Grace Blog
Book Recommendation: The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety
During the “Ask the Pastor” time of discussion during Bible Study, the question of union with Christ was raised, at which time I mentioned a helpful little book called The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety: John Flavel’s Doctrine of Mystical Union with Christ by J. Stephen Yuille. Dr. Yuille has mined the woks of John Flavel and presented a powerful summary of this fundamental doctrine from one of the most eminent Puritans of the 17th century, John Flavel.
Here’s the Table of Contents:
1. The Covenant of Redemption
2. The Basis of Union with Christ
3. The Nature of Union with Christ
4. The Act of Union with Christ
5. The Blessings of Union with Christ
6. The Fruit of Union with Christ
7. The Evidence of Union with Christ
8. The Suffering of Union with Christ
9. The Joy of Union with Christ
10. The Practice of Union with Christ
11. The Hope of Union with Christ
Union with Christ was a central theological motif for John Calvin and many who followed in his train, not the least was such men as John Flavel and James P. Boyce. In the introduction, Yuille provides a probing quote by Flavel in which he asks:
How transcendently glorious is the advancement of believers, by their union with the Lord of glory? This also is an admirable and astonishing mystery; it is the highest dignity of which our nature is capable, to be hypostatically united; and the greatest glory of which our persons are capable is to be mystically united to this Lord of glory; to be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. O what is this! Christian, dost thou know and believe all this, and thy heart not burn within thee in love to Christ? (4, emphasis original)
In a follow-up post, I refer to the research compiling a comprehensive listing of books and articles related to “union with Christ.”
Labels: John Flavel, Stephen Yuille, The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety, Union with Christ | posted by TimBrister at 6:24 pm | Categories: Books, Jesus, Recommended Reading, Resources, Theology |
15 Gospel-Saturated Book Recommendations
Continuing in our mini-series on gospel-saturated healthy church members, I want to direct you to some books that I’ve found very helpful to seeing, centering, and driving all of life around the gospel of Jesus Chirst. Check them out!
1. The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
2. Living the Cross-Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney
3. A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent
4. God Is the Gospel by John Piper
5. The Cross-Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C.J. Mahaney
6. The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
7. The Glory of God’s Grace–and How It Can Change Your Life by James Montgomery Boice
8. The Great Work of the Gospel by John Ensor
9. Gospel Conversation by Jeremiah Burroughs
10. The Bookends of the Christian Life by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington
11. Saved by Grace by Anthony Hoekema
12. Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community by Tim Chester & Steve Timmis
13. The Valley of Vision edited by Arthur Bennett
14. The Cross of Christ by John Stott
15. The Goldsworthy Trilogy (Gospel & Kingdom; Gospel & Witness; Gospel & Revelation)
If there the gospel is the main thing in the Christian life (and it is), then it ought to occupy our greatest amount of time and energy in study. The gospel is at the center of God’s heart and ought to be the center of our lives, and to make that happen, it must be read, believed, sung, rehearsed, applied, and shared with others in such a way it becomes as normal as breathing. My hope is that directing you to these books will assist you in becoming gospel-saturated followers of Christ!
Labels: Books, Gospel, Gospel-Saturated, What Is a Healthy Church Member? | posted by TimBrister at 8:15 am | Categories: Books, Gospel, Resources, Sunday School Stuff |
Books on Biblical Theology
In my last post, I provided some links online that explain the study and discipline of Biblical Theology. Under our “Media” menu bar, there are lists of recommended reading, one of which has to do with Biblical Theology. I am, however, reordering them focusing on the “beginner” to the more “advanced” reading. Here are some books you might want to check out, especially those in the first section.
“Beginner” Reading:
1. According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible by Graeme Goldsworthy
2. Life’s Big Questions: Six Major Themes Traced Through the Bible by Vaughan Roberts
3. New Dictionary of Biblical Theology by IVP
4. The Goldsworthy Trilogy by Graeme Goldsworthy
5. God’s Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible by Vaughan Roberts
6. Central Themes in Biblical Theology: Mapping Unity in Diversity by Scott Hafemann and Paul House
7. Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments by Geerhardus Vos
8. Biblical Theology: Retrospect & Prospect by Scott Hafemann
“Intermediate” Reading:
1. Biblical Theology: The History of Theology from Adam to Christ by John Owen
2. The God of Promise and the Life of Faith: Understanding the Heart of the Bible by Scott Hafemann
3. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen
4. The Promise-Plan of God: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Walter Kaiser
5. The Ways of Our God: An Approach to Biblical Theology by Charles Scobie
6 . The Christ of the Covenants by O. Palmer Robertson
7. The Christ of the Prophets by O. Palmer Robertson
Labels: Biblical Theology, Books, Resources | posted by TimBrister at 8:05 am | Categories: Biblical Theology, Books, Sunday School Stuff |
Get Outta My Face - Book About Teens and the Gospel
One of the goals we seek to continue to provide on our blog is an ongoing list of resources to help you in your various roles and relationships in life as a follower of Christ, father, mother, minister, missionary, etc. In all these various aspects of life, it is our desire for Christ to be honored and glorified in all we say and do.
Perhaps one of the most difficult times for parents is the teenage years of their children. Having said that, there is a new book release that I would like to make you aware of. It is entitled Get Outta My Face: How to Reach Angry, Unmotivated Teens with Biblical Counsel by Rick Horne. Horne has years of experience turning around the lives of troubled teens with the gospel. You can get this book for a limited time for the introductory price of just $4.88 (65% off the list price). Be sure to check it out.
For a preview, download the table of contents or chapter one of the book (PDFs).
Here are a some blurbs by a few authors you may be familiar with:
“Rick Horne has invested in teens his whole life. He has learned that he is more like them than unlike them. From years of first hand experience, he knows how to talk with them and his is not afraid of the tough ones. What you will read here is the wisdom of a man who has experienced the courage and hope that transforming grace can give to you and that hard teenager God has chosen for you to be near. This book is a call to action with biblical perspectives and practical steps that God can use to change the teenager and you as well.” - Paul David Tripp
says: “Rick Horne knows teens the kind that won’t talk and those that won’t stop talking. If you have a teenager, you need this book. In fact, don’t wait for the teen years! Arm yourself now with the timeless truths from this book that counsels moms and dads with gospel-hope for teenage trials.” - Dave Harvey, author of When Sinners Say “I Do”
Labels: Get Outta My Face, Parenting, Teenagers | posted by TimBrister at 8:56 am | Categories: Books, Parenting/Family |
