Commands of Christ, Series 2

Commands of Christ: The Curriculum of the Great Commission, Series 2 ISBN-13: 0-916888-24-X Paperback: 80 pages Publisher: Institute in Basic Life Principles Released: 2002 Link to Publisher's Website

Source: Bible study group at a church I attend.

Book Description from Publisher's Website:
The Commands of Christ series is a set of seven study books focusing on 49 general commands that Jesus gave.

The books may be used in a group setting or as a personal study. Each lesson includes an in-depth commentary, study questions, a character quality and songs that amplify the command, questions and commitments for personal application, and a journal page for recording your own insights and progress as you incorporate Christ’s commands into your life.


My Review:
I was involved in a small group Bible study which used this book. We had a lot of good, in-depth discussions based on the study's commentary and in coming up with specific examples of how one could put these commands of Christ into real life practice. I'd highly recommend this study to other small groups. You can also do it as a personal study.

I felt this study did a good job in exploring what the whole Bible (both Old and New Testaments) had to say on the subject. For example, in the first lesson on "Keeping Your Word," they start with the question "Why did God deliver Abraham and Sarah in spite of the lie that they told Pharaoh and Abimelech and yet destroy Ananias and Sapphira for the lie that they told Peter?" Then the study went on to explore the similarities and differences in the situations and answer why.

The verses under discussion and related verses were fully quoted in the book so you don't have to look anything up. The commentary included relevant cultural background information and short word studies to further clarify our understanding of the verses. At the end of each study, there was a page of personal application questions and another page with suggested take-away resolutions and a place for personal notes.

The seven commands covered in the seven lessons of this book were Keep Your Word (Matthew 5:33-37); Go the Second Mile (Matthew 5:38-42); Love Your Enemies (Matthew 5:43-45); Be Perfect (Matthew 5:46-48); Give, Pray, Fast Secretly (Matthew 6:1-18); Lay Up Treasures (Matthew 6:19-21); and Seek God's Kingdom (Matthew 6:24-33).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt:
Keep Your Word
let your yes be yes, and your no be no

"Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."


Study Question: Why did God deliver Abraham and Sarah in spite of the lie that they told Pharaoh and Abimelech and yet destroy Ananias and Sapphira for the lie that they told Peter?


Why is keeping your word so important?
Most people do not begin to comprehend the power or the consequences of simple little words. Scripture states that "death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).

Because words are so important, God makes every person accountable for every word. "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by they words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned" (Matthew 12:36-37).

The command of Jesus to reject any hint of lying or deception is vital for every disciple, because the very nature of God is truth, and those who represent Him must live and speak truth. "Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight" (Proverbs 12:22).

In Scripture, two accounts of lying reveal important insights into the nature and consequences of not being completely truthful.

Galatians by Thomas R. Schreiner

Galatians (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Thomas R. Schreiner ISBN-13: 9780310243724 Hardback: 432 pages Publisher: Zondervan Released: December 14, 2010

Source: Won from giveaway on Koinonia Blog.

Book Description from Publisher's Website:
Designed for the pastor and Bible teacher, this series brings together commentary features rarely gathered together in one volume. Written by notable evangelical scholars, each volume in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series treats the literary context and structure of the passage in the original Greek. The series consistently provides the main point, an exegetical outline, verse-by-verse commentary, and theology in application in each section of every commentary.

Critical scholarship informs each step but does not dominate the commentary, allowing readers to concentrate on the biblical author’s message as it unfolds. While primarily designed for those with a basic knowledge of biblical Greek, all who strive to understand and teach the New Testament will find these books beneficial.

In this volume, Thomas R. Schreiner offers pastors, students, and teachers a focused resource for reading Galatians. Through the use of graphic representations of translations, succinct summaries of main ideas, exegetical outlines and other features, Schreiner presents Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians with precision and accuracy. Because of this series’ focus on the textual structure of the scriptures, readers will better understand the literary elements of Galatians, comprehend the author’s revolutionary goals, and ultimately discover their vital claims upon the church today.


My Review:
This commentary on Galatians is a thick but easy read. You don't need to know biblical Greek to follow this commentary since it focused mainly on how the author and various other people understood the verse and the problems with the various other understandings. Since the author argued (in the verse-by-verse section) for how I've always understood the verses, I really didn't learn that much new beyond how other people have viewed the verses. If you're interested in "critical scholarship" or are searching for answers to what's wrong with another person's interpretation that sounds wrong to you, then this is the book to read.

The commentary had an extensive introduction which included: who the author was, who the letter was sent to (with "for" and "against" arguments for the two views), when Galatians was written, the main views about the situation that Paul was writing about (as can be gleaned from his letter), and the overall structure of the letter.

