The Delusion of Autonomy

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones made an observation 60 years ago regarding 'the suppression of truth in unrighteousness' (Romans 1:18) of the modern man. He noticed the rampant 'worship of the creature rather than Creator' (Romans 1:25) that existed and pointed to the continued relevance of the first chapter in Paul's epistle to the Romans. Lloyd-Jones identified the downward spiral of society due to the efforts of the 'natural man' (1 Corinthians 2:14) to esteem himself more highly than he ought. Ironically, the pursuit of human autonomy cultivates the exact opposite effect that it sets out to obtain; namely societal downgrade. He offers a comparison of the self-deceptive anthropocentric social climate of the early 20th century with a nobler time in which the fear of God was more prevalent in daily life.

In light of our observation of the dependence of societal quality on the centrality of God in civilization, Lloyd-Jones explains:

"the same thing is seen if we look at the way in which men spend their time, and contrast it with what was true when men believed in God and worshiped Him. Apart from the enormity of sin, I hate it and protest against it because of the way in which it insults man and debases all his powers and especially his highest powers. While men believed in God, they spent their time in a manner that was ennobling and uplifting. They were out to improve their minds. They read the best books they could find, and their conversation had reference to theology, politics, and other matters which called for the exercise of intelligence... Is there anything which is more tragic than to compare and to contrast the average man of, say, fifty years ago and the corresponding man of today?"

We might ask the same question. When comparing our time with that of Lloyd-Jones' (60 years ago), have we as a society made progress or have we continued further down the anthropocentric spiral of idolatry?

Genetico-Synthetic Methodology & Sola Scriptura

The Proper Method for Engaging in Systematic Theology:

"The 'Genetico-Synthetic' method of Dogmatics... proceeds on the assumption that the divine self-revelation in Scripture is the principium cognoscendi externum [the external principle of knowing] of theology. The presupposition is that God, and not religion, is the object of theology, and that the object can be known only because, and in so far as, it has revealed itself... the data with which theology deals are not given in the Christian consciousness, but in the objective special revelation of God. This self-revelation only can give us absolutely reliable knowledge of God. Whatever knowledge may be derived from other sources, such as nature and the Christian consciousness, must be tested by the Word of God." (Louis Berkhof, "Systematic Theology" p. 71)

Credo Magazine Book Giveaway...

Credo Magazine is giving away a copy of Gregg Allison's "Historical Theology"...

"This book presents the history of various doctrines in identical order to their appearance in Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology. Rather than following the history of Christianity and learning about various doctrines as they arise, readers can trace the development of vital Christian theology topic by topic.

Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs chronologically, discussing notable doctrinal developments for all areas of theology according to their historical appearance. And while this may be good history, it can make for confusing theology, with the classic theological loci scattered throughout various time periods, movements, and controversies.

In Historical Theology, Gregg Allison offers students the opportunity to study the historical development of theology according to a topical-chronological arrangement, setting out the history of Christian doctrine one theological element at a time. Such an approach allows readers to concentrate on one tenet of Christianity and its formulation in the early church, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, and post-Reformation era, and into the modern period. The text includes a generous mix of primary source material as well, citing the words of Cyprian, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Barth, and others. Allison references the most accessible editions of these notable theologians’ work so that readers can continue their study of historical theology through Christian history’s most important contributors. Historical Theology is a superb resource for those familiar with Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology or interested in understanding the development of Christian theology." (Publisher's Description)

To enter the contest, CLICK HERE.

The True Gospel

I recently had an exchange with a fellow Christian wherein they made the comment:

"The gospel in 3 words is love. Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ."

Now, I am not certain if they were saying that the Gospel is love, or if they were saying that the three-tiered "friend" model they presented is girded with love. What I am certain of is, that although the Gospel is rooted in the love of God, it is not merely "love" as a stationary concept or emotion. Nor is it, "Make a friend, be a friend, bring a friend to Christ." We Christians should adamantly oppose and labor to correct such misrepresentations of the Gospel.

Here is my response:

"The gospel is not something we do, but it is [an announcement of] something that has been done... and so we proclaim a message of something that has occurred in a historical context."

The good news is not that we do something. In fact, it is not good news if my efforts are the primary thrust (especially since our best efforts fall short, no matter who we are). Furthermore, a continuous action is not a message. A message is information that is proclaimed. With regard to the good news of the Gospel message, it is the historical information about God, Humanity, Holiness, Sin, Redemption, Judgment, Reconciliation, and Reprobation (though, this is not an exhaustive list, nor an infallible recipe) according to the Bible. The Gospel, therefore, is an informative message (though much more than a mere message) about a variety of biblical subjects; the good news of salvation that follows the reality of human depravity and the need of Christ Jesus the Savior.

