Luther: Man Between God And The Devil
By: Heiko Oberman
The Pastor’s Monthly Book Selection – October, 2017
This October marks the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. In light of that movement it seems appropriate to suggest one of the better biographies of Martin Luther. As one of the foremost authorities on the Reformer, Heiko Oberman believed that the best was to understand this man’s life is to recognize that Luther saw himself as being engaged in a great spiritual battle. Throughout the book the author paints a picture of Luther with both failings and strengths. He reminds us to look at this monk, not through the lens of our own age, but as a man of his times. Weaving together the religious and social events of the day, Luther’s upbringing, his theological discoveries, marital relationship, and his view of the world as a battleground between God and the devil Oberman gives us an understanding of Doctor Martin that is both engaging and enlightening to the reader. I recommend this book for those that wish to read a biography of Luther that is more than just a chronological timeline of historic events.
Regardless of who we are, everyone will face trouble and sorrow during their life. In When Trouble Comes Phil Ryken offers encouragement to the reader in times of difficulty. By using various Bible narratives, the author provides insight into suffering and gives us a glimpse of God’s comforting presence in seasons of trouble. I recommend this book for all who travel life’s pathway and need to know that hardship is not our only companion, but we have a God whose faithfulness never fails.
Two veteran TIME writers, Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy have written a fascinating book about a peculiar aspect of the ministry of Billy Graham. When being interviewed for this piece, Reverend Graham made the stipulation that the authors present the bad as well as the good. Following that wise counsel enabled Gibbs and Duffy to write a work that offers great insight for those wishing to understand the interaction between religion and politics in America.
In this well written work on the Ten Commandments, Phil Ryken expounds on the Reformed view of the three uses of the Old Testament law – Ceremonial, Civil, and Moral. Noting that the moral law is binding on all people everywhere, the author examines the Ten Commandments in a manner that is relevant to our 21st Century culture. Ryken’s remarks on law vs grace, as well as on interpreting God’s law laid a good foundation for the subsequent chapters where he worked through each of the individual 10 Commandments. Each chapter ended with follow up questions that can be used for personal devotion or group discussion questions. I recommend this book as a helpful tool for any study on this valuable yet neglected topic.
Hoping to suggest a book that would be an easy but interesting read for the vacation season, I decided upon this biography of the famous basketball star, Pete Maravich. Here is the story of one of the greatest basketball players of all time. His college scoring average of 44.2 points per game might never be broken. Although his professional career began promising, Maravich never played on an NBA championship team. Nevertheless, his style of play changed the game and made him one of the most exciting players of his era. Through it all the man who was known as The Pistol, felt unfulfilled, frustrated, and often alone. By the end of his career self doubts and bitterness caused Maravich to withdraw into his own world. It was at this low point that Jesus Christ reached into his life and changed him into a man dedicated to the Lord. Although his conversion is described in terms that may seem somewhat out of the ordinary to Reformed ears, the power of God to change a life was rather evident in the remaining years of Maravich’s short life. This is a book well worth reading for sports fans and for those who wish to be encouraged by the work of Christ to transform a life.
Banner of Truth Publishers has provided another classic work from the Puritan theologian, John Owen. Edited and abridged by Richard Rushing, The Mortification of Sin, describes the ongoing battle against sin that every Christian is called to fight. Although powerless to win on our own, we are nevertheless given the hope and assurance that victory is achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this timeless and masterful treatment of a topic that is relevant to all Christians wishing to grow in holiness before the Lord.
For many Christians reading the Old Testament passages that describe the Tabernacle or the Temple can seem as tedious as reading the various genealogies in the Bible. One of the reasons why we might find such passages wearisome is that we are unable to recognize the connection they have with the biblical story of redemption. In his book, The Temple and the Tabernacle J. Daniel Hays describes how both of these structures depict the holiness of God, His relationship to Israel, and the advent of Christ, His person, and His atoning sacrifice. I found the chapter on Christ as the Temple of God in the New Testament to be very helpful in clarifying those prophecies in Ezekiel to which many appeal when insisting on a new temple in a millennial age. I recommend this work as help in finding Christ in the Old Testament and seeing the Old Testament fulfilled in Christ.
Born Slaves is an abridged version of Martin Luther’s classic response to the treatise on free-will by the Roman Catholic humanist Erasmus of Rotterdam. Originally titled The Bondage of the Will, this shortened work demonstrates the insufficiency of the prevalent misunderstanding of free-will by offering Scripture proofs that man’s will is actually enslaved to sin and in need of God’s grace before it is free to make a decision for Christ. Although Erasmus’ view was well received by the Roman Church and is also the current position of most evangelicals today, it was not the view of the Reformers. In this short work of 93 pages, Luther offers a good corrective for the faulty view of salvation that actually elevates the will of man and diminishes the grace of God. I recommend this book to those who wish to gain a better understanding of the biblical view of salvation and the reason why God alone receives glory when sinners come to Jesus.
Seasons of Waiting Was recommended to me by a member of our congregation. A good look at how God uses the periods of waiting throughout our lives to bring us closer to Himself, this short read serves to encourage those who might be feeling as though God simply isn’t hearing them. The majority of the book contains various accounts of believers who waited on the Lord throughout difficult circumstances and learned to turn waiting into a time of fellowship with God. Personally, I gained the most from the chapters at the end of the book. These helped me to gain a sense of the God who is there in my trials, as well as underscoring how waiting faithfully on the Lord can be a powerful testimony to unbelievers and an encouragement to the church. I recommend this easy but profound read to those who are enduring the long night of waiting for the morning.
The Triune God is a compilation of essays by some of the better known Reformed writers of today. Rather than approaching their topic in a purely technical manner, the various authors address the work and attributes of each person of the Trinity in a manner that connects with the reader’s heart as well as his/her intellect. I personally found the contribution of Bryan Chapell to be both warm and theologically engaging. I recommend this book as a refreshing study about our glorious Triune God.