Today many Christians have lost confidence in preaching and have replaced it with other things such as dialogue, films, dancing, and dramatic presentations. ‘Do we need preaching today?’ is a question often asked in many churches. John Cheeseman takes up this question and argues that the church must maintain the priority of preaching for both biblical and theological reasons. He then proceeds to offer helpful instruction and advice on the practical matters of preparing and delivering sermons, before finally turning his attention to the vitally important subject of the character of the preacher. This booklet is an excellent primer for all young men who believe that God may be calling them to become preachers of his Word. Booklet, 32 pages. (RP £1.50).

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The church is not yours or mine. It belongs to Jesus Christ. The church is graciously called into being by him for the glory and honour of God’s name. As such, every local church must reflect God’s character and display God’s holiness. For that reason, life in a healthy, happy church always involves discipline—the thoughtful, deliberate, loving investment of each member in all the others for the glory of God and the good of the whole congregation.

Grievously, life in a fallen world means that sin creeps into and breaks out in the church of Jesus Christ. What ought a church to do when sin is uncovered in her midst? How do we respond in a way that shows our love to God and to one another? How do you love someone within the professing church who is unrepentantly sinning against God?

Such questions are often answered carelessly, fearfully, pragmatically, even unrighteously. When that is the case, it typically leads to disturbing confusion, advancing tension, increasing division, and even destruction. Further sin can erupt if offences are not faced humbly and graciously, if unrepentant sin is not addressed righteously and courageously.

Mercifully, the Head of the church has not left us in the dark. He teaches us how to sail through troubled waters so that we are not left in disarray after the storm has struck. He provides clear, wise, and effective commands and counsels for his people.

This booklet summarises the principles and the practices Christ has given for the holiness of his church. It sketches out the assumptions that lie behind church discipline, grounded in the identity of the church and activity of the church of God. It speaks to the nature of church discipline, in its more positive and negative aspects. It identifies love as the primary motive behind any discipline in the church. It looks at the God-ordained purposes of corrective discipline, and the reasons why a church might have to pursue this course. It offers practical advice as to how such discipline ought to be carried out in the church of Jesus Christ. It touches on both the necessary sting and the desired success of those actions by the church. It calls the whole church and her officers to consider our duty to act when the purity and peace of the church of God is threatened by unrepentant sin.

If the church is the household of God, if it is the body of Jesus Christ, if it is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, then we are called to be holy. We need to know how to pursue that calling as those committed to fidelity in our doctrine, purity in our life, and unity in our fellowship.

Author bio:

Jeremy Walker is the pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley, England. He also serves as the Book Reviews Editor of the Banner of Truth magazine.

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This compact edition of the Westminster Confession of Faith is ideal for individual or group study. The Introduction by Sinclair B. Ferguson places the Confession in its own time and place, yet shows that far from being a mere historical document, it remains a deeply helpful and mind-shaping guide to the unchanging teachings of the Christian faith.

‘The truth the Confession expresses has the power to shape your thinking; its teaching will both stretch and clarify your understanding. In addition—and best of all—the pastoral wisdom of the Confession of Faith will help you to live the Christian life with the perspective magnificently expressed in the answer to the first question of the Shorter Catechism that accompanied it—glorifying God and enjoying him for ever.’ — Sinclair B. Ferguson

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To ask and answer the question ‘Why were our Reformers burned?’ could not be more pertinent to the times in which we live, according to Roger Carswell in his Introduction to this edition of J. C. Ryle’s tract on the English Reformers.

This is a booklet that needs to be read carefully and prayerfully. Its aim is not to lead anyone to smug self-righteousness or complacency. To understand the error of a theological system ought to stir within us compassion and winsome boldness towards those who are caught up in it.

We ought to feel deeply thankful to God for those who lived and laid down their lives for the truth of the gospel. The world was not worthy of them: they took up their cross and followed their Saviour. We need to understand why the Reformers of the sixteenth century lived and died as they did, and in our times cultivate a similar, costly commitment to the truth of the gospel.