While there is much to be said of God's sovereignty in salvation (with regard to predestination, election, regeneration, conversion, faith, etc.), the aim here is to present the external elements and communication of the Gospel, not to plumb the depths of soteriology. That being said, I usually find that people who speak of the Gospel also point to the response of the recipient of the message. This is also considered by many as an aspect of the good news, since the free offer of the Gospel is available to all persons (which is really good news). Many present this response as an essential aspect of the Gospel message. In many cases, however, if the Gospel is proclaimed accurately, a response is implied and not necessarily an explicit element. Furthermore, without going into too much detail, I would argue that Scripture is clear that any human response is a secondary cause... that is to say, the Holy Spirit, according to His sovereign will, 'causes' us to respond to the Gospel (in a way). Nonetheless, all people who have been confronted with the Gospel respond... either positively or negatively.

The following is the presentation of the Gospel (along with a call for response) that I declared to the person mentioned above. I humbly pray that the Holy Spirit not only uses it to inform and instruct Christians as to what the Gospel is, but also that if any unbelievers may read it, that He would give them an understanding and grant them repentance and faith in Christ Jesus for His glory and their joy.

"The all-powerful, sovereign, holy and majestic God, who has no beginning or end, Created the earth and humanity with it. He created man upright and in His image; they had a perfect relationship. Man committed treason by sinning against God when he and his wife were deceived... they disobeyed God and attempted to usurp His position of authority and steal His glory. God cursed the man and woman, the serpent who deceived them, and the earth. Adam and Eve were now separated from God and spiritually dead, and would see physical death as a punishment for their sin. Adam was the representative or federal head of all of humanity, and so we are guilty of the same sin. We have inherited the fallen nature of him... we are not sinners because we sin, rather, we sin because we are sinners by nature. Fortunately, God promised that the Seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, and thus, save us from the penalty of sin. He maintained the bloodline through history through Adam to Abraham to Isaac to Jacob to Moses to David and all the way to Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Mary and Joseph. Jesus, who is the Messiah that the Law and Prophets in the Old Testament refer to is God in the flesh... the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity: the eternally begotten Son of God who was the agent of Creation. He lived a perfectly obedient life under the Law, following it completely. He was fully man and truly God... He is a man, because only a man can atone for the sins of humanity; likewise, He is God because only God is perfect and righteous. He willingly laid down His life as a substitution for the penalty of sin. The sin of he/she who believes in Him is covered and removed by His work on the cross. The wrath of God that is justly deserved for sin is satisfied by Jesus' sacrifice. His righteousness, by the application of the Holy Spirit through the instrumental means of faith, is accredited to those who believe in Him as Lord and Savior. We who trust in Jesus and what He has done are declared righteous according to His merits and not our own. He died, putting to death the power of sin... but He was raised to life by the same power of God that gives us faith and new life in Christ by the Holy Spirit. Though we die physically, we will be resurrected and inherit imperishable bodies so that we may live forever according to promises of God in Jesus. The person and work of Christ is the only way sinful humanity is reconciled with their holy and loving Father and Creator. There must be a response to what God has done in Christ... Deny Him, and you will be judged for your sin and incur the just penalty of the eternal wrath of God in the lake of fire... a conscience state of infinite torment and bodily agony/anguish. Respond with repentance (a perpetual lifestyle of turning away from sin and turning toward God) and faith (believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior and trust in the Triune God alone as worthy of praise and adoration; treasure Him above all things and live obediently) and you will be reconciled with your Creator and enjoy fellowship with Him for eternity in the place where there is no sin, no pain nor sadness... where every tear will be wiped away."

I welcome your comments, so... if you would like Scripture references, if you have prayer requests or questions, if you disagree or think I missed something crucial, or if you have any suggestions as to how this presentation can be improved (with regard to biblical fidelity)... please leave a comment.

Recommended books on the Gospel:

Election and Perseverance

I've been deeply encouraged and blessed by the books I've had the opportunity to read by God's grace. Lately, there are two that have providentially worked together in order to strengthen the knowledge of the gospel and the doctrines of grace in my life. Not only have they solidified my understanding of distinct doctrines, they have helped shape my comprehension of the way these truths are connected and inseparable. Most specifically, the areas of interest regarding my recent study are the doctrines of election and perseverance... two of the most comforting truths of Scripture, when understood rightly.

