Book Review: Biblical Doctrine by John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue

It has been over a year since John MacArthur has stepped into glory and see Jesus face to face. MacArthur has authored many books over the years including some commentaries. Back in 2017, MacArthur along with Richard Mayhue have put together a Systematic Theology based on MacArthur's teaching and preaching. This book is simply titled, Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth.

Over 1,000 pages of the theology of John MacArthur summarized into one volume which was probably not an easy task, but it was accomplished. The book basically goes over the doctrine of the Bible, the doctrine of the Trinity which each member into their own individual chapters, and the doctrine of salvation. 

MacArthur goes on with the doctrine of man, angels, the church, and the future, which is Dispensationalism. For those who have followed MacArthur for years, you know this is no surprise. 

If you have read Systematic Theology books in the past, you know that the theology is the Bible interpreted by the author of that particular volume. A lot of works is similar with a few differences. In reading MacArthur, you will find agreement with other works of Systematic Theology along with disagreements. 

As I mentioned earlier, it has been over a year since MacArthur has passed away yet his legacy and influence lives on. I am thankful this book was put together. This is one for any serious theology student to have on their bookshelf. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Qualified Man by Jacob Tanner

There was an old commercial on TV years ago when I man came upon someone who was injured. The gentleman asked everyone to stand back as he attended to the injured. A woman asked him, if he was a doctor. The man, comically, answered, "No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." 

In today's culture, many think they are experts because they meet certain qualifications. Doctors have medical school, lawyers have law school, and mechanics have some form of training. In the church, we have seminary which has been debated if that applies today because of the debt they might accumulate. While seminary training may not appear in the Bible, there are qualifications for a man, yes, I said man, to be an elder/pastor in the church. 

In his latest book, A Qualified Man: Cultivating the Quality of a Godly Leader, Jacob Tanner looks what Titus 1:5-9 says about the Biblical qualifications for church leadership. The passage reads as follows from the English Standard Version (ESV), which is what Tanner used in the book:

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. 

Based on this passage, Tanner addresses the purpose of elders along with they must be men who love their wives and children. Based on the ESV translation of Titus 1:6, Tanner believes that an elder must have children who are believers, which I will address later on. 

Elders must be men who are above reproach, not perfect men, but men who are known to be holy. Elders must be men who are trusted with the Word of God and must be able to teach others as well as able to defend the Bible. 

Going back to Titus 1:6 about children being believers, this is where I have a big issue. I think the translation and interpretation of that passage is misleading. The Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) has Titus 1:6 saying that an elder's children must have "faithful children, who are not accused of dissipation, or rebellious." To have faithful children does not imply that they are believers, but an elder's children are respectful and obedient to him in his house. To imply that an elder must have children who believe means that when a child is born in his home, he or she is not a believer right away and therefore the man cannot be an elder. Not all children come to faith at a young. Some come to faith as a teenager or even a young adult. This implies when a new child is born, the elder must step down so he can convert his child. The same with adopting a child who may not be a believer. 

This is a book much needed today in the church. The body of Christ needs to be reminded what God's Word says about the qualifications of elders. Despite my disagreement with the interpretation of Titus 1:6, I recommend this book for all leaders and future leaders. 

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Mediator by Vern S. Poythress

The question that Vern Poythress presents before us in his latest book, Mediator: A Biblical Theology, is how immoral people approach a holy God? How can people who are morally corrupt come up to a God who is beyond corruption? As Christians, we know we cannot come to God on our own because we are sinners that deserve the wrath of God.

God provided a mediator for us in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5, LSB). Christ is the reason those who put their faith and trust in Him can approach a holy God. 

We know Christ is our absolute mediator, but the way Poythress was communicating in his book, there were other mediators especially in the Old Testament. Now those mediators did not take away sin like Christ does, but they were means of approaching God. 

Some of the examples of the Old Testament Poythress showed was the Tree of Life, the Covenant, and even the Prophets. To be honest, I understand where he was coming from, but I thought they were a bit of a stretch and going beyond what was written in that aspect. Not accusing Poythress of being a false teacher, but I think he was executing bad exegesis.