This booklet is an extract from Ryle’s Five English Reformers and Light from Old Times.

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This booklet tells the true stories of nine priests who have made the discovery that the way to God is now open. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the ceremonial curtain in the nearby temple, which symbolically separated the people from God, was torn in two from top to bottom. Now all people can have access to God by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone. The priests who share their stories in these pages all came to understand this for themselves — and so too can you!

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There can be no doubt that a seismic shift has taken place within the English-speaking world over the last sixty years regarding what used to be referred to as ‘the Christian Sabbath.’ What was considered to be a day of rest, worship and holy activity is now just like any other day of the week — one for the shopping mall, the sports stadium, or for some self-indulgent ‘me-time.’

What has led to this transformation? Or, more importantly, how ought we to think of the first day of the week? Were our forefathers correct in their understanding of ‘the Lord’s Day’ or ‘the Christian Sabbath’? And what did the Lord Jesus Christ mean when he said that ‘the Sabbath was made for man’ and that he was ‘Lord of the Sabbath’?

Terry Johnson investigates these questions and the issues raised by them. He draws out the teaching of Scripture and illustrates it from the writings of many of the great teachers of the Christian church. He then sets out practical recommendations to help today’s Christians experience the benefits and blessings of the special day God has given us.

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According to Dr Mark Dever, ‘This little booklet is a devotional classic.’ It contains a ‘gospel map’ that reveals the way to the ‘riches of the covenant.’ With great skill and an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of Scripture, Joseph Alleine (c.1634–68) conveys the ‘exceeding great and precious promises’ of God, and sets them forth in such a way as to bring encouragement and delight to the Christian believer. He demonstrates how, by embracing these promises, the believer is enabled to overcome all the assaults of unbelief. ‘Faith,’ he says, ‘makes its claim to all the benefits of the covenant, and stirs up the soul to joy and thankfulness.’ It is little wonder to learn that Alleine’s treatment of God’s precious promises has proved an effective balm to countless weary souls for more than 300 years.

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‘Walking Toward the Dawn provides a sure-footed biblical encouragement to find the heart of our assurance outside of ourselves.’ — IAN HAMILTON

Book Description

The experience of assurance is an area of the Christian life that is troublesome for many. The author of this booklet is one who knows how difficult the struggle can be of finding certainty in one’s relationship to God in Jesus Christ.

Walking Toward the Dawn is aimed at helping others come to a full assurance of the reality of their Christian faith and salvation. The author says: ‘For those who are not struggling with doubt, my hope is that this booklet may prove to be preventative medicine that will fortify them against future infection. For those who are wrestling with doubts, my prayer is that this booklet may guide them out of the gloom and into the dawn.’

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David F. Wells of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Massachusetts, here challenges evangelicalism with a disturbing analysis of its present condition. He believes that we have allowed ourselves to be shaped by the popular culture whose ethos is alien to God-consciousness, to ‘other-worldliness’, and to passion for biblical truth. In putting ‘success’ before theology we have produced a plague of nominal evangelicalism which, unless reversed, leaves us ‘headed towards the oblivion of irrelevance before God’.

This material was first delivered at a Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals who have kindly assisted in the publication. Much fuller treatment of the same themes will be found in the author’s influential books, No Place for Truth and God in the Wasteland. While referring especially to the North American scene, the wider relevance of Dr Wells’ message is indicated by the fact that these two titles have joint publishers on both sides of the Atlantic, W.B. Eerdmans and IVP.

‘What is most lost is what most needs to be recovered. It is the unsettling, disconcerting, moral presence of God in our midst. He can no longer be the junior partner in our religious enterprises and he can never be just an ornamental decoration upon our Church life. It is because God now rests so inconsequentially upon the Church that the Church is free to plot and to devise its success in its own way. That is why so many of our forebears in the faith would scarcely even recognize us as their children today.’

