.  While he doesn’t sit as still as he did in those early days, it is enjoyable.  You can see some of the books we enjoy in this picture.  There’s Scrambled Eggs Super, The Sneetches, and Yertle the Turtle all authored by Dr. Seuss.  He also likes My Little Word Book and My Creation Bible, each with colorful pictures and drawings.  Why do I spend time reading these books to my son?  I read to him in order to build our relationship.  It is something we do together in our rocking chair which is fun and relaxing.  Reading is also a time of instruction, not from the books, but from me.  This closeness of reading together is something I cherished from my childhood and hope someday my son will cherish as well.  Now, he is bringing the books to me so we can read.

It might not be hard to understand why I read to my son.  But, how does reading The Doctrine of God: A Theology of Lordship by John Frame enhance relationships?  I think it builds relationships in two ways.

First, this kind of book builds my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is a book centered on Him and His Word.  It seeks to instruct me from the Bible so I have a better understanding of who God is.  My desire is to know God.  Any book which drives this understanding deeper and makes it more comprehensive builds my relationship with Christ.  As my knowledge of Him grows, my worship grows, my love for Him grows, and so my obedience is strengthened.  I am not just reading this book for Systematic Theology 1 with Dr. Wellum.  Although, I will be accountable to him for its reading, I will be more accountable to God for how I used my time on this earth.  Time spent  growing  my relationship with God through books teaching me the Word of God is time well spent.

Second, this kind of book builds relationships with other people.  The building of these relationships is not as direct as reading to my son, yet they are still important.  In training for the ministry, my thoughts are often drawn to those people who I will minister to.  A book like The Doctrine of God builds into my relationship with the Lord, but through me will (hopefully) build into other’s relationship with the Lord.  By giving me a greater understanding and love of the Savior, my prayer is that the Lord will use me as an example to others.  Being an example is more than just having people watch your life.  It is about pouring your life into other people.  It seems like the buzzword around the SBTS campus is “gospel-centered.”  Think of this then as a “Gospel-centered pouring” of your life.  Can all this happen from reading a theological book?  I think it can and it must.  Forgetting this can quickly lead to prideful knowledge, this is dangerous for any believer.

So read, read , read, and read for relationships. 

Christian Contentment Mathematics

From the time we are very young we learn simple math.  2+2=4.  5+5=10.  7-4=3.  We look at these problems now and say they are quite easy to solve.  In fact, we could probably give the answers in our sleep.  I wonder though, how else have we been taught to solve problems from a very young age?  Specifically, when talking about contentment, is the issue resolved by addition or subtraction? 

When someone is discontent addition is often thought to be the solution.  “If I just had such and such then I would be content.”  “My condition is so low that it needs addition to be content.”  My one-year-old son’s discontentment is often taken care of by addition.  He cries, we give him something, and he stops.  What if we learned that contentment is not gained so much by addition but by subtraction.

This is exactly what Jeremiah Burroughs states as he unfolds the mystery of contentment in his book The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

A Christian comes to contentment, not so much by way of addition, as by way of subtraction.

It makes sense to us that contentment would be received from addition.  How then can it be attained through subtraction?  Burroughs makes the statement that it is, “not by adding more to his condition; but rather by subtracting from his desires, so as to make his desires and his circumstances even and equal.”  These desires are worldly desires, not heavenly, God-honoring desires.   We need to associate these kinds of desires with greed, selfishness, and pride.  How often do we think we deserve more?  How often do we think we deserve better?  These thoughts only lead to discontentment in our lives.

The world is infinitely deceived in thinking that contentment lies in having more than we already have.  Here lies the bottom root of all contentment, when there is an evenness and proportion between our hearts and our circumstances.

Our prayer must be that our heart would be brought down to our circumstances.  Then there is contentment with little and with affliction.  Our desires must find their satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ.  What else do we think would bring us satisfaction in this world? 

Thus the gracious heart thinks in this way: “The Lord has been pleased to bring down my circumstances; now if the Lord brings down my heart and makes it equal to my circumstances, then I am well enough.” 

The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

I recently purchased a book by Jeremiah Burroughs entitled The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.  I bought this book because I have seen lately my own need for contentment.  So far I have found this book a great encouragement, help, and rebuke.  Not only has the author challenged the way I think, he has also pressed the Word of God to my heart and shown me my sinfulness.  I believe this is what a “good” book must do.  Those books I have found most pleasant over the years are not the ones who simply state something I agree with.  Instead, they are the ones which skillfully use the Word of God to perform open-heart surgery on my soul.

I wanted here to give the definition Burroughs uses for contentment.  He gives the following description:

Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal in every condition.

What is impressed upon me by this definition is the fact that it must be the habitual way of the Christian.  Perhaps I am able to live this definition out here and there, but to live it out all the time?  To live it out in every circumstance?  How am I going to be able to do this?  I will only be able to accomplish this by the grace of God working in my heart.  It is only a heart that “freely submits to and delights in God’s wise and fatherly disposal.”  Not only is it a surrendered heart, it is a delighting heart.  Is a heart content when it is content merely out of duty?  The content heart does submit, but it also delights in how God works and why God works. 

Listen to what Burroughs says about the importance of habitual contentment:

A Christian who, in the constant tenor and temper of his heart, can carry himself quietly with constancy has learned the lesson of contentment. Otherwise his Christianity is worth nothing, for no one, however furious is his discontent, will not be quiet when he is in a good mood.

Read over that last sentence a couple times, and think about what your Christianity is worth as you contemplate your contentment.  I look forward to sharing more from this book in following blogs.  Until then meditate on these great words from God’s Word.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  Philippians 4:11

On The Lighter Side: Lutzer/Graham

On Tuesday, September 11, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary had the honor of hearing Erwin Lutzer in chapel. I went to chapel wanting to hear this well known author and pastor. What I got in the first few minutes was more than I expected.

Impressions are not my thing. If I try to impersonate someone else it never does them justice. In this particular chapel, we heard Pastor Lutzer do an impression of Billy Graham. I enjoyed it so I thought I would share it here on my blog. In all fairness, Pastor Lutzer made sure it was understood that he greatly respected Billy Graham and that few men have had the impact he has on his life. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

There is also a rumor going around that Dr. Mohler does a great Jack Black/Nacho Libre impression. I would love to hear that sometime.

Lutzer as Graham