Book Reviews

Captured by Grace: No One is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God
by Dr. David Jeremiah

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism
by Timothy Keller

From the November 2008 Philogian

The winter season will soon be upon us.  And you know what that means?  Yes, it is time to throw another log onto the fire; then pour yourself a cup of piping hot tea or hot chocolate dotted with a few marshmallows.  Finally, as you seat yourself comfortably in your favorite rocking chair, you grab a book from the shelf.  And, as your body enjoys the warmth of the fire and the beverage, your mind will enjoy the challenges offered by your reading selection. 

One book that I highly recommend for your winter reading is titled Captured by Grace: No One is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006).  It was written by Dr. David Jeremiah, pastor, television teacher, and author of dozens of books about the Christian life.  Over the years many books have been written on the subject of God’s grace.  You might remember that several years ago I reviewed Phil Yancey’s classic work What’s So Amazing About Grace?  Well, this book stands just as tall as Yancey’s.

Dr. Jeremiah capitalized on the recent interest in the life of John Newton and the influence he had upon William Wilberforce, the young member of Parliament who dedicated his life in fighting for the abolition of slavery.  As you might remember, Newton himself had been captain of a slaving vessel for many years.  Newton is best remembered for his famous hymn, “Amazing Grace.”  And Dr. Jeremiah uses the words of that hymn as the loom upon which he weaves the remarkable story of God’s grace. 

Such grace can come only from God.  It is the gift unsought, unmerited, unlimited.  For no matter what we have done, no matter the depth of our transgression, the darkness of our hearts – grace overrules them all.  God pursues us relentlessly, He will not give us up, and once He has captured us, He won’t let us go (p. 21).  Dr. Jeremiah explores the depths of portions of the Epistles of Paul to help us to understand both the mystery and the magnitude of God’s grace.  It is a grace that captivates us and then changes us.  Grace is the father of the Prodigal embracing a son who bore the stench of the world and welcoming him home.  Grace is the bright light bringing a strong-willed Pharisee to his knees on a road to Damascus.  It is grace assuring our hearts that “all things work together for good to those who love God” even when our minds would cause us to question that truth. 

Friends, if you are looking for a book that you could study with a neighborhood group, or as an Adult Bible Fellowship for a few weeks, I would highly recommend this one to you.  You will then sing “Amazing Grace” with a spirit you have not previously known.

Timothy Keller’s book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (Dutton, 2008), is must reading if one wants to truly understand what the world is saying about God or the non-existence of God.  I recently remarked to a pastoral colleague that this book was one of the best apologetic of God that I have read in recent years.  Now, I must admit that at times the book can get ponderous.  Keller digs deeply into philosophic arguments; I am not a philosopher.  But, perseverance will prove the better part of valor in this case.  You might have to back up and read a paragraph a couple of times in order to get the full thrust of what Keller is saying.  That is okay.  This is not a book to be read in a few hours.  No, to fully appreciate this book, it must be read slowly, carefully, and prayerfully. 

There are many portions of this book I would like to share with you, but let me share briefly some thoughts from chapter nine: The Knowledge of God.  Keller writes about people today who deny any thought of God.  People still have strong moral convictions, but unlike people in other times and places, they don’t have any visible basis for why they find some things to be evil and other things good.  It’s almost like their moral intuitions are free-floating in midair – far off the ground (p. 145).  The author then continues with a statement that grabs our attention: If rights are nothing but a majority creation then there is nothing to appeal to when they are legislated out of existence (p. 151).  He then concludes: If there is no God, then all moral statements are arbitrary, all moral valuations are subjective and internal, and there can be no external moral standard by which a person’s feelings and values are judged (p. 154).  Yet Keller will argue, and most successfully I will add, that because we have a concept of what is right and what is wrong, then there must be a God who has caused those values to be known. 

If you have a friend who is struggling with belief in God, then I would recommend this book to them.  I believe this book will join the ranks of such classics as Knowing God, by J.I. Packer, and The Knowledge of the Holy, by A. W. Tozer, in helping us to define the person and character of God and the reality of His presence in our culture and in our lives.

Hey, I think I hear the kettle singing out its anthem of invitation.  And I hear the crackle of the fire calling me to rest and to be refreshed.  Thank you for sharing a good book with me.  Happy reading!  And Happy Holidays!

Return to Book Reviews

Return to the Philogian Archive