Good Books

Reading is an invaluable avenue to mental, emotional, and spiritual blessing. It is significant that God has chosen to give us His revelation without pictures. His Book is comprised entirely of words. In fact, in the Second Commandment He forbids the use of pictures (or images) in trying to capture the knowledge of Himself. God is spirit and does not exist as matter; therefore, the use of material images is deceiving and inaccurate in seeking to know or to worship Him. However, God does reveal Himself by means of words. Through Biblical words, God the Holy Spirit enables us to have thoughts that accurately reveal God to our minds and hearts. Pictures are too often one dimensional, appealing to emotion primarily; but, words demand the use of the intellect as well as the emotions. Therefore, we should expect spiritual blessing to come supremely through grabbling with words and thoughts according to Divine revelation in the Scripture.

While the Bible is the only Divinely authored literature and therefore, the only Book that is worthy of complete confidence, God does bless the studied use of purely human words to teach us also. That is what a good sermon is: the Biblically based, studied use of human words. That is also true of literature that is capable of instructing us in the truth and ways of God. Sadly, so much Christian literature is unstudied in the Scriptures. Far too many "Christian" books are sheer speculation or fantasy. People would be well advised to exercise great care when reading books purported to teach the truth of God. There is wisdom in choosing books that have been tried and tested by the people of God over the years.

Having expressed that caution, it must be emphasized that there is far too little reading. Too many Christians rely on music or videos to feed their souls on a daily basis. The Christian church is anemic due to the lack of iron, iron that can be ingested only by feeding on the meat of God's Word and on literature that enables us to understand that Word. What was the last Christian book that you read? Was it comprised of the explanation of the Scriptures or of stories, which may illustrate truth but are inadequate to expound truth?

For the profit of your souls, here are five books which every contemporary believer would be wise to read and study (see how many you have read):

  • Knowing God, by Dr. J. I. Packer
  • Right with God, by John Blanchard
  • The Sovereignity of God, by Arthur Pink
  • Holiness, by J. C. Ryle
  • Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges

Needless to say, there are multitudes of Christian books. Our generation ought to be the strongest ever, because we have access to so much great literature. That is not the case, however. In part, that is due to the fact that God's people are so unacquainted with the truth contained in these books and others like them.

So, please familiarize yourselves with these excellent books. Should anyone have difficulty locating any of them, please contact our church office and we will assist you.