Each chapter then covered a related group of verses. The author looked at the context of these verses, how they fit in the overall theme of the letter, and the main idea of the verses. These sections included a summary of what had been said in the previous chapters so you can jump to whatever verses interest you. Next, he laid out the Bible verses in a diagram showing the flow of thought in the passage (with tags like: setting, problem, solution, fulfillment).

After that, he examined the text. Each verse or part of the verse was given in English and then in the original Greek. The author then commented about his and other interpretations of the verses and the problems with the other interpretations. He also included some about notable tenses or word meanings and cultural or historical background information. He gave excellent footnoting to tell where the information came from or to comment more in-depth about something in the text. At the end of each chapter, there were a couple pages discussing how to apply the message in these verses to modern life.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt.

Dismantling the Big Bang by Alex Williams & Dr. John Hartnett

Dismantling the Big Bang by Alex Williams & Dr. John Hartnett ISBN-13: 9780890514375 Trade Paperback: 352 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: 2005, 2006

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Back Cover (modified):
The idea that all matter, energy, space, and time once exploded from a point of extreme density has captured the imagination of scientists and laypersons for decades. The big bang has provided a central teaching for the eons of time of "cosmic evolution," undermining the history and cosmology of the Bible.

Yet it is a theory that fails, violating even the physical laws on which it is purportedly based.

In this easy-to-read format, authors Alex Williams and John Hartnett examine this naturalistic explanation for the universe (what it teaches and where it fails) and compare it to the biblical model, which they believe provides a far better explanation of our origins. This fully indexed, illustrated analysis is an invaluable help in understanding and countering the arguments for the big bang theory.


My Review:
Dismantling the Big Bang is an excellent book about the big bang, its problems, and other cosmological origins models (including young-age ones). Of the books I've read on this topic, these authors have done the best job at clearly explaining what can be complicated ideas. The book was very readable (written in a conversational tone) and easy to follow. It included black and white photographs and illustrations. I'd highly recommend it for high school students and adults.


Chapter 1 gave a historical overview of cosmological ideas throughout recorded history. Chapter 2 explained the basic assumptions that everyone has to make in the study of origins. Chapter 3 explained what chance and physics can account for in cosmology. Chapter 4 explained the Big Bang model (including the variations that are commonly held), what it can't and doesn't explain, and other problems. Chapter 5 explained how people try to measure age when they don't actually know the starting date and the assumptions made in these methods. It also covered some of the different young-age creationist origin models for the universe and how they deal with the "distant starlight" problem.

Chapter 6 covered what the Bible says about the origin of and in general about the universe and how that compares to what we obverse in the universe today. It briefly covered the theological and linguistic problems with several of the compromise positions (which say God created, but the universe is billions of years old). Chapter 7 compared the Big Bang model to the biblical model to see which best fit the evidence. There's also a comparison chart in Appendix C. Chapter 8 took a brief look at the current trends in cosmology to see where future study will probably be concentrated.

The appendixes included a brief look at other naturalistic models for the origin of the universe, an explanation of the theological consequences of compromise, a chart comparing the Big Bang model to the biblical explanation for the origin of the universe, and an open letter by (naturalistic) cosmologists stating that the Big Bang model has fatal flaws and that funding and scientific magazine space should also be given to alternative models.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read the table of contents and an excerpt from chapter one.

The Story of Christianity by Justo L. Gonzalez

The Story of Christianity: The Early Church to the Present Day by Justo L. Gonzalez ISBN: 1-56563-522-1 Hardback: 880 pages Publisher: Prince Press Released: 1999

Source: Bought through Christianbook.com.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Now available in one affordable hardcover, Gonzalez's 2- volume work continues to set the standard in seminary classrooms worldwide. This highly acclaimed text provides a vivid introduction to Christian history, from the apostolic church to the present day. Gonzalez skillfully weaves in relevant details from the lives of prominent figures, tracing out core theological developments as reflected in the lives of leading thinkers within various church traditions. Especially careful attention is given to Christian expansion into Central and South America during the early modern period.


My Review:
The Story of Christianity covers the history of Christianity from the Apostles to John Wycliffe in Vol. 1 and from the Protestant Reformation to the mid-1900's in Vol. 2 of this two-volumes-in-one book. The author traced the controversies in Christian thought and developments in Christian action in roughly chronological order. (He'd talk about developments in one area or county and then sometimes jump back in time a bit to cover a parallel development in another country.) He explained how the different social, political, and economic forces shaped Christian thought and action. He covered the people who most influenced Christianity though few were studied in-depth. He also filled in political events that connected major points in Christian history.