When it came to the New Testament, the book took a needed 180 because Poythress showed the entire ministry of Jesus pointed to Him as our Mediator.  He is fulfilled the law of God which is why He is our absolute mediator. 

To be honest, I was expecting more for Poythress on this subject. Granted, when it came to teaching about Christ being our mediator, it was pretty solid. The first half of the book felt like they were just page fillers. It was a good attempt on this topic, but I think it was poorly executed.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: One: Twenty-Five Selected Sermons on Unity

Over the years, there have been many sermons from Charles Spurgeon that been printed in books for all in the church to read. There are also podcasts that read Spurgeon's sermons as well. Recently, the G3 Conference took place on the subject of unity, which is the topic of these collections of sermons from Spurgeon printed by G3 Press, titled, One: Twenty-Five Selected Sermons on Unity.

Each sermon in the book contains Biblical teaching on what unity should be in the church. This also contains how and what Christians should do to maintain that unity. There are also sermons to serve as warning to what can disrupt the unity of the church. As an added bonus, there is a written exposition from Spurgeon on Psalm 133 which says:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brothers to dwell together in unity!

It is like the good oil upon the head,

Coming down upon the beard,

Aaron’s beard,

Coming down upon the edge of his robes.

It is like the dew of Hermon

Coming down upon the mountains of Zion;

For there, Yahweh commanded the blessing—life forever (Psalm 133:1-3, LSB).

This is another excellent collection of sermons from the Prince of Preachers for any Pastor and/or theologian to add to his library especially on the much-needed subject of unity,

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Way of Repentance by Chris Brauns

Many Christians have an idea of what repentance, but very few know what it really means. Some say that repentance is simply stop sinning. That is partly true but there is more to repentance then simply stop sinning. 

Why Should Christians repent? What is our motivation to repent? These and other questions are answered in the latest book from Chris Brauns titled The Way of Repentance.

In the book, Brauns communicates that repentance has to do with gladness. To repent is to be for joy. Brauns writes, "Repentance brings joy, peace, and purpose for our lives, our families, our churches, and the world." Most Christians know that we repent because sin is offense to a holy God, so we repent because we are grieved that we have offended God. Brauns says that Christians should repent so that we may have joy.

Brauns mentions that repentance is a way of life which is what the Puritans also believed. Many think that repentance is a one-time deal where confess our sins to God one time and we just repent never worrying about it again. We fight sin every day. We face temptation every day. There will be times we will fail. We must go to God in prayer to confess our sins, which is He is faithful and just to forgive (see 1 John 1:9), and we repent of that sin for the rest of our lives or till Christ returns. 

Brauns goes on to say that God has given us the ordinary means of grace, which are Word, Worship, Fellowship, and Prayer, to engage us to repent. The Lord's Supper is a good reminder of repentance because of what Jesus did on our behalf on the cross. We got to God in prayer to ask Him to meet our needs, so that would be the best place to confess our sins and repent of those sins. Worship reminds of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Fellowship is a time to confess our sins to one another and hold each other accountable to repent. 

As the book draws to a close, Brauns helps his readers to evaluate genuine repentance because there are many out there who will fake it till, they make it. Finally, Brauns reminds his readers about receiving those who are repentant. It is easy to not trust people, but we are called to accept another as Christ has accepted us (see Romans 15:7). Those who repent receive fellow Christians who have repented from their sins.

Brauns does a good job communicating the importance of repentance in this book. My main thing that I was not really on board with the book was when Brauns said we repent so that we may have joy.  I get what he is saying, but it was almost saying we repent so we can be happy as if repentance was all about us rather than repenting of something that offends a holy God. Other than that, the book is pretty solid.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Saved to Sin No More by Brad Wetherell

The Christian life is one of joy. We are set free from our sins, and our joyful response is to obey the Lord in everything we do. Yet there are days where we feel defeated or we are not doing enough. This is a constant battle for Christians especially in the area of holiness.

