Books and Reading – Page 10

One Hundred Pianos

A.W. Tozer on Christian unity:

Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow.

So one hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become “unity” conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.

The Virgin Birth

Donald Mcleod on the virgin birth:

The virgin birth is posted on guard at the door of the mystery of Christmas; and none of us must think of hurrying past it. It stands on the threshold of the New Testament, blatantly supernatural, defying our rationalism, informing us that all that follows belongs to the same order as itself and that if we find it offensive there is no point in proceeding further.

But what is the significance of the virgin birth? David Mathis offers four reasons:

One, it highlights the supernatural life of Jesus on earth. He was born supernaturally, he also came back from the dead supernaturally. Continue reading The Virgin Birth

Erosion of (Theological) Language

Gerhard O. Forde on the erosion of language in theology:

It is evident that there is a serious erosion or slippage in the language of theology today. Sentimentality leads to a shift in focus, and the language slips out of place. To take a common example, we apparently are no longer sinners, but rather victims, oppressed by sinister victimizers whom we relentlessly seek to track down and accuse…

We no longer live in a guilt culture but have been thrown into meaninglessness—so we are told. Then the language slips out of place. Guilt puts the blame on us as sinners, but who is responsible for meaninglessness? Surely not we! Sin, if it enters our consciousness at all, is generally something that “they” did to us. As Alan Jones, dean of the Episcopal Cathedral of San Francisco, put it once, “We live in an age in which everything is permitted and nothing is forgiven.” Continue reading Erosion of (Theological) Language

Five Kinds of Books

Paul David Tripp, in his book Dangerous Calling, mentioned at least five kinds of books that we read:

There are explanatory books written to help you understand something that has left many people confused.

There are encouraging books written to speak into the discouragement of life in a fallen world and give you motivating hope and a reason to continue.

There are instructive books that help you know how to do something that you need to do but simply don’t know how.

There are exegetical books that take apart a portion of God’s Word, helping you understand it and to live in light of its truths.

[Then there is the] diagnostic book. It is written to help you take an honest look at yourself in the heart-and-life exposing mirror of the Word of God- to see things that are wrong and need correcting and to help you place yourself once again under the healing and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Becoming a Bookworm

John Piper on the pastor’s reading life:

The Word of God that saves and sanctifies, from generation to generation, is preserved in a Book. And therefore at the heart of every pastor’s work is book-work. Call it reading, meditation, reflection, cogitation, study, exegesis, or whatever you will — a large and central part of our work is to wrestle God’s meaning from a Book, and proclaim it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Everything Becomes Sacred

Charles Spurgeon on the sacred swallowing up the secular:

To a man who lives unto God nothing is secular, everything is sacred. He puts on his workday garment and it is a vestment to him. He sits down to his meal and it is a sacrament. He goes forth to his labor, and therein exercises the office of the priesthood. His breath is incense and his life a sacrifice. He sleeps on the bosom of God, and lives and moves in the divine presence. To draw a hard and fast line and say, “This is sacred and this is secular,” is, to my mind, diametrically opposed to the teaching of Christ and the spirit of the gospel.

Paul has said, “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself” [Romans 14:14]. Peter also saw a sheet let down from heaven in which were all manner of beasts and four-footed creatures, which he was bidden to kill and eat, and when he refused because they were unclean, he was rebuked by a voice from heaven, saying, “What God hath cleansed that call not thou common” [Acts 10:15; 11:9]. Continue reading Everything Becomes Sacred