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This is the 32-page introductory booklet to the Treasures of John Owen box set.

‘When you are a new user of any library, however small, it is always helpful if one of the librarians gives you some idea of what you can expect to find, or perhaps recommends a book that you will appreciate, or tells you about a new author you might enjoy.’ — SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

In this booklet, Sinclair Ferguson introduces the reader to John Owen and prepares us for reading.

If you purchase the Treasures of John Owen box set, this booklet will be included in your shipment.

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This is the 32-page introductory booklet to the Puritan Classics box set.

‘When you are a new user of any library, however small, it is always helpful if one of the librarians gives you some idea of what you can expect to find, or perhaps recommends a book that you will appreciate, or tells you about a new author you might enjoy. Here, then, in chronological order, are brief introductions to the eleven authors whose works are included in the Puritan Classics box set.’ — SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

If you purchase the Puritan Classics box set, this booklet will be included in your shipment.

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Why Read Church History? is written by a man who is passionate about his subject. With infectious enthusiasm he outlines a number of important reasons why every Christian should develop a keen interest in what God has done in the past. He ably demonstrates the practical value of understanding church history, points out some of the pitfalls to be avoided, and gives useful advice about how to get started. The booklet concludes with recommendations for further reading.

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If there is a means more likely than any other under the Holy Spirit to bring about reformation and revival of true religion, it is the gift of powerful preachers. The object of the author in this booklet is to ascertain what, in its human aspect, are the conditions of power in the pulpit, and in so doing he deals with the matter of the sermon, the manner in which it should be delivered, and the character of the preacher.

Review

• Review by Alan Hill

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Justification. Just another piece of theological jargon, or a vital teaching which may be compared to the very door by which the Christian faith is entered?

Picture the scene: Almighty God, the perfectly just Judge, is seated in his great High Court of Justice. The Christian believer, trusting in Christ, stands before him. The sentence is passed; the gavel bangs down, ‘NOT GUILTY!’

How this verdict is reached touches the very heart of the gospel message, and shows the amazing extent of the grace that God has shown to us by sending his Son to take the punishment for our sin.

Do you want to grow in your knowledge of the character of God? Do you want to see others around you at peace with him? Then work to acquire a solid grasp of this wonderful doctrine. As the author asks: Is anything in this life half so important as this one thing: to be freely justified by God’s grace?

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Reviews

• Review by Wayne Pearce
• Review by Bob Thomas (see page 17).

INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR

• Interview of Maurice Roberts with Iron Sharpens Iron Radio

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Son muchos los que poseen un cierto conocimiento de Jesucristo y que hasta afirman creer en Él y ser cristianos. ¿Pero cuántos de ellos tienen una fe verdadera? En este librito, el autor nos muestra la naturaleza y los requisitos de una fe genuina en Cristo y cómo llegar a alcanzarla. Con un lenguaje sencillo y directo, se nos explica claramente quién es Dios, qué es lo que nos separa de Él, quién es Jesucristo, cuál fue su obra y cómo podemos tener una relación personal con Él. Un librito muy recomendado para todos aquellos que buscan sinceramente a Dios.

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¿Qué recomienda usted por lo que se refiere a la predicación?’ es una pregunta que suele hacerse con frecuencia y que puede responderse de diversas maneras. Siempre hay mucho que aprender en este asunto, y existen muchos libros que nos pueden ayudar a lograrlo. Pero, independientemente del resto de cosas que lea el predicador, esta pequeña obra maestra de J.C. Ryle, Sencillez en la predicación, es de ‘lectura obligada’. Ryle condensa más experiencia y sentido común santificado en poco más de dos docenas de páginas de lo que muchos otros consiguen en un largisimo tratado. Y, como toda su obra, este librito es un ejemplo de esa misma sencillez que el autor recomienda a los demás. En nuestras manos tenemos, de hecho, una obra cuyo valor y utilidad superan con creces su extensión. Sinclair B. Ferguson