We are dead to sin, the book of Romans tells us, yet we are still prone to it. We fight the indwelling sin still in us and the temptations that come with it. It is an ongoing battle day and day out. 

We have joy in Christ knowing that we are saved by Him even as we battle the flesh. This is what Brad Wetherell communicates in his book, Saved to Sin No More: How Union with Christ Empowers a Life of Holiness.

This book is mostly based on Romans 5:12-6:23 with the exception of the last chapter and conclusion. This is book is about our union with Christ and how that union leads us to holiness. We are reminded that we are dead to sin and it is not our master because we are under grace. We are reminded that we are slaves to righteousness and that we should give our members (parts of our body) as instruments of wickedness.

We are called to remember what God has done for us in Christ and why we obey Christ which is not get saved but because we are saved. Christ has saved us from sin and the wrath of God; therefore, we must fight our sin. We also must remember why we are saved. We are saved because God sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins on the cross. 

The final chapter address our need for the body of Christ. Based on Ephesians 4:4-6 which Wetherell has titled the chapter, "Saved Together." The Christian life is not meant to be a solo ride. We need each other. We need one another to serve the Lord and each other as well growing in our Christian walk. Yes, we have been saved by God individually, but those who have been saved are brothers and sisters in the Lord. They are the family of God, the body of Christ, the Church of the Living God. They are fellow believer who struggle in their fight against sin just as you are.

A couple of things in this book that I want to mention that did not set well with me. Wetherell stated that when we are united with Christ, His story becomes our story. How is that possible? Is my story of one where I become the perfect Son of God because of my union with Christ? Do I perform miracles like Jesus did (Can anyone say New Apostolic Reformation)? 

The other place I had a problem with was when Wetherell mentioned when we have peace, we have access to him, which led him to say, "We don't need to fear that God is greater than us." Yes, we do. God is greater than us. We do come to Him in Holy reverent fear. He is greater than us because He is the one by whom "we live and move and exist" (Acts 17:28). 

Overall, this was a decent book on sanctification and holiness with the exception of the two area mentioned above. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Compassionate Calvinism by Sam Cole

Ever heard of cage stage? I am sure you have especially if you are engaged with social media. Cage stage is this zeal of sharing your newfound (for lack of a better term) theology and want to share it so you can prove everyone wrong.

Some people just post on social media without considering being gentle nor exercise self-control when engaging in an online debate. This is most true with Calvinists. They have a tendency to develop some form of cage stage even they have embraced their theology. Sadly, most of them have not grown out of it. 

In Compassionate Calvinism, Sam Cole dives into the doctrines of grace and how we can explain it them, as the subtitle of the book says, without being a jerk. Let's face it. Some Calvinists can be very unkind while discussing doctrine with them.

This book goes over Calvinism and the important doctrines that affirm. Those doctrines include total depravity, sovereign grace, election, the atonement, and the perseverance of the saints. This is not a systematic theology book, but just a basic introduction to Calvinism.

What makes this book unique, it does discuss doctrine, but it goes over how we can discuss it with others. Whether we are in defending what we believe or just simply sharing them with someone who is curious about Calvinism. We can discuss Calvinism without going into cage stage mode which ends up with being arrogant, or even a jerk (there's that word again). 

This book is one I would recommend for those who are new to Calvinism to help them understand the doctrines of grace and how to effectively communicate them charitably.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Gentleness: The Way of Life by R.D. Norman

In Galatians 5:22-23, we see a list of characteristics that is consistent with the Christian life, which is called the Fruit of the Spirit. This is not like the gifts of the Spirit where not one believer possesses all of the gifts. The Christian has every fruit mentioned in this passage. 

In this passage, gentleness is the second to last right before self-control. Gentleness tends to be overlooked especially in a culture that seems to be harsh and critical. Jesus said He is "gentle and humble in heart" (Matthew 11:29). The Apostle Paul said that he did not come to the Thessalonian church with flattering words, any source of greed, or seeking the praise of men, but "we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children" (1 Thessalonians 2:7). 

