Pastor's Bookshelf: The Grace of Repentance by Sinclair Ferguson

I first became tuned in to Sinclair Ferguson's work through a children's bible study book that we have been using with our kids during family devotion times.  I amazon searched his name and found many other titles. After reading (and reviewing) By Grace Alone, another of Ferguson's titles, I became a fan.

I recently read "The Grace of Repentance" by Ferguson and it did not disappoint.  I definitely give it 5 out of 5 stars.  This book is an easy read and very convicting.  We take God's grace for granted in so many ways.  We fail to realize that it is only by God's grace that we are even able to repent and turn to God.  

Sinclair does a great job of bringing that out and bringing to light the scriptural truth behind our sin, God's mercy in offering Christ, and God's grace in forbearing our sin and granting the grace of repentance to the Christian so that they continue to bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matthew 3:8).  

It seems to have been lost in the last generations, but this book is a fresh Biblical reminder that repentance is not just a one time thing we do when God saves us, it is a lifestyle.  Well said by Ferguson,  "A life of repentance is ongoing, dogged, persistent refusal to compromise with sin." (p.25).  Praise God for His grace and mercy in granting us repentance and allowing us the empowering of His Holy Spirit to continually turn from sin.

Available from Ligonier Ministries.

Pastor's Bookshelf: By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me by Sinclair Ferguson

We sing about it.  We recite it.  We are saved by it alone.  We know it.  But how often do we take it for granted?  I'm speaking of course about God's Grace.  A foundational and wonderful truth about the One True God of this world is that He has elected to make known His grace to us... us... unworthy sinful fallen people.  God owes us no mercy, no grace... no salvation; nothing but wrath and justice.  Yet by His grace we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, God's Son.

Sinclair Ferguson takes you to the Bible to bring out what Scripture reveals about God's grace.  How amazing God's grace is in salvation and every day life.  How God's grace upholds the salvation of all believers and how God's grace is truly all sufficient. 

From beginning to end I loved this book.  It seemed to begin a bit slow, but by chapter two I was enthralled.  I know personally that I tend to take God's Grace for granted in my life.  Lord forgive me for ever presuming upon or forgetting the power of your grace extended to me through your Son, Jesus Christ.  If you don't own this, order it now.  You can pick it up at Ligonier.org or from Amazon.com.

Two of my favorite quotes from the book:  "No therapist, no psychiatrist can relieve you of guilt.  He or she may help you to resolve feelings of false guilt that can arise for a variety of reasons.  Prescription drugs may provide certain kinds of ease.  But no therapy, no course of drugs, can deliver you from real guilt.  Why?  Because being guilty is not a medical condition or a chemical disorder.  It is a spiritual reality.  It concerns your standing before God.  The psychiatrist cannot forgive you; the therapist cannot absolve you; the counselor cannot pardon you.  But the message of the Gospel is this: God can forgive you, and He is willing to do so." (pg. 57)

" Until we acknowledge our sin and guilt, we will never come to discover that it can be forgiven.  But when we do, actual forgiveness begins to give rise to an awareness of forgiveness psychologically, spiritually, mentally, inwardly.  With that comes an increasing sense that the bondage of guilt has been broken.  At last, we are set free.  Wonder of wonders, we discover that at the very heart of the Gospel is this fact:  God has taken our guilt upon Himself in His Son Jesus Christ." (pg. 58)

**I received a free copy of this book from Reformation Trust Publishing for review; but was in no way obligated to give a positive review.

Pastor's Bookshelf: Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God

Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God is a profound look at God's Holiness as seen in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  How our Trinitarian God is intrinsically Holy and Just in all things.  This book drove me to my Bible (as any good theological book should) and left me once more in awe of the God whom I serve.

God is Holy.  He says so of Himself and proves to be so in all of His works.  How many of us truly understand (at least from what we can understand) God's Holiness?  In His Holiness we find the reasons for His grace, mercy, love, and even His wrath and justice. 

Written by such great men of the word such as R.C. Sproul, Thabiti Anyabwile, Allistar Begg, D.A. Carson, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steve Lawson, R.C Sproul Jr., and Derek Thomas.

Each author brings a unique perspective to the table as they look at everything from the Holiness of God to how it should look when applied to our lives and even take you through how it should look as we endeavor to raise our children in the ways of the Lord. 

Absolutely fantastic book and I highly recommend it to ANYONE.  It is deep enough to challenge students of the Word but written simply enough that even a new convert will be able to understand the concepts outlined.

You can purchase this book from Ligonier Ministries.