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‘Alguien dijo que el buen maestro no es el que hace dificil lo fácil sino el que convierte en sencillo lo complicado. Uno de los meritos de Juan S. Boonstra consiste en presenter las grandes verdades biblicas de tal manera que se hacen asequibles a todos los publicos. Pero nos equivocariamos si pensáramos que el estilo fluido, ameno y fácil de leer de este predicador roza en algun momento la superficialidad. En los mensajes de este hombre de Dios encontramos teologia de la Buena, profundamente biblica y, sobre todo, aunada a una gran preocupacion pastoral y evangelistica. Lo que expone y comenta resulta de igual valor tanto para el creyente como para los inconversos.’– Jose Grau, autor Espanol y Catalan, Barcelona, España.

The post El Cristianismo Verdadero: Sermones Practicos Sobre Temas Vigentes appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

Tomando como base el texto de Efesios 2:1, el autor analiza el estado espiritual del ser humano, llegando a la conclusión de que todos estamos espiritualmente muertos por estar separados de Dios y ajenos a la vida de nuestro Creador.

Demuestra que, por tanto, todos necesitamos ser vivificados como la única manera de poder tener una relación personal con Dios y gozar de su presencia.

En vista de esto, explica la forma en que el alma puede pasar de muerte a vida.

Finalmente hace una aplicación directa y personal de estas verdades al lector, haciéndole ver su necesidad de recibir vida espiritual.

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“Deja que la Palabra de Dios, actue en tu Corazon y mente vez tras vez con el pasar de los años, imperceptiblemente vendran grandes cambios en tu actitud, perspective y conducta. Tu seras probablemente el ultimo en reconocerlos. A memudo te sentiras muy, muy pequeno, porque cada vez mas el Dios de la Biblia sera para ti maravillosamente grande.

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El autor examina la pregunta que hizo Job hace muchos siglos: “¿Y cómo se justificará el hombre con Dios?” (Job 9:1-2). Y tras un pormenorizado estudio de la cuestión que plantea , acaba desafiando al lector: “¿Cómo vas a justificarte ante Dios? Permítaseme expresarlo de manera mas apremiante. Si tuvieras que presentarte ante Él esta noche, ¿qué la dirías? ¿Sigues creyendo que aún podrías señalar tu historial y decir: ‘No está tan mal, ¿no basta con eso?’. ¿Sigues pensando que puedes confiar en tu justicia y en tus propios esfuerzos? Solo te pido una cosa: asegúrate de conseguirlo hazlo volviéndote al Hijo de Dios”.

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!Cuán agradecidos debemos estar porque la Biblia refleje y no oculte el testimonio de los discípulos imperfectos, con los que podemos sentirnos identificados y de cuyas experiencias podemos aprender tanto!

En este caso, el Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones nos trae a la memoria el episodio de la tormenta en el mar de Galilea durante la cual el Señor Jesús se quedó dormido y la fe de sus discípulos flaqueó, del que extrae valiosísimas enseñanzas en cuanto a la fe.

Con las palabras del propio Jesús, nos hace considerar la forma en que reaccionamos ante las adversidades y preguntarnos dónde está nuestra fe.

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El autor dirige este librito a todos aquellos que han abrazado el Evangelio,pero que, a pesar de entender que ‘al igual que le agradó a Dios imputar todas [sus] iniquidades al Salvador, así también Él está dispuesto a considerar como [suya] toda la justicia del Salvador’, se encuentran ensombrecidos y tristes por la imposibilidad de vivir una vida santa y cercana a Dios.

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‘¿Cómo puedo llegar a Dios? ¿Cómo puedo ser salvo?’. Estas son las preguntas más importantes que podemos hacernos. Ryle nos responde a ellas con su exposición de Hechos 4:12 (‘y en ningún otro hay salvación’), en la que desgrana las implicaciones doctrinales de este versículo en cuanto al camino de savación. También analiza cómo encajan dichas implicaciones con la naturaleza del hombre, con la naturaleza de Dios, y con el mensaje de toda la Biblia. Por último, Ryle ofrece respuesta a posibles objeciones al camino bíblico de salvación, tan pertinentes hoy día como en sus propios tiempos, en el siglo XIX.