Jesus and the Apostle Paul both showed gentleness in their life and ministry. Christians can do the same since we have the Holy Spirit, and the evidence of that is the fruit shown in our lives, which is the Fruit of the Spirit. R.D. Norman, a missionary in Romania, has written a book to show Christians the Bible's teachings on gentleness, simply titled, Gentleness: A Way of Life.

Norman begins this book with looking at God, in fact, he looks on all of the Godhead at is relates to gentleness. He shows from the Bible how gentle the Father is who gives us His Spirit, who comforts us along with the Son who is our Shepherd who guides us.

Next, Norman looks at how Christians can be gentle. One note, Norman is not indicating being soft. There are times we must be firm. We must speak with truth in love. How we live our lives and speak to another must be a life of gentleness as Christ should us. One area Christians should show gentleness is in the area of suffering. When life gets hard, Christians are to be the ones comforting one another and those around us. As we share the gospel it must be done in gentleness because lost people do not know the Way.

Gentleness is one subject not necessarily discussed. If it is, it usually is a guilt trip message on someone's tone or being dismissive when a preacher is calling out a false teacher. We need a proper Biblical understanding of gentleness. Norman's book provides that.  This book will be excellent in a study on the Fruit of the Spirit.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Quest for Godliness by J.I. Packer

There have been many books on the Puritans. Most of them are biographical while others on their teachings. These books have benefitted many in the body of Christ over the centuries.

One book on the Puritans that many recommend is J.I. Packer's A Quest for Godliness, which addresses the spiritual life of these men who walked with God so many years ago. Packer begins with the necessity of the Puritans and examines some of their writings.

Packer addresses how the Puritans viewed the Bible including John Owen's view that the Bible is how God speaks to us today, which is the view of the majority of the Puritans and those who hold Reformed Theology. A Chapter in this book is the introduction that Packer wrote from an edition of Owen's classic book, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. Packer dives into how the Puritans viewed the gospel as well as the preaching of it as well as their view of justification.

Many people are not aware that the Puritans have a high view of the Holy Spirit. Packer unpacks that by showing what Puritans believed about the Holy Spirit along with John Owen's view of the spiritual gifts, which is a hot topic in the church today. Packer continues by looking into the Puritans in living the Christian life by writing on their dealings with the Lord's Day as well as worship. Packer even tackles their views on marriage and family.

Finally, Packer writes about the ministry of the Puritans. The Puritans did believe that God is sovereign in the salvation of souls, yet we have a task to proclaim the gospel in the church and outside the church. The puritans along with many in Reformed Theology looked at preaching a means of grace for the believers to grow and be edify as they walk with Jesus in this life. 

As stated earlier, there are many books on the Puritans that have been written over the years. They have been recommended by many theologians and pastors, yet I do not hear Packer's book in many of those conversations. I am delighted to tell you that A Quest for Godliness should be on everyone's to-read list on the Puritans.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Promise of the Messiah by Ethan Jago

It has been nearly a month since we celebrated Christmas. Most Christians love this time of the year because we remember what God did by sending His Only Begotten Son born of a virgin. What's sad is many Christians after Christmas will forget all about the incarnation of Christ till next Christmas, which is less than 12 away for those who are keeping track. 

The Incarnation of Christ is not something we should study around Christmas time. It should be something that we study, read, and know for all times of the year. I am delighted to recommend a great resource from G3 Press written by Ethan Jago, titled, The Promise of the Messiah: A Theology of Christmas. 

Jago does a wonderful job showing his readers that the coming of the Messiah was something God promised all the way back to the beginning in the garden of Eden. He also points out that while Christmas is a time to reflect on the birth of Christ, it is also time where we anticipate His return. Christ's first coming should always make us consider that one day He will return.

Jago continues to point out that Christ never ceased to be God. Jesus went through everything a man could go through yet was without sin. He was tempted so that He can be a Great High Priest that can sympathize with us in our weakness. Jesus did not earn righteousness or salvation but came to fulfill the Father's will. Jesus was already the Son of God and He delighted to do the will of God.

