A spiritual classic, this detailed and comprehensive study by one of the greatest expository preachers of our time explains Christ's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and incisively applies it to the Christian life.

With characteristic vigor and emotional vitality Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents a brilliant and detailed exposition of one of the best known but most frequently misunderstood passages of Scripture. Here is a comprehensive and exhaustive study of our Lord’s words as recorded in Matthew chapter five. This beautiful portion of the Sermon on the Mount is carefully analysed, its contents outlined and thoughtfully arranged, and vastly rich and abundant truths are gleaned for the reader’s spiritual nurture.

The author brought a wealth of devoted study as well as a profound spiritual appreciation to the work of interpreting this greatest address of our delightful experience in meditation. It presents depth of thought in simple language and beauty of style and contains a veritable thesaurus of spiritual truths drawn from the entire Bible.

"The life of George Muller has been an inspiration to millions over the past century. His holy example, his love for the Scriptures, his simple obedience, and his work of faith in establishing an orphanage that served 120,000 orphans over a period of sixty-three years--all illuminate the path to a life of faith in the living God." - Mack Tomlinson, the Publisher

"I am so pleased that Westminster Literature Resources has published this new edition of George Muller's Autobiography. The story you will read in these pages is one of the most remarkable episodes in the history of the Christian church. As you read through its pages, you will see something of the growth of the man and his ideas. His conviction was that God is the living God and the secret of life is to delight yourself in Him." - -Roger Steer, Author and Trustee of the British and Foreign Bible Society 

"George Muller has for years been a pace-setter for me in prayer. His Autobiography is a veritable orchard of faith-building fruit. I have found Muller's way absolutely crucial in my own life: to be with the Lord before I am with anyone else and let Him speak to me first." -John Piper, Bethlehem Baptist Church

"George Muller teaches the church about trust, wisdom, integrity and prayer. May God give us grace to learn these lessons." - Geoff Thomas, Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth, Wales

Valuable Selections from the Writings of George Müller is a collection of writings chosen especially for the impact they have had in the lives of countless believers. Most of the material was collected by HeartCry Missionary Society in September of 2005, but has been added to, edited, and finally published by Granted Ministries Press at their request.

This booklet includes Müller’s testimony, his teachings on subjects such as faith, the kingdom and its treasures, stewardship, partnership with God, the study of Scripture, and discerning the will of God. Also read Müller’s encouragement to those with unconverted family members; an address once given to young converts regarding the importance of the Word of God; and several excerpts from his journal of God’s abundant provision in the midst of, and out of various trials. After a few pages explaining why Müller desired to begin the orphan houses the book concludes with a final exhortation to prayer.

Foreword written by Franklin H. Little. This book by Leonard Verduin is one of the most poignant works ever written on the era of the Reformation. The fact that it is little known has been a tragedy. Noted Baptist historian William R. Estep Jr., author of Renaissance and Reformation, calls The Reformers and Their Stepchildren “A most excellent study ... among the most relevant and pertinent publications of our times.” This book makes many claims about the Reformation which are none too popular, but it also provides all the documentation and source material to back it up. We highly encourage you to read this book!

Vol. 7 Number 1; January -March 2001, 69-72.
Book Review:
The Reformers and their Stepchildren, by Leonard Verduin (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans 1964), 292 pages. Paperback $28.00.
Reviewed by Timothy R. Nichols, third year Th.M. student at Chafer Theological Seminary.

“The history of the Church is, to a large extent, the story of a tension between two extreme tendencies: the one extreme makes so much of the principle ‘in the world’ that the Church loses her identity; the other extreme makes so much of the principle ‘not of the world’ that the Church becomes irrelevant.”1 Anyone familiar with church history and ecclesiology has already learned the basic facts behind The Reformers and their Stepchildren. Even so, Verduin’s synthesis, unifying various dissidents to the mainstream Reformation under one banner, may come as a shock.