"What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles." (Romans 9:22-24)

"The vessels of mercy 'were by nature the children of wrath, even as others'. Both kinds of vessels were clay 'of the same lump'. What did God do toward saving the vessels of wrath? He 'endured them with much long-suffering'. Does not this show tenderness and compassion? Why did He not do more toward their salvation? Because He was 'willing to show His wrath, and to make known His power'. He saw it best, after exhibiting His long-suffering patience and His gracious readiness to pardon them on condition of penitence, to leave some sinners to reap the just rewards of their iniquity, in order that He might thus display His wrath against sin, and demonstrate His power to deal with it as it deserves. He does these sinners no wrong, simply permits them to work out their own destruction; but at the same time He furnishes a lesson to the universe on the hatefulness of sin, and the stable foundation on which the kingdom of holiness rests, not withstanding the efforts of wicked men and of devils to destroy it...

God wishes to 'make known the riches of His glory', and to this end He makes some vessels of mercy, 'preparing them afore unto glory'. We may say, in a word, that when God looked upon the lump of sinful humanity He decided to deal with it in the way which would best serve the purpose of displaying all the attributes of His glorious character, and thus promote the highest ends of His moral government. He might destroy the whole lump; He might transform the whole lump; or He might divide it, and make some vessels unto honor, and others to dishonor. His justice calls for the first course; His benevolence calls for the second; His wisdom calls for the third. By this course He illustrates both His justice and benevolence, and at the same time secures the highest ends of His unerring wisdom. In the case of those who are lost, God permits their self-destruction despite the entreaties of His benevolence. In the case of the saved, God, by the invincible power of His grace, rescues them despite the demands of His justice. In the case of both classes, the compassionate Christ is 'over all, God blessed for evermore' (Romans 9:5)...

Salvation is all of grace, and that it can, therefore, be no reflection on any attribute of God's perfect character if He decline to put forth His saving power on behalf of any given sinner, or number of sinners." (R.C. Reed, "The Gospel as Taught by Calvin", pp. 111-113).

"The faith that saves (a gift of God, according to Ephesians 2:8-9) is so nurtured and cared for by the Spirit of God that no genuine believer apostatizes... it is precisely because the power of God is manifested in preserving the Christian's faith that he can be assured of never losing his salvation...

In describing Christ's work as the Mediator of our salvation, Calvin explains how we are heirs according to God's pledge:

'[The Mediator's] task was to restore us to God's grace as to make of the children of men, children of God; of the heirs of Gehenna, heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom. Who could have done this had not the self-same Son of God become the Son of man, and had not so taken what was ours as to impart what was His to us, and to make what was His by nature ours by grace? Therefore, relying on this pledge, we trust that we are sons of God.' (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.12.2)

The perseverance of believers in the faith is also clearly taught in John 17:

"Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.'" (John 17)

Here we are privileged to listen in on what has been called the High Priestly Prayer of Christ. In it, He speaks of believers becoming 'one' so that 'the world may believe that You have sent Me' (v. 21). This prayer has been consistently understood by liberals (and, sadly, of late by conservatives, as well) as teaching that organic union (or, at least, corporate expressions of unity) among Christians will lead the world to believe in Christ. If that were true, then Jesus' prayer has never been answered in the affirmative. Indeed, it could only be declared an utter failure...

The unity for which He prayed was not a horizontal unity among men; rather, He prayed for a vertical unity with Himself, as He is one with the Father... The entire prayer is a petition that genuine believers may not be 'lost' as Judas was (v. 12). Since Christ was about to leave His own, He prayed that God would continue to 'guard' them, just as He previously had 'kept' them under His watchful care (v. 12). And He prayed not only for the apostles, but also for those who would come to believe under their preaching (v. 20). The kind of guarding that Jesus had in mind is explained in verse 21: 'that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me.'

The unity involved in these words is a unity with the Father and the Son, a unity that is as inseparable as that which these members of the Trinity enjoy...