Jesus did not come just to be a good teacher, as Jago says in the book, or a miracle worker. He came to bear the sins of the world so that we can have righteousness from God by faith in Christ. Christ lived a perfect life because we could not. 

Jago concludes that the fulfillment came when Christ took our place on the cross so that He can pay for our sins. He also was raised on the third day and will physically return one day. As Christians today, we must share this good news to all. Christ's incarnation is not something that should be celebrated just during Christmas time, but in every season of the year. Not saying we should bust out the Christmas decorations, but we should remember that God loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son as John 3:16 boldly proclaims.

This is a great resource for all studying on the incarnation of Christ. This is also a useful tool to be used for Christmas time when doing a Sunday School lesson or sermon on the incarnation.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: A Little Theology of Exercise by David Mathis

As the new year begins, I am sure many of you have made New Year's resolutions. If I had to guess which resolution most will have their list, I would say losing weight or exercise more than last year. There is nothing wrong with that goal yet some many give up within a month, a week, or even a day of trying. 

There are some that say exercising is not that big of a deal in the Christian life. Some would say our spiritual growth is more important. So, the question is our spiritual health more than important than our physical well-being or are both important? David Mathis addresses this question and others in his latest book, A Little Theology of Exercise.

Mathis points out that our spiritual formation and maturing in Christ is vitally important but caring for our bodies are essential as well. He said, "We train our souls through conditioning our bodies. and what we do with our souls can greatly affect our bodies." Mathis is not being legalistic here. What is saying that the body does matter and we should do our best to take care of it. Not caring for our bodies does affect us in various ways.

Mathis goes on in the book saying we can make exercise Christian as we seek to honor the Lord as we take care of it. Mathis points us various passages of Scripture regarding our bodies. Mathis shows his readers that God has made our bodies even though sin has seized it. Jesus came in a human body and God dwells in the body through His Spirit. The body is not something God cast to the side. He made it to honor Him. 

Mathis shows us we honor God by caring for our bodies and it does help condition us spiritually. While physical health is important, it does not mean it is more important than spiritual growth. As the Apostle Paul wrote that "bodily training is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come" (1 Timothy 4:8, LSB). 

There are not many Christian books on exercise that I am aware of. If there are any, it is usually from a worldly point of view. Mathis gives a Biblical worldview on exercise that does not make anyone feel guilty because they have not done enough exercise in their lifetime. So, take, read, and then go for a walk to the glory of God.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

 

My Top 15 Books for 2025

Another year is about end. So, it is time to share with you my top books for 2025:

15. Introducing the Apostolic Fathers by William Varner

14. The Cross, Our Glory by Charles Spurgeon

13. Great Doctrines of the Bible: God the Father, God the Son; God the Holy Spirit; The Church and the Last Things by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

12. The Vanishing Conscience by John MacArthur

11. Out of Formation: The Infiltration of the Spiritual Formation Movement and Its Impact on Evangelicalism by Gary Gilley

10. The Battle for the Beginning by John MacArthur

9. Fight Like a Man: A Bold, Biblical Battle Plan for Personal Purity by Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne

8. A Biblical Theology of Climate Change by Darrell Harrison & Virgil Walker

7. The History and Theology of Calvinism by Curt Daniel

6. Resting In Sovereign Grace: How To Have Assurance of Salvation by Joshua Banks

5. Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God by Jonny Ardavanis

4. Cultivating Spiritual Growth: Striving for Maturity in Christ by Conrad Mbewe

3. The Fruit of Godly Suffering: 30 Truths Every Christian Ought to Lay Hold of When Trials Come by Wesley Cooper

2. The Honor of God by Grant Castleberry

1. The Beauty of Prayer by Jeffrey Johnson

Book Review: The Completed Works of John Owen: Volume 9, The Death of Christ

In Volume 9 of "The Completed Works of John Owen", we take a look at his collection on The Death of Christ, which are taken from two of Owen's most notable works, "The Death of Death in the Death of Christ" and "Of the Death of Christ, the Price He Paid, and the Purchase His Made."