That banner is their opposition to sacralism, the union of the church and the secular state. Christian sacralism began with Constantine, who “had been pontifex maximus hitherto, the High Priest of the Roman state religion, and. . . entered the Church with the understanding that he would be pontifex maximus there too.”2 At first, the Reformers viewed existing dissident movements as kindred spirits, because they (initially) agreed in rejecting sacralism in principle. This adoption was short- lived, because mainstream Reformers recast themselves in Catholicism’s sacralist image, when they gained ascendancy. The dissidents opposed the new form of sacralism as much as the old, and thus became the Reformers’ Stepchildren.

Every sacralist church regards all people within its territory as part of it: “By sacral society we mean society held together by a religion to which all the members of that society are committed.”3 The Stepchildren—and, Verduin correctly observes, the New Testament—had a radically divergent ecclesiology:

It is implied in the New Testament vision that Christianity is not a culture-creating thing but rather a culture influencing one. Wherever the Gospel is preached human society becomes composite; hence, since culture is the name given to the total spiritual heritage of an entire people, there can never be such a thing as a Christian culture; there can only be cultures in which the influence of Christianity is more or less apparent.4

The eight chapter titles cite German epithets directed against the Stepchildren and their ecclesiology. Chapter 1 (Donatisten!) concerns the sacralists’ portayal of the Stepchildren as anarchists bent on destroying civil power, because they insisted that secular power did not belong in the church. The second chapter (Stäbler!) examines their conviction that doctrinal agreement was to be voluntary, not coerced by the state’s sword. The third (Catharer!) is their insistence upon moral uprightness, which sacralists could not require. After all, a composite church by definition includes many who simply could not and would not live a Christ-like life.5

The fourth chapter (Sacramentschwärmer!) examines the Stepchildren’s restriction of the Lord’s Table to believers (not society at large). Sacral religion is necessarily ritualistic, for how else could all in a given land observe the sacrament? Christian sacralism makes the sacramental ritual an indispensable means to personal salvation. In fact, Verduin says, “The Reformation left undecided the question whether salvation is by believing response to the Word or by sacramental manipulation. There is a tendency to believe the former without rejecting the latter. . . . It is only in the churches that trace their ancestry back to the Stepchildren that salvation by sacramental manipulation has been consistently repudiated.”6

Chapter 5 (Winckler!) considers the Stepchildren’s timehonored penchant for meeting secretly and for private, unofficial marriage ceremonies. This counter-cultural trait (dating to New Testament times) is hardly surprising for persecuted sects. Chapter 6 (Weidertäufer!, i.e., Anabaptists!) discusses the rebaptism of converts from the state church.7 Stepchildren objected to the sacralistic taint of christening into the state church, but many of these sects baptized their own infants.8
The seventh chapter (Kommunisten!) deals with accusations of unorthodox economics, namely that they “possessed their goods in common.” In the main, this was false: the Stepchildren’s “community of goods” directly applied 1 John 3:17’s admonition to care for the needy. Although exceptions (such as the Hutterites) held property communally, membership was always voluntary.9 The Münster debacle was an exception to voluntarism, but it clearly involved the movement’s lunatic fringe, since other Anabaptists fiercely denounced those of Münster.10 The final chapter (Rottengeister!) discusses various and sundry aspects of the Stepchildren’s movement.

In addition to his compelling account of this much neglected portion of church history, Verduin also adds a powerful voice to those contending that uniting civil and ecclesiastical power in a single entity always results in blood and horror. As an observant student of history will realize, this pattern is embarrassingly widespread: the Muslim conquests of North Africa and Indonesia, the Crusades, the forced conversions of various groups to Eastern Orthodoxy under the Russian Tsars, the Salem witch trials, recent violence between Hindu and Muslim factions vying for power in India, and many more. The Reformers and their Stepchildren adds the Protestant Reformation to the list. But Verduin’s synthesis offers more than just history. It has staggering implications for today as well. Is it desirable to re-create America as the Christian nation that it allegedly once was? Is such a thing as a Christian America even possible? Or, as Verduin claims, does Christianity itself create a composite—not a Christian—society?

