Preface from John Frame’s Selected Shorter Writings, Volume 3

Posted on April 14, 2016 by Kim

Here is an excerpt taken from the preface to John Frame’s Selected Shorter Writings, Volume 3.

Preface

Readers of this series may be pardoned for thinking that with volume 3 of my Selected Shorter Writings I may be digging into the dregs. Actually, however, this volume contains some of my favorite essays. The first two, in particular, established the direction I would take in discussions of theological method, and they set me sharply against the academic-historical type of systematic theology that is most prevalent today. Why I chose not to include those essays in earlier volumes is anybody’s guess. There are other essays here of which I am particularly fond, and I will indicate some of the reasons for this fondness in the explanatory notes. All in all, I think that this is the best of the three SSW volumes.

Nevertheless, at seventy-five I am winding down my work as a theologian, slouching toward retirement. But before I take leave of this platform, let me express my thanks for the many readers who not only have bought my books, but have said kind things about them. Nothing pleases me more than to hear that my work has been helpful to other Christians—both shepherds and sheep. My thanks also to those who have criticized my ideas. I haven’t always responded to you with enthusiasm, but many of you have been gracious and kind in the way you have sought to teach me more excellent ways. Certainly you have influenced me, often in ways below my threshold of consciousness.

Author Highlight – Dan Doriani

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Kim

Dan Doriani is vice president of strategic academic projects and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary. Previously he was senior pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, MO. Dan will be one of the speakers at The Faithful Shepherd Pastor’s Retreat 2016. He has written 7 P&R titles and has coauthored one.

1. Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible

272 pages | List Price: $16.99 | Paperback

Summary — Presents solid principles and clear examples of biblical interpretation. Doriani summarizes the main principles for interpretation in a single, easily remembered acronym: CAPTOR.

2. Putting the Truth to Work: The Theory and Practice of Biblical Application

352 pages | List Price: $17.99 | Paperback

Summary — Ideal for pastors and professors, this book explains how to apply Scripture to daily life. It identifies four categories of application and shows how they function in doctrinal passages.

3. The Sermon on the Mount: The Character of a Disciple

256 pages | List Price: $15.99 | Paperback

Summary — “Among Jesus’ teachings, the Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the most beloved, the best known, the least understood, and the hardest to obey,” says Daniel Doriani. His skillful exposition and gripping application of the sermon will help readers realize in thought and in life the character of true disciples.

4. James

240 pages | List Price: $22.99 | Hardcover | Reformed Expository Commentary series

Summary — With 59 commands in 108 verses, the epistle of James contains an obvious zeal for law. James, in his imperatives, directs us to the royal law, the law of King Jesus (2:8). Because of this, the hasty reader will not see much of the gospel in James, but as Doriani reveals in his insightful commentary, the double mention of God’s grace at the rhetorical climax of the book shows that the gospel of James is still the message of God’s grace for sinners.

5. The Incarnation in the Gospels – Coauthored with Philip Graham Ryken & Richard D. Phillips

240 pages | List Price: $22.99 | Hardcover | Reformed Expository Commentary series

Summary — This book contains sermons preached in advent by three of America’s most respected pastors. These sermons seek to meet the needs of their people and use the opportunity the season affords in preaching about Christ and redemption.

6. Matthew (2 Volume Set)

1,200 pages | List Price: $59.99 | Hardcover | Reformed Expository Commentary series

Summary — While paying careful attention to a commentary’s traditional interest in the structure, backgrounds, and grammar of the text, Doriani also supplies the theological commentary, Christ-centered focus, and personal and corporate applications that pastors and teachers need. Each chapter attends to Matthew’s original intent and seeks to express that intent in ways that evoke his distinct voice, so as to fulfill the goal of Matthew’s gospel—making disciples by forming the mind, heart, and hands of believers.

7. 1 Peter

288 pages | List Price: $24.99 | Hardcover | Reformed Expository Commentary series | SAMPLE CHAPTER

Summary — In this exposition of 1 Peter, Daniel Doriani explains how the work of Christ enables Christians to live with hope, joy, and faithfulness in a pagan world. He also explores Peter’s emphasis on the kind of life that pleases God—a life that includes respect for authorities, just or unjust; godly behavior as a wife, husband, or elder; and, by God’s grace, good deeds, courage, and a firm stand in the face of trials.

8. The New Man: Becoming a Man After God’s Heart

280 pages | List Price: $14.99 | Paperback | SAMPLE CHAPTER

Summary — What should manhood look like? Focusing on character building, Doriani seeks out the biblical pattern for masculinity that transcends culture. Discover how you can reflect God’s character in areas of life including marriage, friendships, work, fitness—even play. Each chapter includes discussion questions. This is a revised and expanded edition of The Life of a God-Made Man (Crossway, 2001).