I will have to admit this was a tough read because Owen because these works seem to be pretty academic. Even I read "The Death of Death" as a separate book, it was a challenge. 

In this volume, Owen shows why the death of Christ is important and on which Christianity must know Biblically. Christ's death is why we were given eternal life. Christ became our mediator and destroyed death. Yes, we will all die one day, but death lost its sting when Christ died on the cross. 

Universalism is nothing new. It has been around for centuries. Owen does make his case as to why universalism is unacceptable and only the elect will have the benefit for inheriting salvation who have received Christ as Lord. 

Once again, another good volume in "The Completed Works of John Owen." I would advise anyone studying this volume to take your time because Owen unpacks a lot. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Introducing the Apostolic Father by William Varner

Church history is an important subject to study for any serious student of the Bible. It helps us learn what people in history thought about God's Word, God Himself, and how the church should operate. Is church history the authority for all believers? Of course not, church history does not trump the Bible in its authority.

One area of church history that does not seem to be discussed a lot is on those who followed the Apostles. Who were the men that followed those Jesus commissioned to carry out His task to lead the church after He ascended? 

William Varner, a well-known Biblical scholar, address who these men were and their theology in his lates book, Introducing the Apostolic Fathers. In this book, Varner looks at various texts and letters into these men who knew the Apostle personally. These men were not just ones who did their research and followed their example. These Apostolic Fathers were men who worked side-by-side with the Apostles Christ commissioned.

One thing to note, nowhere were these men considered Apostles. They believed that the gift and calling of an Apostle had ceased. I am sure there are some continuationists out there that are right now going to disagree with this one since they believe the calling of the Apostle still happens today.

In the book, Varner does write about the testimonies of these early church fathers so that 21st Century Christians can learn from them. He writes about Clement, Polycarp, and Ignatius. He addresses the writings of these men such as Clement's letter to the Corinthians along with his second letter, the Epistle of Barnabas, and the letter to Diognetus.

Varner addresses their eschatology which all of them were premillennial. He also addresses what each early church father believed about baptism which was by immersion. I am sure many of you are scratching your heads at this moment, but it is insight as to what these men believed to be the right doctrine and methods in the early church.

This is very well written book on the subject of church history. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to look into the history of the church. I am also delighted to suggest this book as one of the first books to read on your study of church history. 

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Many Faces of Evil by John S. Feinberg

There are many in the world that wonder about why is there evil in it if we have a good God. The problem of evil has become a stumbling block for many to accept the claims of Christianity. There are some Christians that cannot grasp the concept of evil. Most of it is not their fault. There are a lot of churches that are unequipped to tackle this issue. 

John S. Feinberg's book, The Many of Faces of Evil, addresses the theological and practical issue of evil in the world as well as the theological systems on the subject. The book is very academic and might be a tough read for some, but it is worth to have on your shelf or your e-reader as a tool to help yourself and others in understanding the problem of evil.

After giving an introduction to the book, Feinberg addresses the logical problem of evil by looking at it from different viewpoints. He addresses how theonomy looks at the problem of evil along with the free will defense, and how God view natural and moral evil.

Next, Feinberg the evidence regarding the problem of evil. A lot of people have an issue with why God has not removed evil from the world. It's not because God is a wimp, but He does use evil, not as the author of it, to accomplish His will. We may not understand it, but it does happen. If there evil in the world, that means there must be some ultimate good in it as well. Feinberg goes on to address the doctrine of hell and the religious problem of evil along how suffering is in the world.

As I mentioned earlier, this book is very academic and can be a tough read. This book is worth your time whether you read as in one setting or in bits and pieces from time to time. Theologians and pastors should have this book in their library.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Resting in Sovereign Grace by Joshua Banks

Many believers struggle with assurance. Many doubt their salvation for various reasons. It could be a certain sin they are struggling with and cannot seem to get under control. For others it is comparing themselves to other believers and how they are growing in their walk with Christ.