God doesn't make a promise, then change His mind. He never hands us something with one hand, only to take it back with the other. He would never give eternal life to a person and then later kill him spiritually. Eternal life is just that—life that lasts eternally in God's presence. God is true to His word.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)

Calvin writes:

"Those whom He appointed beforehand, He also called; those whom He called, He also justified' [Romans 8:30] that He might sometime glorify them. Although in choosing His own the Lord already has adopted them as His children, we see that they do not come into possession of so great a good except when they are called; conversely, that when they are called, they already enjoy some share of their election. For this reason, Paul calls the Spirit, whom they receive, both 'Spirit of adoption' [Romans 8:15] and the 'seal' and 'guarantee of the inheritance to come' [Ephesians 1:13-14]; cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5]. For He surely establishes and seals in their hearts by His testimony the assurance of the adoption to come." (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.24.1)

A very important verse that makes the truth about apostasy clear:

"They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." (1 John 2:19)

John is addressing the fact that certain gnostic teachers who had been in the fold had left and had begun teaching their heresy. Previously, they had seemed to be true Christians, because they gave no outward indication of their heretical belief. But their false views of the nature of Christ solidified and came to the fore, and they found that they could no longer fellowship with genuine Christians...

We must maintain that those who denounce the faith never had true faith in the first place. They may have been among believers, but they were not of them...

True believers remain in the faith and in the church. They endure to the end.

"For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned." (Hebrews 6:4-9)

"For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:26-29)

While he knew that true believers would not repudiate their Savior, the writer recognized the possibility that some among his readers might not be genuine Christians after all. Therefore, he shows that people may become a part of the visible body of Christ, participating in all of God's wonderful benefits that are provided for the life of the church, but eventually turn their backs on everything they have experienced. There is no way to renew such people to a genuine profession of faith, he says, because there is only one true message—the very one they have rejected. So he describes how great a dishonor to Christ it is for one to hear and taste the gospel only to reject it, and how terrible are the consequences...

To teach that a saved person may be lost is to impugn the fatherhood of God. It is to say that He so poorly raises His children that many become delinquents who 'drop out' or must be disowned by Him... Hebrews says that the Lord 'disciplines' each of His children in order to bring them into line when they go the wrong way; if they receive no discipline, the book teaches, they are illegitimate:

"and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, 'My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.' It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom His father does not discipline?" (Hebrews 12:5-7; cf. Proverbs 3:11-12)

God disciplines all of His legitimate children, and His discipline gets positive results. God does not allow rebellious children to wander away from the family or become so incorrigible that He must put them out. Those members who leave, or who are permanently put out of the church, as we have seen, are false professors. Calvin writes:

"Wherever punishment is for vengeance, there the curse and wrath of God manifest themselves, and these he always withholds from believers. On the other hand, chastisement is a blessing of God and also bears witness to His love, as Scripture teaches (Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-6)." (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.4.32)

Perseverance is the result of true faith, nourished and maintained by the Spirit. But the believer himself must continue to exercise it. He may never sit back and say, 'I'm saved, I may do as I please, since I can never be lost.' To think that way indicates either that he has received very faulty teaching or that he is not a believer.

This precious doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, coming down to us from the Reformation, must be preserved at all costs. We may neither abandon it nor compromise with those who would do so. The certainty of salvation, which Calvin so dearly wished His congregation to know and which he bequeathed to subsequent generations, must not be lost." (Jay E. Adams, "A Certain Inheritance", chapter 15 in "John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology", ed. by Burk Parsons)

So, as we have seen from these pastors (in light of Calvin's instruction), these two inseparable doctrines are beautifully and terribly interwoven. The beauty? Christ has, by His active and passive obedience, secured salvation for His sheep. As a Christian, you are the beloved of God, chosen before the foundation of the world to be justified by the gracious instrumentation of faith, which has united you with Christ and set you apart to persevere through sanctifying discipline en route to future glorification. If you confess Christ as your Lord and Savior and have repented of your sin—if you continue to stand firm in the faith and live a life of perpetual repentance that is worthy of gospel—strive to finish the race, for while there are trials, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The terror? If you do not believe the gospel—if you do not trust in Jesus Christ as truly man and fully God... as your Savior from sin... as the one and only Mediator between God and man—you are outside of Christ and are on a treacherous path to destruction. The trials you experience are quite possibly a manifestation of the wrath of God and you are dead in your trespasses and sins. If the undeserved gracious atonement of Christ has not been applied to you through faith, the just wrath of God in future condemnation awaits you.

