Rescuing the Gospel by Erwin Lutzer

I debated requesting this book because I didn't know if I'd have time to read it, but I'm so glad I did!

Next year is the Reformation's 500th anniversary, and Lutzer takes us through the journey of the Gospel through the lives of some of the most influential reformers. Lutzer gives us the spiritual background history of England, Germany, Scotland, Switzerland, and France in his retelling of the Reformation movement. He write the stories of Knox, Calvin, Zwingli, and Luther in vivid detail, capturing the attention of the reader. Though three-quarters of the book is devoted to Luther's reforms, Lutzer describes each of these men with their virtues and vices. Sometimes Christians look up to these people as almost perfect examples, but they were just humans. But men that God chose to use mightly despite their flaws.

We see the history of the spiritual world and the influence of the Catholic church during these times. The darkness that prevailed in the hearts and minds of the people, and the corrupt spiritual leaders who influenced the people only served to brighten the light of the Gospel once it was rescued from the distortions of man.

Lutzer also describes the different divisions among the reformers, namely the Lord's Table and baptism: two debates that still exist today, and likely will until the end of time. Also the separation of church and state and the discussion of war vs. pacifism. The reformers did not all agree on every doctrine, but one thing bound them together. One thing that led them to support one another and pass the baton to the next man: the Gospel.

Lutzer gives a bit of detail on some of the smaller groups that broke off from the Catholic Church: Anabaptists, Lutherans, Mennonites, Huguenots, Puritans, Dutch Reformed, and Presbyterians. He also comments on the burning of Servetus and the doctrine of predestination regarding Calvin. Lutzer also frequently enlightens his readers on the history and aspects of the Catholic church, detailing how it differs in regards to salvation and worship from the Protestants.

While not an extensive history of the Reformation and the impact it had on the world, this book provides a much needed reminder of the men gone before and the work they did to shine the light of the Gospel in a dark world--a world much like ours today. The Reformation isn't over.

"Despite these differences, that which united them [the reformers] was greater than that which divided them." The reformers lived on the Word of God: sola Scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, and soli Deo gloria. On the eve of the anniversary of the Reformation, this would be a great book to read to review the challenges men faced to present the light of truth to the world. They weren't perfect men, but they were willing to die for their faith, and they stood on the Word of God because their conscience and convictions held them captive to it.



Disclosure: 

I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.

Worth Living by Mary DeMuth

Back Cover...

With deep compassion, Mary DeMuth dares you to believe that the God who started a good work in you is faithful to bring it to glorious completion. That the God who redeems you also loves you--right now and always--with a beautiful love. That you are a daughter of the King and always welcomed in his presence. 

Discover here a future of strength and security, knowing that you are wildly loved and destined to have a great impact on the world around you. 

This book is one of those books that's attempting to fill a void in the evangelical realm. When we listen to Christian ministries, preachers, teachers, and leaders in general we often hear two extremes: "God loves you so you don't have to worry about sinning because you're going to heaven" or "You're worthless because you've sinned and you deserve hell and judgment." Neither ideas are completely Scriptural because they either add in man's ideas or leave out the rest of the biblical context.

DeMuth's book describes how we are worthy because God loves us and because He's offered salvation for us. Coming from a difficult past and childhood, she has struggled to understand her worth as a child of God, so she writes from a personal perspective as well. She begins each chapter with a lie that we believe and sums up the statement of truth at the end of the chapter.

This book is intended for a Christian audience, I believe, but I would recommend that the reader has strong biblical foundation before taking all her statements at face-value. DeMuth explains the worth of a person as found in Christ alone, but her statements of loving oneself or "unmasking" who you are or becoming more of yourself can be misleading if not understood from her Christian worldview. I would completely disagree with the idea of learning to love yourself because Scripture tells us that we naturally love ourselves already and a spiritual fight takes place when we must learn to love others as we love ourselves. Also, I wouldn't totally agree that we are worthy, as DeMuth states, simply because Jesus loves us. We are not worthy in any way, shape, or form except that once saved we are seen as in Christ. In Him, though we still sin and struggle against the human nature, we do have the perfection of Jesus written in us, though it will not be realized until we enter heaven.

Aside from those underlying ideas in this book, it was an encouraging read. She exhorts her readers to let go of productivity and embrace purpose in our actions. To live freely, not embracing sin, but living faithfully for God within His limitation and our personal consciences. To trust in God for His work within us rather than idolizing perfection. To give criticism to Jesus instead of letting it drag us down. To find our security in God and to allow other fellow Christians to come alongside and help us instead of living in isolation. To dare to live and walk by faith knowing that we serve a big God who delights in us and who loves us unconditionally.

Favorite Quotes

We think, errantly, that people can fulfill our deepest longings for worth. This simply is not true. 

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God's church isn't a robot army of identical warriors. It's a body of mismatched, unpicked (but picked) pilgrims who dare to live unmasked.

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Your circumstances may rail against a loving God, but the truth is that his love never, ever fails. You may not understand it this side of heaven's shores, but it is true nonetheless. God's love is bedrock. Build your life on it.

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Herculean effort doesn't mean success will come.

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Rest is a holy act of faith through which we show we truly believe in God's ability to run the universe without our control or help.

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I used to think that if I was sad, or I grieved, then something was terribly wrong wtih me and I hadn't fully healed. In those moments, I forgot all about Jesus in anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane or his weeping at the tomb of Lazarus or his crying out to God the Father in agony on the cross.

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Suffering becomes the darkened backdrop where redmeption shines all the fiercer....We are not made for this world but for one where wrongs are righted, tears are wiped away, and unending joy abounds.

Disclosure:

I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review.