Indwelling Sin in Believers

By: John Owen

The Pastor’s Monthly Book Selection – February, 2019

Banner of Truth Trust has hit another home run with the publication of an abridged and modernized version of Indwelling Sin in Believers. The title might seem somewhat unappealing, but I have found Owen’s thought-provoking treatise to be a refreshment to my soul.

Not only does the author speak to the experience of every believer in his/her battle against sin, but he does so in a manner that gives us confidence in the grace of Christ, brings comfort to our hearts, and causes us to rejoice in our relationship with our all-sufficient God. As I read Owen’s material, I found myself enlightened by his insights regarding the inner working of sin and encouraged to draw nearer to God in sweet communion.

I recommend this book to the congregation of Grace & Peace Presbyterian Church as a companion to our current series through Galatians or simply as a cup of cold water to a thirsty soul.

https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/Indwelling-Sin-in-Believers.html

A Scandalous Freedom: The Radical Nature of the Gospel

By: Steve Brown

The Pastor’s Monthly Book Selection – December, 2018

I wanted to recommend A Scandalous Freedom as a companion to our current sermon series through Galatians. It speaks loudly to those who often feel overwhelmed with a sense of guilt, trying desperately to relieve their conscience by doing more work to please God. Although the author writes in a very humorous manner, his subject matter is serious. Knowing that personal scruples can turn the Christian life into a prison, the author invites his readers to experience the freedom for which we are redeemed in Christ. For some, liberty from rules and regulations might seem dangerous, but Brown points out that it is only by learning to live free that we can truly enjoy our God and delight in His marvelous grace.  I have found this book helpful in my own life, and I recommend it to anyone wishing to experience the joy of the Lord.

Abraham Kuyper: Modern Calvinist, Christian Democrat

By: James D. Bratt

The Pastor’s Monthly Book Selection – November, 2018

By any standard, Abraham Kuyper was a giant of the Reformed faith and the national life of Holland during the second half of the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries. Like most of Europe, the Dutch society into which Abraham Kuyper was born had been greatly affected by the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Seeing these as destructive influences on both church and state, Kuyper sought to implement a Calvinistic worldview that would stand against a purely humanistic philosophy.

As a man of great intellect, organizational leadership, and remarkable energy, Kuyper brought his numerous abilities to bear as a pastor, theologian, author, editor, and politician. During his lifetime, he helped to merge two Reformed denominations as a bulwark against liberalism in the church. He also stood for political office, rising to the position of Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and he founded the Free University of Amsterdam.

In this book, James Bratt does an excellent job of tying together the many periods and influences of Kuyper’s life and work. In doing so, he avoids both glamorizing and demonizing Kuyper. Bratt gives us a picture of a man of his time whose ideas and decisions might seem misguided to many living in the 21^st century. Yet, he was a person who also understood the damage of a godless philosophy to both church and state, and he was willing to use his talents to turn the tide for the glory of God.

Although this work does become weighty at times, I recommend it for its historic content and also as an aid in understanding the continuing debate of the place of the Church in the life of the nation in which it exists.