If you, the reader, identify yourself with the former, may the biblical doctrines of election and perseverance be an encouragement to you. Rest in the accomplished work of Christ and look to Him as the author and perfecter of your faith. He has conquered death and our life is inseparably hid with Christ on high. If you identify yourself with the latter, I implore you... repent of your sin, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in His death, burial and resurrection. He lived a perfect and sinless life of obedience under the Law, and willingly laid down His life to be crucified as a substitution for those who trust in Him. While all of mankind is sinful, and all of mankind is deserving of death (the penalty for sin), He was without sin and yet punished for it, so those who are united with Him in His death/resurrection (through faith) would be considered righteous by God and looked upon as they were the sinless Christ. Trust in Jesus, abide with persevering faith, and by the sanctifying Spirit make your calling and election sure.

The Supremacy of Christ in All of Scripture

"The inscripturated word centers its attention on Jesus Christ. He is the seed of the woman who will crush the serpent's head (Gen. 3:15). He is the ark to rescue the people of God (Gen. 7-8). He is the holy Angel of Yahweh (Gen. 16; Gen. 22; Gen. 24; Ex. 3; Num. 20; Num. 22; Jud. 2; Jud. 6; Jud. 13; Ps. 34). He is the seed of Abraham in whom all the families of the earth will be blessed (Gen. 12; Gen. 15). He is the passover lamb (Ex. 12; Lev. 23; Deut. 16; 2 Chron. 30; 2 Chron. 35; Ezra 6; Ezek. 45; Matt. 26; 1 Cor. 5:7b). He is the prophet greater than Moses (Deut. 18:18-19). He is the pillar of fire in the wilderness (Ex. 13-14; Num. 14; Neh. 9). He is the rock struck by Moses (Ex. 17; Num. 20). He is the heir to the Davidic throne (2 Sam. 7:16; Ps. 110; Zech. 12; Matt. 1; Luke 1:67-75). He is the thrice holy Lord of Isaiah 6. He is the great shepherd of Ezekiel 34. He is Mary's baby (Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:39-56; Luke 2:1-40), Herod's enemy (Matt. 2:13-23), and Simeon's joy (Luke 2:25-35). He is the twelve-year-old boy in the temple (Luke 2:41-52) and the beloved Son to be baptized (Matt. 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:29-34). He is the healer of the blind (John 9), the provider for the hungry (Mark 6; Mark 8), and the friend of the outcast (Matt. 9; Rom. 5:8). He is the new temple (Rev. 21:22), the source of living water (John 4; Rev. 22:1-5), the manna that gives life (Ex. 16:1-7; John 6:26-40), the light of the world (John 1:4-5, 9-13; John 3:19-21; John 8:12-20; John 9:5; John 12:34-50; 2 Cor. 4:1-6), the resurrection and the life (John 11:17-27; 1 Cor. 15; Eph. 1:18-23; Phil. 3:7-11; 1 Pet. 1:3-9; 1 Pet. 3:18-22), and the Father's true vine (John 15). He is the spotless lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Gen. 22; John 1:27-37) and the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5). He is the ascended Lord (Psalm 110; Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 2:32-33; Rom. 8:33-35; Eph. 1:19b-23; Col. 3:1-4; Heb. 1:1-4; Heb. 8:1-6; Heb. 1o:11-13; Heb. 12:1-3), the ruler of the Church (1 Cor. 11:2-3; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 5:22-30), and the returning Judge of all men (Acts 10:38-43; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 1 Pet. 4:1-6). The sacred scriptures are the instrument by which the Spirit of the living God glorifies Jesus Christ." (Arturo Azurdia III, "Spirit-Empowered Preaching," p. 61) [scripture references in parentheses added]

A Reader's Review of "365 Great Bible Stories"

My wife and I are expecting our first child in February and we are thankful to our gracious God for blessing us with such a beautiful gift that is a daughter. We are committed to raising her in a Christian household, where the Bible is brought to bear upon our hearts and the truths of the Gospel permeate every area of our lives. In light of the recent news of our pregnancy, I am happy to be reviewing this children's book. I believe it is important to have a good selection of biblical resources in the home and we will be looking for the best biblical teaching resources for our children as we partner together in raising God-fearing disciples of Jesus.

To start, I must say that I was completely unfamiliar with the author... which is uncharacteristic of my reading habits. What was reassuring for me in this endeavor was the fact that this is author Carine Mackenzie's 150th book... and not only has she written a large number, but she has over 3 million books sold! If any of her other books are as Christ-centered as this one, I am sure I will have no lack of children's resources for my own little ones.

Christian Focus, the publisher, has four "imprints" that they produce books through. I own several different books from each of the other three imprints and have listed a few below that I recommend...