In his book, Resting In Sovereign Grace: How To Have Assurance of Salvation, Joshua Banks gives readers a look into how a believer can truly know they are saved. First, Banks reminds his readers that there is still some corruption within us. We are still in this body of the flesh tainted by sin and still wrestle with it on a day-to-day basis. No believer in Christ is immune to this. 

Next, Banks guides his readers into seeing how we can rest in the grace of God as we call out to Him in prayer. We can cling to the righteousness of Christ as we fight sin. He then reminds the reader that our righteousness is from one who fulfilled the law on our behalf then died on the cross on behalf. 

Because of the righteousness of Christ, we are justified before God. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, which Banks does go over in this book. As we rest in the salvation of Christ, God is working in us by His Spirit. We see the evidence of this work in the Fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and being in the good works which God has prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). 

Banks concludes saying that we have been given a new identity in Christ. We were people who did not obey God, now we do. Perfectly? No. God's grace is still on us even on our worse days. We can strive to live a holy life before God and rest in Christ knowing that no one, not even ourselves, can snatch us for the Father's hand. 

There has been many confusing books and sermons on assurance. I am grateful for this book because it is backed by the Bible and written with clarity on a subject that should not be difficult. Thankfully, this book will not lead you into antinomianism but into holiness and rest in the assurance we have that Christ has saved us.

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Sing Hymnal

I did not grow up in a traditional church. I knew what hymnals were and over time, our church moved away from using a physical hymnal to just having the words of a song in our bulletin. The church I attended during my college years used a hymnal which I thought was strange, but I discovered a lot of my favorite worship songs were in the hymnal. 

Sadly, over the years, many churches have gone away from using a hymnal or hymns in general. There is a resurgence happening where more and more churches are using hymnals while at the same time, more modern hymnals are being written which infuses modern worship songs with hymns of long ago. The Sing Hymnal is now being added to the list of brand-new hymnals being published for the body of Christ to use in their corporate worship gatherings. 

This hymnal has a collection of modern worship songs mixed with songs that have been around for year. Some of the modern songs include ones written by Keith & Kristyn Getty, who were the main contributors to this hymnal, Matt Boswell, Sovereign Grace Music, and a couple of songs from Chris Tomlin. In case you were wondering, I did not see any song from Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation Worship bands. 

This hymnal also contains a collection of verses in the English Standard Version (ESV) and quotes from various Christian theologians. I will admit there are some in there that I would have left out, but that in itself should not take away from how good this hymnal was put together. 

Just like any other hymnals, there are different topics match with the appropriate song for that topic. I was surprised they had a section for the Psalms. However, this was my one big disappointment with this hymnal. While they had many songs based on the Psalms, they did not cover all 150 of them. Not sure why the Getty's omitted some of them, but I thought it was a real shame they did not include songs based on all of the Psalms. My hope is they will release a follow-up to this with a Sing Psalter similar to what The Master's Seminary did with their Hymns of Grace and produced their Psalms of Grace.

Overall, a well put together hymnal for the church to use not just corporately, but also in their homes whether in private worship or singing with friends and family. 

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: By Faith: Twenty-Five Selected Sermons on Faith

Over the years, there has been a resurgence of books, sermons, and even lectures from Charles Spurgeon that have been published for the church today. Many of his books are available for free on Kindle. His lectures can be found in bookstores. His sermons have been written for the church to read.

In this book, By Faith: Twenty-Five Selected Sermons on Faith, edited by Kerry James Allen, has become one of the latest collection of sermons from Spurgeon to edify and equip the church today. As you can imagine, this books deals with subject of faith. These sermons have been collected and edited from the New Park Street Pulpit and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit series.

In these sermons, Spurgeon tackles how the Christian is to live by faith in the world. He also addresses the faith of people in the Bible as an example for us in the modern world. Spurgeon exhorts the believer to life by faith and not by sight and in full obedience to God which is a result of saving faith.