The theological implications of his work also need exploration. The sacralist church following Constantine could only view itself as the composite replacement of Israel. The Reformers bought into sacralism, replacement theology, and the idea of a composite church, understanding the three ideas as interwoven parts of a single whole. This observation leads to two questions. First, did sacralism and replacement theology predispose Calvin (for example) to read a composite church into the New Testament? The possibility exists that sacralist theology introduced a harmful theological bias into the Reformers’ exegesis. Second, most modern Reformed theologians reject sacralism,11 but accept its progeny (a composite view of the church). Are these two concepts legitimately separable?

As is often true with historical works, this work’s implications reach far beyond the course charted within his book.12 Even taken strictly as a history, Verduin’s clear and forceful writing immediately demonstrates his command both of his material and the requisite European languages. A must-read for ecclesiology and church history students, The Reformers and Their Stepchildren demands attention and respect from the first page.

 

1 Leonard Verduin, The Reformers and their Stepchildren (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), 277.
2 Ibid., 42.
3 Ibid., 23.
4 Ibid., 24. The debate ultimately revolved around the question of which was composite: the church, or the society as a whole?
5 Editor’s note: An article in this issue of the CTS Journal, “Abiding in Christ: Dispensational Spiritual Life,” by Robert Dean, Jr., considers a related issue, the common practice of reading a composite church into John 15.
6 Ibid., 158.
7 Ibid., 190. Anabaptism started soon after Constantine, because not everyone accepted sacralism.
8 Ibid., 196–97. This is not as inconsistent as it might first appear. The issue in rebaptism was not necessarily the need for believer baptism, but the need for baptism into the true (i.e., nonsacralist) church.
9 Ibid., 236–37.
10 Ibid., 237–38. Even if the Münster occurrence were the secret dream of Anabaptists throughout Europe, who contends that they shed more blood than did the Reformers’ misguided attempts to destroy them?
11 Verduin speaks from within Reformed theology. Not only did he deliver a lecture series under Calvin Foundation sponsorship, but that organization was involved with him in the publishing process (cf. ibid., 7).
12 The lecture series was in 1963; the book was in 1964. Verduin’s “Postscript,” (ibid., 276–81), considers Kennedy’s recent election as president. This was then a burning issue, because “the Catholic Church has not to this day rejected the sacral formula” (ibid., 277). In this light, Verduin’s focus is understandable, but other theological implications require attention.

What does the Bible mean when it says that Christians have "died to sin"? How is it possible for a just God to "justify the ungodly" without becoming "unjust" Himself? What is regeneration? What is justification? Why do all men desperately need to be justified? If I have died to sin, why am I still affected by it? As a Christian, am I the "new man" or the "old man"--or both? What does the Bible mean when it says that Christians have "died to the law"? Are Christians still slaves to sin?

The answers to these and many other questions become clear once we gain a biblical understanding of justification and regeneration. These two great miracles lie at the very heart of the gospel, yet even among genuine Christians they are surrounded by confusion and ignorance. This book attempts to set forth in clear biblical light the nature and characteristics of justification and regeneration that God may be glorified and His children brought to know more fully the liberty that is theirs in Christ.

"I have read this book many times before its going to press. I have greatly benefited from its teaching and heartily recommend its contents. May the Spirit of God illuminate your heart and mind that you may not only understand the Scriptures explained herein, but that they might become a reality in your life."
--Paul David Washer, Director of HeartCry Missionary Society

Tim Challies | Challies.com
Nathan Pitchford | Reformedbooks.net
Mason Vann | Thoughts On Tthe Way

¿Qué quiere decir la Biblia cuando dice que los cristianos “han muerto al pecado”? ¿Cómo es posible que un Dios justo “justifique al impío” sin llegar a ser injusto? ¿Qué es la regeneración? ¿Qué es la justificación? ¿Por qué necesitan desesperadamente ser justificados todos los hombres? Si he muerto al pecado, ¿Por qué todavía estoy afectado por ello? Como cristiano, ¿Soy el “nuevo hombre” o el “viejo
hombre” – o los dos a la vez? ¿Qué quiere decir la Biblia cuando dice que los cristianos “han muerto a la Ley”? ¿Son los cristianos todavía esclavos del pecado?