The book was very readable despite it's huge size. Though the author didn't bash Catholics, he did point out things that Catholics might not like to hear, like just how late certain Catholic doctrines were developed and how not all popes were exactly saintly people. The author also seemed to have a slight bias against any Christian group who held or holds any doctrine too fervently. Also, despite it's size, the book didn't cover any subject as in-depth as some people will like, but it's an excellent overview of the subject.

I'd recommend this book to anyone wanting an easy-to-read overview of the developments in Christian thought and action.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read the Table of Contents and an excerpt.

Book Review: Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth

Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth by Peter Connolly Hardcover: 96 pages Publisher: Steimatzky Released: 1988

Source: Inherited from my grandfather's library.

Book Description from Back Cover (slightly modified):
This book covers the political background from the reign of Herod the Great through the end of the uprising against Rome at Masada. In sidebars, it also covers everyday life, the religion, the geography of Israel, the military, and the buildings.


My Review:
Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth is a Bible background book covering 103 BC to 73 AD. It gave detailed information about the political situation during those years. It also gave very brief overviews of: various political terms; the religious groups (Sadducees, Scribes, Pharisees, Essenes, the Sanhedrin, the Messiah); taxes and coinage; trials and punishments; daily living (weaving and spinning; childhood, education, and games; cooking, baking, and food; betrothal, marriage, and divorce; clothing and jewelry; death and burial; craftsmen and agricultural work); and the Roman military, weapons, and siege techniques.

The author used British terms. He seemed skeptical about the historical accuracy of the New Testament and treated Jesus as just one of the Messiahs of the time. (He spent only one page on Jesus of Nazareth.) However, the illustrations and historical background were nicely done.

The photos, illustrations, and maps were full-color. The photos were of the land and ruins of Biblical sites. The illustrations were of daily living tools and activities and artist reconstructions of various buildings that existed at that time (houses; palaces in Masada, Jericho, Jerusalem; baths; synagogues; the Temple; tombs; Herodium; Antonia Fortress; and various buildings at Masada, at Qumran, and at Caesarea).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Book Review: Fashioned by Faith

Fashioned by Faith by Rachel Carter ISBN-13: 9781400316922 Trade Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Thomas Nelson Released: May 3, 2011

Source: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program.

Book Description from Back Cover:
Everyone knows that we live in a “skin-is-in” society, heavily driven by media and immodesty. So how does a young Christian woman reconcile a fashionable wardrobe with maintaining her integrity?

Written by international professional model Rachel Lee Carter, Fashioned by Faith offers a cutting-edge approach to the concept of beauty with a Biblical foundation that will attract moms and daughters alike. Readers will love hearing about Carter’s exciting story as she leads them on an engaging study that touches on a huge felt need for young women: real beauty has nothing to do with looks.

Offering three valuable perspectives—teen boys, a professional model, and God’s Word—Carter explains her standards of modesty in a way that will make readers acquire a specific understanding of the author’s wardrobe choices and the impact those choices can make on others. Readers will also learn to season their self-image with daily quiet time with God. A tour of Scripture will reveal the value of heart issues like modesty and why they’re important to God.

Never compromising her sense of style or her faith, every young lady can discover what it means to be Fashioned by Faith. Moms and girls will love this book!


My Review:
Fashioned by Faith is an excellent Christian living book about modesty and true beauty. At the back of the book, there's also a quick-to-do 45-day Bible study on the same topics.

At the beginning of each chapter, a teen boy gave his perspective on what girls wear (though the boys all said the same sort of things). The author then talked about what modesty is, the heart-issues behind wanting to get attention from boys, some useful guidelines for clothing that will help you not show too much while wearing and moving around in clothing, and a few style tips for using stylish clothing in a modest way. She also quoted Scripture and explained what God has told us about modesty, beauty, and our bodies.

This book was written in an easy-to-understand level for teens, but the author made some great points for adult women as well. I was expecting a little more about how to dress "in fashion," but it was mostly about how to wear "in fashion" clothing in modest ways (layering, etc.). Also, much of the book focused on the motives behind wearing immodest clothing, why Christian women should wear modest clothing out of consideration for others, eating disorders, and trusting God. She described various incidents in her life that illustrated her points. For example, God kept providing her with work even when her agents told her no one would hire her if she refused to model underwear, etc. So you also learn some about the modeling industry.

There were several pictures of the author from various photo shoots and from her "normal life." Personally, I thought some of the clothing she was wearing pushed the edge of modest. Ironically, in the only picture where she looks like she wouldn't blow away if the wind blew too hard, her agent was apparently pressuring her to lose some weight because she was "too heavy." Go figure.