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Este librito contiene un capítuio de la obra El Sermón del Monte, del mismo autor. En él se toman en consideración las distintas ideas populares en cuanto al pecado y la moralidad al tiempo que se prueba de forma clara y directa cuál es el concepto biblico de estas cuestiones.

Tomando como base de su estudio Mateo 5:27-30, el autor demuestra que el pecado no consiste meramente en una serie de actos externos ni tiene nada que ver con procesos evolutivos de la raza humana. Nos advierte del peligro de contundir los pecados con el pecado (los efectos con la causa) y nos hace ver que una mera moralidad externa no es la respuesta.

En definitiva, un mensaje vital para todo aquel que tome en serío su estado espiritual.

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Este librito contiene un poderoso mensaje predicado por Spurgeon en Londres en noviembre de 1859, año en que tuvo lugar un gran avivamiento en aquella ciudad. Basándose en Números 21:8, este famoso predicador divide su exposición en dos partes. En la primera, muestra claramente al no creyente el estado de perdición en el que se encuentra, y lo hace en términos de la culpa del pecado, la sentencia condenatoria que pesa sobre el pecador, su impotencia para salvarse a sí mismo y (lo que es peor aún) su falta de disposición para hacerio. En la segunda, por contraste, expone de forma admirable y persuasiva el remedio provisto por Cristo y que se nos anuncia en el Evangelio.

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Bible reading and prayer are two elements in all evangelical church worship. At certain points in every service someone will read the Scriptures and lead the congregation in prayer. These regular acts of worship are so familiar that many probably take them for granted and do not think too seriously about them.

But what is the best way to read the Bible in public and what are the things we need to keep in mind if we are to lead others in public prayer? In Reading the Bible and Praying in Public, Stuart Olyott supplies us with wise practical advice on these vitally important acts of our corporate church worship.

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Why is it important for men and women to worship God? Does the Bible provide principles that can guide Christians in their worship of God? What are the key elements in wholesome, balanced, church worship? Is there anything Christians should avoid in their worship services? Can we be sure that God is pleased with the worship we offer him?

These questions are taken up and answered in Worship: Its Priority, Principles, and Practice, J C Ryle’s spiritual, insightful, and practical study into the Bible’s teaching on this subject. In an age when there is so much confusion and controversy surrounding Christian worship, Ryle provides sincere Christians with guiding principles that are sure to lead to joyful, Spirit-filled, Christ-centred, and God-honouring worship.

Reviews

• Review by Alan Hill

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Marriage, claims Andrew Swanson, is ‘one of the most important questions you will ever think about’. In Whom Shall I Marry? he underlines the most important principles which Scripture gives in order to guide us to a wise and happy choice of a life-long partner.

These principles are plain and clear. But they are not always easy to put into practice. Andrew Swanson writes with sensitivity to the struggles and difficulties which young people from various cultures face in this area of life. Convinced that God’s promise, ‘them that honour me I will honour’ holds good today, he writes both realistically and encouragingly about the ways in which God guides and directs those whose central desire is to do his will.

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The Christian church today stands in need of a recovery of good preaching. But how is that to take place? In answering this vital question, the author draws on his own experience as a pastor and preacher and on the widespread opportunities he has had to teach and counsel other preachers. What’s Wrong With Preaching Today? contains a searching message which will disturb complacency; but rather than create despair, it challenges all who preach (as well as those who hear) to rise to new levels of faithfulness and usefulness in the service of Christ.