Las respuestas a estas y muchas otras preguntas llegan a ser claras una vez que logramos un entendimiento bíblico de la justificación y regeneración. Estos dos grandes milagros yacen en el mismo corazón del evangelio, pero aún entre los cristianos genuinos hay mucha confusión e ignorancia acerca de ellos. Este libro intenta exponer en una forma clara y bíblica la naturaleza y características de la justificación y regeneración, para que Dios sea glorificado y Sus hijos
lleguen a conocer más de la plena libertad que ya tienen en
Cristo.

“He leído este libro muchas veces antes de su impresión. He sido ampliamente beneciado por su enseñanza y recomiendo cordialmente
su lectura. Quiera el Espíritu Santo iluminar tu mente y corazón para que no solo entiendas las Escrituras aquí explicadas, sino que ellas se transformen en una realidad en tu vida.” - Paul Washer

This book is essentially bound as a Wire-O bound journal, with a hardback cover wrapping around the entire book, even the spine. This keeps the book in good shape for a long time, and also provides for optimum usablility.

The One True God is a unique kind of workbook, intending not just to teach truth but to lead to an encounter with the living God. Beneath that goal the book aims to ground believers in orthodox Christian theology and the actual contents of the Bible. Students are encouraged to thoughtfully draw conclusions from the Scriptures rather than to merely absorb the principles, inferences, and illustrations set before them by the author. For this reason the book does not include such material and instead focuses on digesting the Scriptures directly.

Through God's own words and under various systematic headings the book unfolds the nature of God. In this way the reader is set on a firm foundation and will readily perceive the centrality and high authority of biblical doctrine within the Christian life. It is the author's conviction that the study of doctrine is both an intellectual and devotional discipline. Therefore students are guided throughout the study to think through and apply the truths they learn, meditating on the demands of Scripture for their heart and mind. The book puts us squarely in the middle of the material, and demands we give searching thought to how we will live before such a God.

This workbook is especially suited for the following contexts: (1) doctrinal training for new converts; (2) college or adult Bible studies; (3) private study; (4) Christian or home school curriculum; (5) Sunday school material; (6) an aid to parents in teaching the Word of God to their children. 

"In The One True God , Paul Washer has provided a sound, biblical, substantive theological study for those of us who have been longing for more. Anyone interested in bolstering their understanding of the Doctrine of God will find this study immensely valuable. Moreover, since The One True God is expositional in nature, it can also serve as a teaching tool to give young believers a solid foundation, or to aid in evangelizing unbelievers." 
--Voddie Bauchum, Author of Family Driven Faith

"Paul David Washer's study guide on the doctrine of God, The One True God , is the best introductory work known to me. It sets out great truths in clear and balanced form. Human authorities are not quoted but it is evident that the author is familiar with the literature of historic Christianity and accordingly he misses the pitfalls into which others might fall. Young Christians could scarcely spend their time better than working carefully through these pages." 
--Iain H Murray, Banner of Truth

"The One True God will lead you through a profitable exercise in biblical and systematic theology. You will learn what the Bible says about the character and attributes of the God who is truly like no other. This is a wonderful work that I pray will help many grow in knowing God. Read it and be blessed. Read it and worship your God." 
--Daniel L Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“When my young son put on his first pair of glasses, he was shocked to find a world of beautiful things to see out there. He could not keep his mouth shut about it. This guided look at God’s disclosure of Himself will be like that for many nearsighted Christians. The study of the autobiography of God will not only manage our myopia, but will unbolt our mouths! Like a skillful optometrist, I will use and recommend The One True God often.”
– Jim Elliff, Christian Communicators Worldwide, www.ccwtoday.org