I've read all of this modesty information before, but I think this was one of the better books I've read on the topic. I'd recommend this book to girls and women, especially those struggling with why modesty matters.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt from Chapter One
he [Seth, age 20] says...

I grew up with two older sisters. They've taught me a lot about women. One of the things I've learned is there is a quiet and beautiful dignity about a woman who dresses conservatively. Any man would be fortunate to have a wife like my sisters, but what makes them really special is that they have too much self-respect and confidence to wear clothes that reveal too much. I use the word confidence because I feel a girl who's covered in all the right places is a girl who lives with the freedom of not having to rely on attention for her sense for self-worth. A girl with confidence is much more attractive to me than a girl who feels she has to exploit her body to receive attention or, worse, love.

My sisters are not ashamed of their bodies, and they wear the most current and stylish clothes. Yet they understand great men appreciate modesty. It doesn't matter how many girlfriends a man has had in his past, when he decides to settle down, his ideal wife will be one who lives modestly. A man who says he doesn't care about modesty or how his girlfriend dresses is lying.

When I marry, I want to find a woman I alone can fully appreciate. I believe young women should learn to value a sense of mystery. The more a woman destroys the mystery for a man, the more he will only be interested in what's going on from the neck down. All men are guilty of it, including myself, unfortunately. When a girl can barely walk because of her tight-fitting or revealing clothes, a man will either pursue her solely out of lust or automatically dismiss her as someone he doesn't want to be with.

There's a saying that goes, "If you got it, flaunt it." This is a lie. Instead, it should say, "If you've got it, protect it." Great women like my mother and sisters took this idea and lived their lives by it. This is the type of woman I'm interested in getting to know, because modesty and confidence in a woman is a very powerful and attractive woman.

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Book Review: Unformed and Unfilled

Unformed and Unfilled: A Critique of the Gap Theory by Weston Fields ISBN: 089051-423-2 Trade Paperback: 246 pages Publisher: Master Books Released: 1976, 2005

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description from Publisher's Website (modified):
Is there a "gap in time" between the first two verses in Genesis? Does this alleged gap really represent a vast amount of time? Weston Fields makes a detailed study of the gap theory, paying particular attention to the original Hebrew language of Genesis. His explanations will help readers who struggle with the question of the time taken during the creation week. Was it really six days? Can Christians find a workable solution to the debate about creation and time? This book is a professional, scholarly work that can be easily understood by laymen.


About the Author:
Weston W. Fields, Ph.D., is a scholar of the Hebrew language. He divides his time between Alaska and Israel where he does research work related to the Dead Sea Scrolls.


My Review:
Unformed and Unfilled is a critique of the gap theory (the idea that there's a large gap in time--usually between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2--between God's original creation of the universe and a re-making of the earth after a world-wide flood upon the earth done in judgment of Satan's rebellion). The author was very thorough in his explanations of why the gap theory (in its many variations) isn't consistent with the Biblical account, especially when studying the original Hebrew words and grammar. His writing was more formal in tone and required anyone not familiar with Hebrew grammar to learn a lot about it from this book. However, it was written clearly so that his arguments were easy enough to follow.

The author covered the arguments given for the gap theory in great detail so that highly-read believers in the gap theory will understand his points. However, someone who doesn't know that much about the arguments for the gap theory could get overwhelmed by all the information and miss the really critical points. Still, I'd recommend this book to those who hold the gap theory or day-age theory (though books with more scientific evidence for recent creation might be more effective) or those who want to know the Scripture-based arguments for why those ideas don't work.


The author covered what the whole Bible has to say about creation and its timing, ancient Jewish interpretations of Genesis 1:1-1:2, and early Christian interpretations and post-"long-age-geology" Christian interpretations of Genesis 1:1-1:2. He gave a detailed explanation of the grammar and linguistics of Genesis 1:1-1:3 (mainly, bara/"create" and asa/"make"; what type of sentence is Genesis 1:2; the waw type; "was" versus "had become" or "became"; and tohu/"without form/shapeless" and bohu/"void/empty"). He also covered the lesser arguments of 'Genesis 1:2 had darkness, but God is light,' "framed" in Hebrew 11:3a, pre-Adamic men, and Lucifer's flood.

Finally, he covered other long-age creation theories: the dependent clause interpretation of Genesis 1:1 ("When God began to create...") and the Day-Age theory. He described three types of apologetics along with why he believes nothing is really gained by compromising Scripture to make it appeal to people. He concluded with a very brief explanation of (Noah's) flood geology as an explanation for fossils, etc., and two scientific evidences for recent creation (the Earth's magnetic field and radiocarbon dating).


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: View the table of contents and read from chapter one.