Christian Focus (Popular Adult Titles)













Christian Heritage (Classic Books)













Mentor (Books for More Detailed Study)














"365 Great Bible Stories" is my first book from Christian Focus' "CF4K" imprint (books for children)... but I am sure this will not be the last. To read an excerpt, CLICK HERE.

The first thing I noticed about the book when it arrived in the mail was the quality of its production. The binding and paper are both impressive; a lot of care was put into the manufacturing of this book. It is a large, hardback book with a built in bookmark and appears to be very durable (which is important for a children's book).

On page 4, the author shows us "How To Use This Book"... she writes:

"In this book you will find enough stories for you to read one a day for the whole year, even if it is a leap year... because although the book is called 365 Great Bible Stories, we've tagged on an extra story at the end. Of course you might like to read several stories all at once and that's fine too. You might start at Genesis and go all the way through to Revelation in one sitting, or it might take you several goes.

Whatever way you want to read the truth of God's Word is fine. But it's a good thing to remember Who it is you are reading about and that He has got something to say to you. The book that these stories come from, the Bible, was written by God. It has no errors in it and is absolutely truthful.

Now if you find that you want to mix things up and bit and want to read a bit differently for a change, look over at the opposite page. There you will find different themes for you to follow. Flick through the book and when you spot a lamb picture - that's a salvation story. When you spot a dove picture that's a story about the Holy Spirit. Look out for the scroll - that's going to be a story about God's Word. If you see a little road winding into the distance someone's going traveling. If you see a sword or some armor then you'll know that story has got a fight or a battle mentioned in it."

There are a few important things to note here: First, she points out that this book is a collection of stories from Genesis to Revelation. The Bible, though categorized by two different sets of writings (Old Testament and New Testament), is the completely unified revelation of God. This book is, to an extent, an introduction to Biblical Theology for children. It helps children understand that God's divine authorship in the Scriptures encompasses all 66 books; He reveals Himself in Creation through Consummation. Second, she points us to the God that is revealed in the Scriptures... not just to the Bible. Often times, we are in danger of looking to the Scriptures without looking for the God who is the One revealed in them. His Word directs us to Him, but is not an end in and of itself. We are to worship the Lord, and while we are commanded to obey His Word and hold it sacred, we are not to worship it as the personal God it points to. Third, she rightly points out that this Word of God, these Scriptures that He has "breathed-out," are without error and "absolutely truthful." This is an extremely important lesson to pass on to children... a crucial part of their biblical education and discipling is an understanding of the authority, inspiration, and veracity of the Bible. Lastly, Mackenzie shows us a "map key" to reading the book. Amidst the pages of this book are thematic elements symbolized by easily identifiable pictures, which are useful in teaching children about major biblical concepts than are prevalent throughout the Bible.

Chapter 1 is entitled "Creation, the Fall, the Flood, and the Exodus" and mainly covers the first two books of the Old Testament. Some important themes in this chapter are ex nihilo creation, imago Dei, original righteousness, sin, The Trinity, judgment, covenant, aseity, transcendence, immutability, omnipotence, sovereignty, providence, inerrancy, atonement, etc. One of my favorite things about the first chapter, is how the author points us to Christ in Genesis and Exodus. Here are a few examples:

Genesis 1: "THINK: The Word of God is powerful. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is called the Word. By Him the light was produced. He is the true light, the Light of the World," (p. 8).

Genesis 3: "THINK: God has to punish sin. But He made a way of escape. When God punished the serpent - the devil - He spoke of him being defeated by the seed of the woman. This points us to Jesus who defeated the devil when He died on the cross," (p. 15).

Genesis 6-7: "THINK: Only eight people were saved from the flood. Only those who are trusting in the Lord Jesus are safe from the destruction which our sin deserves," (p. 6-7).

Genesis 22: "THINK: God provided a ram for the sacrifice. But later He provided a lamb for another sacrifice. He provided Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God to be the perfect sacrifice for sin on the cross of Calvary; PRAY: Thank the Lord for every gift that He has given you. Thank Him most of all for the gift of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners," (p. 28).

Exodus 12: "THINK: The blood on the doorposts reminds us of another great escape. Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross at Calvary so that His people would escape eternal death. Jesus ate the Passover Feast with His disciples the night before He died on the cross," (p.64).

Exodus 12-13: "THINK: God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. He rescues His people today from slavery to sin, through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. All who trust in Him are freed from slavery to sin," (p. 65).