Extract

The Minister and Secret Prayer

Review

• Review by Andrew Roycroft

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‘Excellent. The case made is unanswerable.’ — THE WITNESS

‘Well worth careful consideration.’ — FREE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE

Book Description

The Carnal Christian’ is an incisive analysis of one of the major problems in the contemporary evangelical scene in the United States. If evangelicals are now 35 or 40 million strong how is it that the life of the nation is so little affected? Evangelism has reaped a great harvest but the question has been rightly raised, what is wrong with the harvest? One of the most popular answers to this question is that too many Christians have stopped at ‘conversion’; they are ‘carnal Christians’ who have not yet learned to live a surrendered life. Ernest Reisinger examines this suggestion and the consequences which have resulted from its widespread acceptance. If this view of the ‘carnal Christian’ theory is correct then the real problem is more serious than is commonly supposed. It is a problem which can only be solved by a return to the New Testament’s teaching on conversion.

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In this booklet John Richard de Witt explains the great hallmarks of the Reformed faith — the centrality of the Bible; the sovereignty of God; the wonder of grace; the quality of the Christian life; the place of the law and the gospel; the biblical view of the world; the importance of true preaching. In doing so he demonstrates that the Reformed faith is biblical Christianity in its truest and most consistent form. Far from being an anachronism, the Reformed faith alone gives adequate expression to the gospel for today’s world.

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According to Pieter Potgieter, the New Testament teaches that, ‘The course of history between the resurrection and the second coming of Christ is a course of inevitable victory for his kingdom. In this process the Holy Spirit is fully involved. The outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost is nothing less than the indisputable sign of this very victory in the world.’ Tracing the theme of the work of the Spirit through the book of Revelation, this booklet contains a series of ten beautiful and encouraging meditations on the ministry of the Spirit. Christians in many different places and circumstances will find it to be a source of profound blessing and instruction.

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‘Murray’s critique is as kind as it is revealing and devastating. The icons of modern evangelism are shown as falling into egregious strategic errors which have weakened the evangelical faith at its very core. The bridges built to reach the mainstream became a two-way street by which those who sought to influence the liberals were themselves influenced.’ — R. C. SPROUL

Book Description

In the discussion and controversy which followed the publication of Evangelicalism Divided: A Record of Crucial Change in the Years 1950-2000, the author was invited by Dr. John F. MacArthur to give an address on the book’s main theme. The following is the substance of that address, given at the Shepherds’ Conference on 11 March 2001.

The post The Unresolved Controversy appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

What do you recommend on preaching?’ is a frequently asked question that can be answered in a variety of ways. There is always much to learn and there are many books to help us. But whatever else a preacher reads, J.C. Ryle’s little masterpiece Simplicity in Preaching is a ‘must read’. Ryle packs more experience and sanctified common sense into two dozen pages than many others manage in a lengthy treatise. And, like all of his work, this one illustrates the very simplicity he commends to others. Here indeed is a work whose value and usefulness is out of all proportion to its length. , SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Reviews

• Review by Kevin DeYoung
• Review by Alan Hill

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In the opinion of B.B. Warfield, the Westminster divines left to posterity not only ‘the most thoroughly thought-out statement ever penned of the elements of evangelical religion’ but also one which breathes ‘the finest fragrance of spiritual religion’. Their most influential work, The Shorter Catechism, though more than 350 years old, is undoubtedly still one of the best introductions to the key doctrines of the Christian faith.

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Of all the Commandments, perhaps it is the fourth (to keep holy the day of rest) which is least regarded. From an unholy world this is not surprising. But why should it be so among many who believe the Bible is the Word of God? Because, it is alleged, the fourth commandment belonged to the Jewish dispensation. For Christians the seventh day has given way to ‘the Lord’s day’ — a day, not of continuing Sabbath law, but of joy in Christ’s resurrection. Iain Murray believes that this argument misses the foundation of the biblical teaching, namely, that a day specially set apart has come down from creation, and that in essence its meaning remains the same. This is a conviction that was once pervasive in the English-speaking churches, and, if it is true, it sheds a much needed light on our contemporary situation.