Excerpt taken from The Doctrines of Grace: Student Edition by Shane Lems

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Kim

Below is an excerpt taken from The Doctrines of Grace: Student Edition by Shane Lems.

Chapter 1 – Introduction

Stories. . .

The Bible is a book with many stories: the flood, the exodus, Joshua fighting the Canaanites, Samson battling the Philistines, David defeating Goliath, the prophet Hosea marrying the sinful woman, and Jesus healing the blind man. Those are just a few of the many great stories in God’s Word, and I’m sure you could add more to the list.

Though there are many stories in the Bible, all of those little stories are part of one big story: our triune God saving his people from sin, death, and hell. Really, the whole Bible is this great story of God redeeming sinful people from the wages of sin, which is death (Rom. 6:23). Right at the center of this story is God’s Son, Jesus. He lived, died on the cross, and rose again to save sinful people. This is what we call the gospel, the good news that Jesus is the Savior “who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Rev. 1:5). The Lord himself says, “Besides me there is no savior” (Hos. 13:4). “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9). This is also what this book is about: the saving grace of God.

In both the Old and New Testaments, this is the big story of the Bible: God the Father saves sinners through his Son Jesus by the power of his Holy Spirit. The Apostles’ Creed (written on page 13) tells this story very well. Many Christians from all over the world have been saying the Apostles’ Creed for around 1,500 years. All true Christians agree that the main point of the Bible is that our God saves sinners. It’s what Christianity is all about!

Salvation . . .

How exactly does God save sinners? That’s a question many Christians have discussed since Augustine debated a man named Pelagius around a.d. 400. Shortly after 1500 the Protestant Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin wrote, preached, and talked about justification by faith alone. They strongly disagreed with the Roman Catholic Church, which said sinners are justified by grace and faith, but also by obedience to the church and God’s law. The Reformers said sinners are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God used the Reformers to re-form the church according to his Word, the Bible.

History . . .

In the early 1600s some people in the Reformed churches of Holland were saying things about salvation that didn’t sound Reformed or biblical. These people, called the Remonstrants or Arminians, summarized their teaching with five points. This is what they taught:

All people have free will, which means they can either choose to believe in Jesus or choose not to believe in him.
Before the world began, God elected (chose to save) people whom he knew would use their free will to believe in Jesus.
Jesus died to make salvation possible for anyone who uses his or her free will to believe in him.
The Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus, but people can use their free will to resist the Holy Spirit.
Someone who is truly a Christian can fall away and not be a Christian anymore.

This is a short summary; we’ll talk more about these things later.

Many pastors and elders in Holland strongly disagreed with these five points. A church meeting (called a synod) was held in the city of Dordrecht in 1618. Pastors and elders from Holland (and several from other countries) talked about these five points in the meeting. After much discussion, study of Scripture, and prayer, the Synod came up with five points of its own. Their five points showed that the Arminians’ five points were neither Reformed nor biblical. They wrote a church document called the Canons of Dort. Solid Reformed churches still appreciate, preach, and teach these truths today. Later in this book we will refer to the Canons of Dort. You can find the Canons in appendix D.

A canon is a statement.
Dort is short for the city of Dordrecht.

Churches . . .

It is also important to know that the Canons of Dort teach basically the same things as other Reformed documents like the Heidelberg Catechism and the Belgic Confession of Faith. The Presbyterian documents—the Westminster Confession and Catechisms—also teach the same things as the Canons of Dort. But the Canons of Dort speak only about the doctrines of grace specifically, while the other confessions deal with many more biblical topics. The point is that these confessions stand together on the main truths of the Christian faith. Presbyterian and Reformed churches that use these documents (also called confessions) are in agreement on these five points of the Canons of Dort. (Look at appendix B for more information on this.) Of course there is a lot more to being Reformed than just these five points. These five points aren’t the only things Reformed Christians believe. But they are an important part of Reformation teaching.

Confessions are statements of faith.

TULIP . . .

Most people know these five points as the five points of Calvinism. The popular acronym is TULIP, which stands for this:

Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints

Usually, if someone is a Calvinist, he or she believes these doctrines of grace are biblical. But I don’t think we should use the name Calvinist, since John Calvin himself would not like us to think he made up these points. Many in the Christian church believed and taught these truths before Calvin was even alive. A better name for these points is the doctrines of grace. That’s why the title of this book is what it is.

This Book . . .

In this book we will see how these doctrines have everything to do with God’s grace. Pay attention to the following lessons. We’re going to look at many Bible verses that talk about grace and salvation from sin. Each lesson will also have two memory verses. One goal of this book is to learn and memorize what the Bible says about salvation from sin. Another goal I have in writing this book is to show how these doctrines of grace are meaningful in the Christian life. They aren’t just truths for the Christian mind. They are also truths for the Christian heart. People who believe these doctrines of grace should live joy-filled, thankful Christian lives of obedience to God.