Chapter 2 is called, "Joshua, Judges, and the Kings" and Mackenzie lists the topics the reader will learn about:

"The Promised Land, Joshua, Crossing the Jordan, Battles, Victories and Defeats, Ehud and Eglon, Deborah and Barak, Jael and Sisera, Gideon, Samson, Ruth, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, and The Divided Kingdom"

One thing I find interesting is her inclusion of some of the more obscure stories in the time of the Judges... such as Ehud's assassination of Eglon (Judges 3:12-30); and Jael's pounding a tent stake through the temple of Sisera (Judges 4:17-22).

The Christocentric teaching of the author continues throughout this chapter as well. This is what she writes in story 89 regarding Judges 6:

"God used Gideon, the least important in his family, to win a great victory for the nation. The angel of God appeared to him and assured him of his peace. Gideon called the place, 'The LORD is Peace'. God asks us to pray about everything and give thanks. Those who love the LORD God and trust in Him are promised this gift of peace. Even if life is full of trouble and worry, God's own peace can calm our hearts. This peace is only possible through the Lord Jesus who took our punishment and gained our salvation from sin. When we trust in Him in faith, we have peace with God.

THINK: Jesus gave a special message to His disciples, as he promised that the Holy Spirit would be with them. 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid,' John 14:27," (p.98).

In story 98, she teaches about "Jesus the Redeemer" from Ruth 4 (cf. Matthew 1):

"Ruth's baby was important. He became the grandfather of the great king David, who wrote most of the lovely Psalms in the Bible. But the most important descendant of Boaz and Ruth was the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born in Bethlehem many years later. Boaz was a redeemer for Ruth. Jesus Christ is the Redeemer for His people. His people are redeemed from a life of sin and misery. The price He paid was not money but His own precious blood. Jesus Christ gave His life as a redemption payment, when He died on the cross.

PRAY: Thank the Lord for sending His Son into this world to be the Redeemer for those who trust in Him," (p. 107).

Chapter 3, "Prophets, a Prophetess, a Queen and a Priest" covers mainly the Major Prophets and the Exile. One notable section is Isaiah's Messianic prophecies. Mackenzie writes in story 164 concerning Isaiah 9 and Isaiah 53:

"Isaiah's message pointed to the coming Messiah - the special king that the Jews expected God to send. Isaiah told of his birth 'To us a child is born, to us a Son is given... He will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.' Isaiah's words came true when the Lord Jesus was born. He is God the Son who reigns over all the world, a Prince and a Savior. Isaiah also prophesied about Jesus' death. His suffering and pain and rejection are all detailed. He explains that His death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness to His people. 'He was pierced for our transgressions,' says Isaiah, 'He was bruised for our iniquities.' Isaiah even foretold that Jesus would die along with wicked men and that His grave would belong to a rich man. Jesus died on the cross between two thieves and laid in the tomb belonging to rich Joseph of Arimathea," (p. 175).

In stories 189-193, the author teaches about Jonah. There is a rich gospel message in her teaching from Jonah 4. She writes:

"THINK: If we received what our sins deserve, we would all be destroyed. God tells us that the wages of sin is death. Our loving God delights to show mercy to his people. He does not give what our sins deserve. He gives the wonderful gift of eternal life, because of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done on the cross to take the punishment to Himself that is due to us for our sin. A good prayer for us is 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner," (p. 204).

Chapter 4 is essentially a harmony of the gospels. Stories 195-299 cover the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The topics we read about in this chapter are:

"Jesus' birth, Jesus' Baptism, Jesus' Early Ministry, The Disciples, Jesus' Miracles, Jesus' Teaching, The Parables, The Transfiguration, The Triumphal Entry, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection, and The Ascension"

The stories in this chapter include all of the major teachings of the gospel accounts. Mackenzie does an excellent job showing the humanity and deity of Christ, as well as His matchless power. She explains Jesus' teachings from the Sermon on the Mount (and urges the reader to memorize the model prayer) and His parables in a way that is easy for children to understand. She ends the chapter with story 299 about The Great Commission, in which she reminds us that "Jesus' disciples are all over the world today. Jesus is with each one of them by His Spirit," (p. 312); and story 300 about Jesus' Ascension, where she gives instruction reminiscent of question one of The Westminster Catechism: "THINK: We are made to worship God and to enjoy Him forever," (p. 313).

In chapter 5, Mackenzie takes a historical journey through the Acts of the Apostles, describing the ministry of the 1st century church. She lays out a beginner's ecclesiology and a call to prayer in story 304:

"These people who trusted in Jesus loved listening to the apostles teaching about the Word of God. They learned more and more about Jesus. They met together to pray. They spoke together and had meals together... The people who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are known as 'the church.'