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Review

• Review by Jeremy Walker

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Why did Christ die? What is the meaning of the cross? Most theories of the atonement are concerned only with its manward aspect but as Dr Lloyd-Jones demonstrates in this exposition of Romans 3.25-26 the cross was above everything else a vindication of the character of God. ‘This is an essential part of the glorious Gospel. One Calvary God was making a way of salvation so that you and I might be forgiven. But he had to do so in a way that you and I might be forgiven. But he had to do so in a way that will leave his character inviolate, that will leave his eternal consistency still absolute and unbroken. Once you begin to look at it like that, you see that this is the most tremendous, the most glorious, the most staggering thing in the universe and in the whole of history.’ This exposition is taken from the third volume of Dr Lloyd-Jones’ series on the Epistle of the Romans.

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One of the most encouraging signs in our age is an increasing number of young women who aspire to being godly. They are serious about motherhood. They have ordered their priorities biblically and already demonstrate the traits of faith, love, and holiness. The true glory of Christian motherhood, according to Scripture.

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Although much has been written to prepare men for the work of the Christian ministry, there is comparatively little in print that will help prepare the minister’s wife for her role within the church.

The pastor’s wife is neither ‘The First Lady of the Church’, nor just another member of the church. She has certain basic responsibilities laid upon her and this booklet aims to encourage and help her to serve the Lord alongside her husband.

Although written primarily for pastors’ wives, this booklet will encourage Christian wives in general and will stimulate prayer for and support of pastors and their wives everywhere.

The post Her Husband’s Crown appeared first on Banner of Truth UK.

Biblical guidelines for growing to Christian maturity. It explains the pattern of God’s work in the lives of his people and concludes with a brief spiritual check-up. Relevant to all stages of spiritual development, it provides a guide book that will be specially helpful to new Christians.

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What is God’s attitude towards those who hear the Gospel? Does God desire the salvation of all? In this careful and scholarly work, John Murray (1898 – 1975), formerly Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary, surveys the biblical evidence. He shows how the offer of Christ in the gospel demonstrates an ardent desire in the heart of God that all who hear should possess Christ and enjoy the salvation that is in him.

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By an accident of history in the 17th century five great Christian truths, formulated by successors of the Reformers at the Synod of Dort to counter a drift from the gospel, became linked with the name of the Genevan Reformer who had died half a century earlier. The label ‘Calvinism’ was at first a propaganda tactic on the part of the opponents, but while defenders of the Reformation Faith recognised that it could well be called by another name they came to accept the term as denoting those doctrines which place man in entire dependence upon the free grace of God in salvation. Since the Reformation there have been eras when Calvinism, apparently discredited and forgotten, has risen again with vital force and evangelical power. If that is happening, as it appears today, then it means that biblical teaching is once more coming to the fore. This present booklet is written to explain that teaching, and the author’s standpoint is the same as that of C.H. Spurgeon who once wrote:

‘We believe in the five great points commonly known as Calvinistic; but we do not regard these five points as being barbed shafts which we are to thrust between the ribs of our fellow Christians. We look upon them as being five great lamps which help to irradiate the cross; or, rather, five bright emanations springing from the glorious covenant of our Triune God, and illustrating the great doctrine of Jesus crucified.’

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This booklet addresses a misunderstanding widely held among present-day Christians. ‘Calvinism,’ according to the author, has received a bad press and has been unjustly criticized on the grounds that its teachings undermine zeal for Christian mission and evangelism. Taking each of the so-called ‘five points of Calvinism’ in turn, John Benton convincingly shows how the ‘doctrines of grace’ are in fact five beautiful diamonds from which the glories of Jesus wonderfully shine to attract those who are lost in sin.’ He demonstrates how ‘they address the sinner’s deepest fears in the most heart-warming way imaginable’ and comes to the conclusion that ‘rather than being truths of which we are to be wary, they are in fact an integral part of the gospel to be proclaimed.’