Spurgeon has become one of my favorite preachers from church history. I have benefitted from many of his writings over the years. I know many have as well and many preachers have used Spurgeon's sermons for sermon preparation. I am thankful that we have these 25 sermons on faith for the church whether to be used for sermon or for one's own personal growth.

I am delighted to recommend this collection of sermons from Charles Spurgeon

I received this book from G3 Press in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne Grudem

The topic of spiritual gifts has been a heated debate for some time especially in the last few years. There have been articles, books, podcasts, debates, and even documentaries addressing if certain spiritual gifts have ceased or are they still continuing in the church today. 

The gift of prophecy has been one of those gifts that have been debated on. Some of the criticism of those who believe this gift has ceased is they have based it on false teachers who have given false prophecies. Those who believe that the gift of prophecy still continues have drawn their conclusions from Scripture and their personal experience. 

One theologian who believes the gift of prophecy is Wayne Grudem, known for his classic work on Systematic Theology, which has been read and studied by many Christians whether in seminary or small group studies. Grudem has written a book, which was revised in 2000, dealing with prophecy and how it was used in the New Testament era and the church today, titled, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today.

In this book, Grudem addresses the difference between prophecies in the Old Testament versus the New Testament. He also addressed the teaching of prophecy in 1 Corinthians which seems to be charismatics go-to when it comes to the continuing of Spiritual gifts such tongues and prophecy. Grudem writes on if all will have the gift of prophecy, which you do not have to be a cessationist to know that not everyone gets the gift of prophecy. He even makes suggestions that the gift of prophecy is a sign of God's blessing on the church and that having prophecy in the church will give people in worship a sense of awe knowing that God is in their midst. 

To be fair, Grudem does defend his positions with scripture which we should not expect anything less from someone who has written a massive theology book. Yet there are times it seemed some of his conclusions were a bit of a stretch when it came to applying his findings to the church today.

When I began reading this book, I knew about Grudem's stance when it came to prophecy so his teachings on this was no surprise. Yet, Grudem seems to be going against the Bible when it comes if a prophet misspeaks. Deuteronomy 18 is clear if a prophet speaks and it does not come to pass; it was not from Yahweh. Grudem would suggest that the New Testament, in particular 1 Corinthians 14, that a prophet can be wrong, he can speak wrongly about he claimed to hear from God, and that be challenged. This is not what prophecy in all of the Bible teaches nor do I see anything that a prophet can be wrong and put words in God's mouth he did not utter.

Grudem is a gifted theologian, and I have benefitted from many of his writings. However, this was not one of them. I am not saying this as a cessationist, I am saying this as one who loves the Bible and knows that God never studders when giving a message to His people.

I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: Think Biblically edited by John MacArthur and Abner Chou

A worldview is basically how a person looks at the world around them. All of us have a worldview of some kind depending on where you live in the world. Christians are ones that need to think and look at the world around them through the lens of the Bible. What this is means is that God's people are to have a Biblical worldview.

John MacArthur and Abner Chou has gathered writings from their fellow teachers at The Master's Seminary to speak on how we can view sin, mental health, creation, and other topics with a Biblical worldview in a book titled, Think Biblically.

The first part of the book deals with the Biblical foundation of forming a Biblical worldview which begins with seeing Scripture as the authority for the believer along being sufficient in life and godliness. Chou writes about Hermeneutics which is interpreting the Bible followed by other writers addressing gaining a Biblical worldview also looking at what the Bible says about sin, creation, having a right relationship with God, and looking at how God sees the nations.

The remainder of the book deals with the Biblical formulations. These chapters look at developing a Biblical worldview in various subjects such as our postmodern world, what it means to be a Christian man or woman, and looking at how we should view science in the light of scripture. There are even chapters on developing a Biblical worldview in mathematics, education, and even enjoying worship and music. 

I am thankful this book was released in a second edition because there is so much that has happened in the world that a book like this needed to be updated. Those who wish to seek assistance in gaining a Biblical worldview, this book will be a valuable resource for you and your church.

I received in this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review.