PRAY: Thank God for your church family who meet together for prayer, worship and teaching about the Word of God," (p. 319).

Stories 311-315 record the Apostle Paul's conversion (Acts 7-9), and his missionary journeys begin in story 323. The author does not withhold much detail in her retelling of Acts 13:

"On the first trip Paul went with Barnabas, who had been his first friend in Jerusalem after his conversion, and a young helper, John Mark. They traveled through the island of Cyprus, preaching the gospel in the synagogue. They faced stiff opposition but God the Holy Spirit helped them to be strong. The governor of the island was so impressed by the teaching about the Lord that he believed in Jesus for himself.

From Cypress they sailed across to the area we now call Turkey. John Mark left them at this point to go back home to Jerusalem," (p. 338).

This chapter ends with Paul's journey to Rome (stories 343-354) from Acts 22-28 and sets up the next section by introducing Paul's epistles to the reader.

The last chapter of the book, chapter 6, finishes out the New Testament. Though it is unfortunate that the author does not include any teachings from the epistle to the Romans, she does summarize the apostle's other general epistles.

In her teaching about Paul's letters to the Corinthians, she draws out his teaching about love (chapter 13) and reminds her readers:

"THINK: Remember that if we love God, it is because He has first loved us," (p.372)

She focuses on the whole armor of God from Ephesians 6 (story 356), prayer in 1&2 Thessalonians (story 357), and gives a summary of Philippians (story 358) regarding joy, anxiety, prayer and the victory of Christ.

Mackenzie concludes the book with a brief teaching on heaven from Revelation 21:

"John saw a vision of heaven and he described what he saw. In heaven, there will be no tears, no death, no sorrow, no crying, no pain. The city wall is of jasper, a precious stone. The city is made of pure gold. The foundations of the city are adorned with precious jewels. The twelve gates are made of pearls. The street is pure gold. John did not see a temple in his vision of the city because the Lord Almighty and the Lamb (Jesus Christ) are the temple. There was no need for sun or moon because the glory of God illuminated it. Nothing wicked will enter heaven - only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life - those who are trusting in Christ alone for their salvation. Jesus will return one day. He will judge the world and take his people to be with Himself in heaven," (p. 380).

Next, she presents a teaching on The Trinity from 2 Corinthians 13:

"The Bible tells us that there is only one God. There are three different persons in this one God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. They exist together but we must worship them as one God... This is a great mystery which should make us worship God.

THINK: There is only one true and living God. However there are three persons in this one God. They are one God, the same in substance and equal in power and glory," (p. 381).

The 365th story presents to us a teaching on The Atonement from Hebrews 10:

"God had a wonderful plan to save His people from sin. All through their history, God taught the people of Israel about His plan. He instructed them to make sacrifices of unblemished animals because they were sinners. The blood of these animals could not take away sin. But it was a picture of what would happen in the future when God's Son would die for sinners. His sacrifice would be the perfect sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to be the real and only worthwhile sacrifice for sin. His sacrifice did not need to be repeated again and again. He died once and for all, on the cross at Calvary," (p. 382).

Finally, the extra "leap year" story (as mentioned in the introduction) directs the readers to "The Best Book of All":

"The Bible is like a lamp giving light and guidance on our journey through life. The Bible is like a sword, a mighty weapon to help us fight against our enemy, the devil. The Bible is like food - milk for a little baby or meat for a big man - the nourishment needed for our souls no matter how young or old we are. The Bible teaches the truth, shows us what is wrong in our lives, corrects us and helps us to do what is right.

THINK: The Bible is the power of God for salvation for all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ," (p. 383).

"365 Great Bible Stories: The Good News of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation" by Carine Mackenzie is a fantastic book, not just for young children, but for people of all ages. I happily welcome this addition to my library and I look forward to reading it to my daughter and any other children the Lord may bless us with. I trust that this book will entertain young children as it is read aloud, and also inform children as they read it for themselves. This is no mere storybook, there are important truths strewn throughout; this is truly a premier discipleship resource full of sound theology and practical wisdom.

Effective December 1, 2009, Federal Trade Commission guidelines state that bloggers receiving any kind of compensation should disclose that information clearly on their blog when posting a review of the product... that being said: I RECEIVED A FREE HARDCOVER COPY OF THE BOOK. CLEAR ENOUGH?