sola gratia

By Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan III, Albert Mohler Jr., and C. J. Mahaney (Crossway, 2007)

This volume is a result of the Together for the Gospel Conference held in 2006 whereby, the messages are compiled with additional articles from MacArthur, Piper and Sproul. The appendix includes the Affirmations and Denials of the conference.

In the introduction, you sense the charity between the very varied background of these four pastor-theologians. In page 16, Dever writes humorously, “Learn from our Sovereign Grace guys to have confidence with humility. Learn from our Presbyterian friends to read books and conduct charitable, careful conversations. Learn from our non-denominational friends to center our unity in Christ and his gospel even more than in our traditions. And learn from us Baptists about. . .something. Since I am a Baptist,…”

This book is a gem for pastors who preach the cross and who desire to know more of Christ.

An outline from Dever’s chapter on marks of “A Real Minister” based on 1 Corinthians 4:

A Cross-centered Message

A Cross-centered Life

Having Cross-centered Followers

Chapter 2: “Preaching Christ from the Old Testament” by Duncan

Chapter 3: “Preaching Christ with the Culture in View” by Mohler

Chapter 4: “The Center of Christian Preaching: Justification by Faith” by Sproul

Chapter 5: “Preaching as Expository Exultation for the Glory of God” by Piper

Chapter 6: “The Pastor’s Priorities: Watch Your Life and Doctrine” by Mahaney

Chapter 7: “Why I Still Preach the Bible after Forty Years of Ministry” by MacArthur

Top books from my library for the year 2007. These books were chosen for their Reformed persuasion and understanding.

1. Johnson, Dennis E. Him We Proclaim.

“Challenging modern preachers to expound the Bible like Peter and Paul. Him we proclaim makes the hermeneutical and historical case for a return to apostolic preaching–preaching that is Christ-centered, redemptive-historical, missiologically communicated, and grounded in grace.” (Back cover)

2. Doriani, Daniel M. James (Reformed Expository Commentary).

“The book of James is both beloved for its practical wisdom and debated as to its relationship to Paul’s gospel…. Daniel Doriani, a pastor and scholar recognized for his works on biblical interpretation and application, resolves the tension between the wide-ranging practical commands of James and the centrality of faith in the Christian life.” (Book jacket)

3. Dever, Mark, J. Ligon Duncan III, R. Albert Mohler Jr., C. J. Mahaney. Preaching the Cross.

“Preaching the gospel is without doubt the most important task of pastoral ministry, yet often other, seemingly more urgent activities obscure it…. [the book] is call to expository, gospel-centered preaching as the center of pastoral ministry.”

4. Oliphint, K. Scott, ed. Justified in Christ: God’s Plan for Us in Justification.

A compendium from the faculty of Westminster Theological Seminary.

5. Greidanus, Sidney. Preaching Christ from Genesis: Foundations for Expository Sermons.

6. Jeffery, Steve, Mike Ovey, Andrew Sach. Pierced for Our Transgressions: Rediscovering the Glory of Penal Substitution.

“The doctrine of penal substitution states that God gave himself in the person of his Son to suffer instead of the death, punishment and curse due to fallen humanity as the penalty of sin…. [This book] offers a freah articulation of penal substitution.”

7. Horton, Michael S. Covenant and Salvation: Union with Christ.

8. Clark, R. Scott, ed. Covenant, Justification, and Pastoral Ministry.

Essays written by the faculty of Westminster Seminary California on the defense of sola fide and an apology on the Federal Vision.

9. Boda, Mark J. The Gospel According to David: After God’s Own Heart. (The Gospel According to the Old Testament)

10. Selvaggio, Anthony T. The Faith Once Delivered: Essays in Honor of Dr. Wayne R. Spear. (The Westminster Assembly and the Reformed Faith)

Author: Iain M. Duguid (Presbyterian and Reformed, 2005)

A sampling of chapters:

Standing Firm against the Empire (Esther 1:1-22)

Beauty and the Beast (2:1-23)

The Dog That Didn’t Bark (4:1-17)

The Road to Nowhere (Ruth 1:1-5)

Grace at the Bottom of the Barrel (1:6-22)

It is every pastor’s desire to bring the Word of God to the hearts of God’s people. Iain Duguid has made this exposition of these Old Testament books, Esther and Ruth, worthy of examination and thinking through. His expertise in the Hebrew language, a sharp eye on details, and engaging thoughts, has made this series worthy of keeping. The challenge to make OT realities into Christologic realities is a challenge these days, and Esther and Ruth has not only wound it around Christ, but is also full of applications related to Christ’s person and work.

Excerpts:

When life-threatening illness strikes, or when we are faced with the choice between compromise and losing our job, or when someone we love abandons us, do we live out the theology we proclaim? Do we remind ourselves that God is in control of all things…. (p. 54)

Seeing the Invisible Hand of God

Yes, it is an oxymoron to say that we see an invisible hand, but as with other invisible objects, sometimes the trail left in its wake is unmistakable. As we look outside through a window, we can neither see nor feel the wind blowing, but the bending of the trees tells us its own story. So, too, here in the Book of Esther, God’s work of providence is so clear that even the pagans cannot miss its significance. (p. 79)

As I go through the books that I have accumulated so far, particularly the new ones that are related to the Reformed faith, this post will start a series on my personal reviews and recommendations. Since I have added to my library the Reformed Expository Commentary series, I believe these books are worth collecting and reading, and worth every penny you spend on them. They are particularly helpful to Bible preachers and expositors even though they are written in a very western perspective.

Anyway, keep on coming back for more book reviews.

Remember the wise advice from the Preacher:

Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

(Ecclesiastes 12:12b, ESV)