Loving in a way the world can see

The Mark of Jesus  

Christians need to be aware of how our actions look to the world, we also need to stand firm in the faith and be ready always to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. (1 Peter 3:15). That is a summation of what this book is about. The Authors teach much to be considered, studied, and thought about. The book covers the Bible’s meaning of ‘love’ and how we as Christians are to love our neighbors, even when it seems impossible, and gives reasonable and scriptural examples to apply.

The book goes over the biblical definition of evangelical ‘unity’, and tells us “Unity” must be based upon the truths found in scripture, and not for purely humanistic reasons.” Some very good points were made in this chapter that are worthy of further study. It also covers how to respond when the world calls us hypocrites. Christians are to be living lives of peace and righteousness that testify to the redeeming power of Christ. This in fact shows that we as Christians bear the mark of Jesus.

Observable ‘love’ is seen by how Christians treat one another before a watching world. Most Christians will tell you they believe in The Fundamentals of The Christian Faith, (those things which are essential to our beliefs from biblical principles ). But they are quick to be divisive when it comes to agreeing that they are not fundamentalists! Some Christians mistakenly have taken the position that believing the ‘Fundamentals’ that are taught from scripture, makes them an Extremist, which is far from the case and is not an accurate appraisal. The authors point out that Evangelicals in the last recent decade don’t want to be associated with the name; “Fundamentalists” or “Fundamentals of the Faith,” but the ‘Fundamentals of the Faith are and have been a distinguishing quality of Christianity and Evangelicalism.

Timothy George is the founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School and a Professor. He has written more than 20 books and regularly contributes to scholarly journals, and is a popular conference speaker.

John Woodbridge is research professor of Church History and the History of Christian Thought at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois and is the author of many books.

Copyright © 2005
Publisher: Moody Publishers
ISBN: 080248123X

Reading / Review Date: June 8, 2009

This book can be purchased at  Christianbook.com 

The Great Evangelical Disaster

The Last Apologetic
 

Francis Schaeffer’s most classic work is a call to the Evangelical church of it’s need to remain biblical, and is just as important reading for the Christian today as it was when the book was first published in 1984. Schaeffer’s message is that with the Reformation many came to Christ with the absolutes based on biblical form found in the bible, and it became widely known and great freedom came out of that. But in  the early part of the 20^th century - that Freedom became Autonomous, self-directed, and self-governing, and over time biblical form and the Christian consensus lacked constraint.
 

In explaining the moral breakdown of our times, Francis Schaeffer says this; “The titanic freedoms which we once enjoyed have been cut loose from their Christian restraints and are becoming a force of destruction leading to chaos. And when this happens, there really are very few alternatives. All morality becomes relative, law becomes arbitrary, and society moves towards disintegration. In personal and social life, compassion is swallowed up by self-interest…“When the memory of the Christian consensus which gave us freedom within the biblical form is increasingly forgotten, a manipulating authoritarianism will tend to fill the vacuum. At this point the words ‘right’ and ‘left’ will make little difference. They are only two roads to the same end, the results are the same. An elite, authoritarianism as such, will gradually force form on society so that it will not go into chaos-and most people would accept it.” (pg 23)
 

The distinctly Christian position of Knowledge, moral and spiritual truths of God’s word were being compromised in the church, and accommodation to the world’s thinking gave way to the spirit of the age, as liberal theology entered the Church, while notable scholars such as J. Gresham Machen who stood firm in the battle for biblical truth and biblical inerrancy were being silenced and driven out. It comes down to this; are we obeying the scriptures? Because this is the real test of our faith and lives in Christ and rather we believe the bible. This is not just a theological debate, but practical and obedient living.
 

Schaeffer reminds us again that “the whole world is under the control of the evil one” 1 John 5:13), and that Christians seem to have forgotten this, and spend little time considering this in relation to our daily lives in this world and how this relates to the culture’s effect on our church teaching and doctrine and urges the reader to stand firm on God’s Word and not succumb to the temptation of compromise and accommodation of worldly thinking.

Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer is widely recognized as one of the most influential Christian thinkers of our day. He wrote over 23 books which were translated into 25 languages and have sold over 3 million copies. Schaeffer’s most influential books include: A Christian Manifesto, The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, He Is There and He Is Not Silent, and Whatever happened to the Human Race? Dr. Schaeffer and his wife Edith founded L’Abri Fellowship, an international study center and Christian community with branches in Switzerland, England, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, and the United States. He lectured frequently at leading universities in the U.S. and abroad. His common theme is the uncompromising truth of historic, biblical Christianity and its relevance for all of life.

Copyright © 1984 Francis A. Schaeffer

Publisher: Crossway Books & Bibles
ISBN: 0891073086
ISBN-13: 9780891073086

Reading / Review Date: February 20, 2009


Video:  Francis A. Schaeffer - A Christian Manifesto  

SEE VIDEO - http://youtu.be/6fF90CGcsyM