By Grace Alone, by Sinclair B. Ferguson
By Grace Alone, by Sinclair B. Ferguson, includes nuggets on the saving, transforming power of the gospel, morsels to which I hope to return. The book is inspired by a hymn whose English translation is titled: “O How the Grace of God Amazes Me.”
Ferguson’s writing style may cause people to give Scripture greater pause. The story-telling and commentary might help readers view the reality of and humanity within the verses through fresh eyes.
The book could be read by both believers and non-believers, and included are words one might say to Christ when coming to Him for salvation.
Many great points are made in this book!
I like that…
- guilt is addressed as reality and feeling and the point made that the knowledge of the lack of it can affect our feelings through greater understanding of the gospel (p.57).
- Ferguson talks about different languages (temple, court, market) Paul uses to communicate the gospel (p.48).
- Ferguson acknowledges the influence of “right thinking” on gospel-powered living (p. 105) while recognizing, in referencing John Owen, the difference between knowing the truth and knowing its power (p. 67-68).
- Ferguson approaches 2 Cor. 5:16 through the lens of having “a new attitude to other people” (p.60).
- in reference to Romans 6:23’s “wages of sin”, Ferguson talks of sin as an “employer” (p.107, 108). What a way to breathe life into the familiar phrase of whose weight I’ve overlooked countless times.
The last of the above points comes from Chapter 7; this chapter, to me, would stand as a great book on its own. The concept of the transfer from sin’s domain to God’s kingdom is one that I would like to seep into and out of my heart. It is one I feel God may be stirring in my heart through this book, and He may continue to do so through a book I will read in the near future.
While there is much to like about this book, I do have some level of hesitation with regard to the emphasis on Satan’s influence on sin in chapters 5 and 6. He may be given more credit to his role in sin than what I’m comfortable with. It is my belief that sin might originate in people or Satan and that we might not always or ever know the source for our particular sins. If people put too much stock into Satan’s influence on sin, I wonder if a result might be a reduction of their feelings of responsibility, conviction, and depravity. If it doesn’t have this result, though, it might not be a big deal to have an emphasis on Satan.
All in all, though, I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to read this book, and I am gladdened to think that God may be using it to work transformation in me.
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Image from here. Disclosure: I received a free pdf copy of this book to review from Reformation Trust Publishing, and, upon approval of my review, a printed version will be sent out.