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It is a great thing to begin the Christian life by believing good solid doctrine. Constant change of creed is sure loss. If a tree has to be taken up two or three times a year, you will not need to build a very large loft in which to store the apples. When people are always shifting their doctrinal principles, they are not likely to bring forth much fruit to the glory of God. It is good for young believers to begin with a firm hold upon those great fundamental doctrines which the Lord has taught in his Word.

With his winsome style and customary mix of wit, wisdom, and warm devotion to his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) explains and defends the Bible’s teachings about the grace of God in the gospel. In so doing he helpfully answers several important questions, which young believers sometimes struggle with, such as: How did I become a Christian? Did God love me before I was born? What did Jesus accomplish by his death upon the cross? What can overcome the wickedness of my sinful heart? Will a true Christian persevere in faith? What is the best way to be happy as a Christian? Will the doctrines of grace encourage me to sin or to live a holy life to God’s glory?

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The atonement is the centre of the Christian faith and of the work of the gospel ministry. The purpose of gospel preaching is to make known what God has done in the cross of Jesus Christ. The evangel is ‘the preaching of the cross’ (1 Cor. 1:18).

If this was apostolic Christianity then we must examine ourselves as to whether our emphasis corresponds with it. Is the cross central to the message we preach in our evangelism?

But how are we to preach the cross? Does our preaching resemble that of the NT apostles? Does it match the passionate freeness with which the church’s greatest evangelists preached the cross to needy sinners?

In this booklet, Iain Murray helps us to think through the message of the cross, to appreciate God’s love and justice in the death of Christ, and to grasp the truth afresh that ‘by Christ crucified the love of God and his willingness to save is to be made known to all people.’

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What does the Bible mean by holiness and how can we attain it? This is an easily read and modern treatment of one of the most important teachings of Scripture. It shows that holiness is primarily a matter of relationships, that its power lies in the Holy Spirit within the believer, and that its fruit is of supreme importance for the progress of all true Christianity.

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Coming to Faith in Christ presents a straightforward summary of the gospel for those who may be considering the Christian faith for the first time. Bible references are given throughout to encourage the reader to search the pages of Scripture and see for himself the message of Jesus Christ.

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Donald Howard was minister of St Peter’s Church, Burwood East, NSW, when his wife Diana, at the age of forty, contracted cancer. She was to live a further six years, but, he writes, although through faith in Christ ‘we were prepared for death, I was ill-prepared for grief.’

This ill-preparedness, he found, arose from a lack of understanding, and two years later he wrote these pages for the help of others. They contain a blend of biblical, pastoral, and personal elements and serve to fill a gap on the subject of bereavement.

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This world is divided into two groups – those who know God and those who do not. Though there are many other differences between people, this is the greatest. To be ignorant of God has a profound influence on the way we think, work, and live our entire life; more still, on the way we die and what will happen to us after death.

Maurice Roberts calls us to give our most serious attention to this vital issue. Plainly and clearly he explains the Bible’s teaching about the importance of being saved, life after death, heaven and hell, and knowing what to believe.

‘For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea’ (Hab. 2:14).

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According to J C Ryle, private prayer is the most neglected of all Christian duties. That is most unfortunate because private prayer is the true measure of a Christian’s walk before God and ‘the pith and marrow of practical Christianity’. To bestir his readers to the practice and privilege of private prayer, Ryle points out both the blessings of prayer and the grave dangers of prayerlessness.

Prayer under the blessing of God leads to the new birth, strengthens faith, moves mountains, and promotes spiritual growth and contentment that rises above circumstances. Prayerlessness, on the other hand, is the broad road leading to Hell for the unbeliever and the major cause of backsliding in the Christian. Ryle observes that ‘men fall in private long before they fall in public’. His warning is surely a word in season to our contemporary evangelical church, whose witness during the last generation to a lost and perishing world has been sorely compromised by scandals involving so-called Christian leaders.

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