It is a question I am asked a lot: what Bible study curriculum do you recommend? I rarely know what to say. There are so many of them available; time would fail me to collect, examine and review them all. I was interested, then, to see that Paul Washer is releasing a new edition of The One True God, a title first released several years ago. It is published by Granted Ministries Press. No less than Iain Murray declares that it is “the best introductory work known to me. … Young Christians could scarcely spend their time better than working carefully through these pages.”
This is a 192 page hardcover book meant for serious study. “The great goal of this study is for the student to have an encounter with God through His Word. Founded upon the conviction that the Scriptures are the inspired and infallible Word of God, this study has been designed in such a way that it is literally impossible for the student to advance without an open Bible before him or her.” And he is right. A person who seeks to skim through this study or who leaves it for the last minute will not only gain very little but will actually be unable to complete it.
Washer begins his book this necessary, valuable exhortation. “The study of doctrine is both an intellectual and devotional discipline. It is a passionate search for God that should always lead the student to greater personal transformation, obedience, and heartfelt worship. Therefore, the student should be on guard against the great error of seeking only impersonal knowledge, and not the person of God. Neither mindless devotion nor mere intellectual pursuits are profitable, for in either case, God is lost.” The purpose of this study, then, is not merely to increase knowledge, but to increase devotion. At the same time, we must not downplay knowledge for “The mind is not the enemy of the heart, and doctrine is not an obstacle to devotion. The two are indispensable and should be inseparable.” We must love God with heart, soul and mind; we must love God in both spirit and truth.
Each of the book’s fourteen lessons looks to a specific attribute of God. Studies include “God is One,” “God is Spirit,” “God is Righteous,” “God is Creator and Sustainer” and “The Names of God.” The student will complete lessons only by looking to Scripture, studying it and understanding it. It is self-directed in that the benefit gained will be directly proportional to the work given to it. Says Washer, “The student will find that this is primarily a Biblical study and does not contain much in the way of colorful illustrations, quaint stories, or even theological commentaries. It was our desire to provide a work that only pointed the way to the Scriptures and allowed the Scriptures to speak for themselves.” And this is exactly what he accomplishes.
The lessons are completed right within the book, ensuring that this is a book you will personalize and make your own. There are fill-in-the-blank questions, questions that will require turning to Scripture and completing a sentence or two of summary, and questions that will require thought and application. All of this is interspersed with solid, biblical teaching about the person and character of God...
Suitable for individual use, small groups or Sunday school classes, this is a valuable book and one that will serve you well. It will draw your mind, your heart and your affections to the One True God. I highly recommend it and agree with Iain Murray—a young Christian could scarcely do better than to work through it with care, keeping his Bible open all the while.

For full review with comments please visit Challies.com
Review written by Tim Challies 02.24.2009 (www.challies.com)

The disciplines of science, philosophy, and religion are full of theories put forth by men attempting to explain, or explain away, the fundamental flaws of humanity. But the problem with man is best explained by His Creator. If we as creatures are to find a remedy for our plight, we must seek it in God, who alone can save. Through a guided study of God's own words, and under various systematic headings, The Truth about Man unfolds the desperate condition of humanity. As the second part in a series of rich, biblical studies, this workbook provides the reader with a no-nonsense Bible study on a fundamental tenant of the Christian gospel—the lost condition of man.

Like the previous book, The One True God, this workbook keeps the student engaged directly with the Bible throughout the entire study. It is intended not just to teach truth, but to lead to an encounter with the living God and a deeper understanding of the magnitude of our salvation by demonstrating man's true need of God's redemption. In this study students are encouraged to thoughtfully draw conclusions from the Scriptures rather than to merely absorb the principles, inferences, and illustrations set before them by the author. For this reason the book includes very little of such material and instead focuses on digesting the Scriptures directly.

Learning in this way, the reader is set on a firm foundation and will readily perceive the centrality and high authority of biblical doctrine within the Christian life. The study of doctrine is both an intellectual and devotional discipline. Therefore students are encouraged throughout the study to think through and apply the truths they learn, meditating on the demands of Scripture for their heart and mind. The book puts us squarely in the middle of the material and requires we give searching thought to God's assertions about man.

The Truth about Man is especially suited for the following contexts: (1) doctrinal training for new converts, (2) college and adult group Bible studies, (3) private study, (4) Christian or home school curriculum, (5) Sunday school material, (6) an aid to parents in teaching the Word of God to their children.

With much joy we make this book available, praying the Lord would be pleased to use it to advance His cause in the world.