In this book there are twelve lessons: an introduction lesson (which you’re reading right now), a concluding lesson, and two lessons on each of the five doctrines of grace. This book is only an introduction to the doctrines of grace, so we won’t be discussing all the details. Appendix A has a list of books that are good ones for further study—many of which I’ve used to write this book. Appendix C has a list of all the Bible verses this book uses to explain the doctrines of grace.

Study Questions

What are some of your favorite stories in the Bible?
What is the main story of the Bible?
What is the gospel?
Read the Apostles’ Creed. Do you think it is a good summary of the main story of the Bible? Why orwhy not?
What is one thing the Protestant Reformers emphasized, and why did they emphasize it so much?
What are the five points that the Arminians taught in the early 1600s?
Briefly explain the Synod of Dordrecht and the Canons of Dort.
What does TULIP stand for?
Do you think Calvinism is a good name for these five points? Why or why not?
What are the two goals of this book?
Do you think Christian doctrine is something that willhelp Christians in their daily lives? Explain.

Memory Work

Salvation belongs to the Lord! (Jonah 2:9)

I am the Lord your God . . . besides me there is no savior. (Hos. 13:4)

20th Anniversary – Treasures of Encouragement by Sharon W. Betters

Posted on April 8, 2016 by Kim

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Treasures of Encouragement: Women Helping Women in the Church by Sharon W. Betters.

224 pages | List price: $14.99 | Paperback

Summary

In this book, Sharon Betters explains how the freedom that springs from a secure identity in Christ can enable you to reach out to others around you. She offers inspiring stories, key principles, and specific examples of how to build up each other—and the church as a whole—through the ministry of encouragement.

Sharon Betters also wrote Treasures of Encouragement: A Monthly Planner. The gems of Treasures of Encouragement book are now easily accessible every day of the year! This beautifully illustrated planner can be started at any time, combining the best stories and key principles from the book with months-at-a-glance, devotional thoughts, and encouragement ideas. Busy women will find the planner not only extremely practical, but refreshingly inspirational as well.

endorsements

Endorsements

“This book is Sharon’s sacrifice of praise. . . . Her theological integrity and her personal pilgrimage through pain harmonize into a glorious doxology.”

—Susan Hunt, author and speaker

“Her words ring with truth and power. Must reading. . . .”

—Marlene Bagnull, Write His Answer Ministries

“. . . will fill a gap. . . . I hope this book will have a wide distribution.”

—Jay E. Adams, author and pastor

Author

About the Author

Sharon Betters is a mother of four and grandmother of nine. She is a nationally known conference and retreat speaker and has also spoken to women’s groups in Africa and Japan. Author of Treasures of Encouragement & Treasures of Encouragement: A Monthly Planner; and Treasures of Faith & Treasures of Faith: Leader’s Guide; and Treasures in Darkness: A Grieving Mother Shares Her Heart. She has also contributed articles to Today’s Christian Woman, Virtue, and Christian Parenting Today.

BOOK HIGHLIGHT – Did God Really Say? edited by David B. Garner

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Kim

Did God Really Say?: Affirming the Truthfulness and Trustworthiness of Scripture edited by David B. Garner

208 Pages | List Price: $17.99 | Paperback | SAMPLE CHAPTER

Summary

“Did God really say?” is a fundamental theological question. If God has not spoken clearly, truly, trustworthily, and in human words, then anything goes: believe what you will, act as you wish—no one can fault you.

The church’s historical belief in the truthfulness and trustworthiness of Scripture as God’s written Word is being assaulted from without and from within. In this book, seven scholars from Covenant Theological Seminary, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary confront and repel many of these attacks. Reasoning clearly, cogently, and carefully, they show that the historical doctrine of Scripture is what Scripture teaches about itself, and that this teaching can meet and defeat the ungodly intellectual schemes brought against it.

Endorsements

“Engages the discussion of the doctrine of Scripture, offering keen and relevant insight into its current issues.”

—Alistair Begg, Senior Pastor, Parkside Church, Chagrin Falls, Ohio

“Uniformly addresses issues related to Scripture’s nature, authority, sufficiency, and clarity in ways that are timely and beneficial.”

—Richard B. Gaffin Jr., Professor Emeritus of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Westminster Seminary, Philadelphia

“Clearly and convincingly restates the historical and biblical account of Scripture’s most basic claim to be God’s Word written.”

—Liam Goligher, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia

“Appropriately affirms, defends, and defines the reliability and sufficiency of God’s Word.”

—Harry Reeder, Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham

About the Editor

David B. Garner (Ph.D., Westminster Theological Seminary) is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.