Definite Atonement by Gary D. Long (Presbyterian & Reformed, 1975).
This is a badly-written book on a glorious subject. The author’s avowed aim is to prove that Christ died only for the elect. His proof from the eternal purpose of God (chapter 2) is theologically sound, well-reasoned, and strongly buttressed by quotations from the best defenders of this truth, such as Owen, Hugh Martin, the Hodges and Spurgeon. It suffers badly, however, from ‘wordiness’. The argument in chapter 3, taken from the redemptive work of Christ, is robbed of distinctness and cumulative power by an unnecessary repetitiousness and a superfluous preamble on the Saviour’s priestly office. The proof for limited or definite atonement taken from the applicatory work of the Holy Spirit (chapter 4) is the weakest in method of all. The author would have succeeded better in establishing his proof by depending less on logic and more on the exegesis of proof texts, after the example of the best Reformed divines. Both this chapter and the conclusion (chapter 5) are marred by the irritating recurrence of the phrase ‘It is the writer’s conviction’, by the hope, expressed in the very last paragraph, that the book’s readers would ‘read and study it through in its entirety’, and by the lame addition ‘The writer does not ask or expect that all Calvinists will agree with it’. What, may we ask, is the point of writing a polemic except to convince those whom we believe to be in error? Throughout the book, references to the appendices (which are almost as lengthy as the book itself) interrupt the flow of theological argument, while the author’s syntax and grammar leave much to be desired. The ‘annotated doctrinal sermon outline on definite atonement’ (appendix 4) uses John 3:16 upon which to hang a very dry sermon.
In short, while the theology of this study is sound enough, the argument lacks conciseness, cumulative impact, and (most of all, considering the glory of the Person who died and the wonderful efficacy of his death) the unction which should characterise every study of the atonement made by the only Redeemer for His people.
J.M.B.
The Distinguishing Traits of Christian Character by Gardiner Spring. Presbyterian & Reformed, 1972 reprint.
In days like our own, when much religious experience is carnal and superficial, the reprint of such a heart-searching, sin-exposing book as this is particularly welcome. The avowed aim of Dr Spring, minister of Brick Presbyterian Church in New York during the last century, is to lead his readers to examine themselves, whether they be in the faith. Drawing heavily on the contents of Jonathan Edwards’ classic, ‘The Religious Affections’, he simply and Scripturally distinguishes between those marks which are not conclusive evidence of the saving work of the Holy Spirit and those which have the warrant of the Spirit Himself speaking in Scripture for their genuineness. Among the former, the author classes mere morality, head knowledge of the truth, an external form of godliness, eminent gifts, deep convictions, strong assurance, and the ability to tell the time of our supposed conversion. Among the latter, he places love to God, repentance for sin, faith in Christ, evangelical humility, self denial, devotion to the glory of God, brotherly love, separation from the world, growth in grace, and practical obedience. A concluding chapter searchingly applies the whole enquiry to his readers in a number of direct questions and exhortations. We would prefer to have seen faith in Christ and repentance for sin placed before love to God in Dr Spring’s order of true marks of saving grace, and it is not correct to say, as the author does, following Edwards, that there is no moral virtue in loving God for what He is to us, rather than for what He is in Himself, The apostle himself tells us that ‘we love Him, because He first loved us’ (I John 4:19). Apart from this error, which once brought the great Dr Love almost to despair because he could not say that he loved God solely for Himself at the time of his conversion, Dr Spring’s penetrating analysis of the workings of sin and grace in the heart would amply repay prayerful study. The following quotations and the author’s concluding exhortation may indicate how well qualified was Dr Spring for the awful and delicate task of directing souls on their way to eternity: ‘Mere morality . . . may lop off the luxuriances of human depravity, but it never strikes at the root’ (p.9); ‘There may be much speculative knowledge where there is no spiritual . . . There is no greater proficient in theological truth than the father of lies. There is no lack of orthodoxy, even in hell’ (p.10-11); ‘You have been converted to the profession of religion, but have you been converted to the grace of religion?’ (p.23); ‘Perhaps there is no one point in which growth in grace is more visible than in that harmony and consistency of character which are too often lacking in young Christians, but which shine with so much beauty in those who are advanced in the Christian course’ (p.66-67); ‘O believers, that we all might learn to fasten our affections, to rivet our hopes, on the cross of Christ! Here is our comfort. We must think much and make much of Christ. In Him all fulness dwells. He is the Captain of your salvation. He is a Fountain for your uncleanness, and a Light for your way . . . No matter how great your guilt, rest on Him, and He will be increasingly precious; precious in life, precious in death, precious forever’ (p.79).
J.M.B.
Coming to Faith in Christ by John Benton.
This 16-page booklet issued by the Banner of Truth Trust at 15p contains a summary of the gospel for those who may be considering the Christian faith for the first time.
While we appreciate the difficulty of presenting the salient facts of the gospel in such small compass for those who are largely, if not totally, ignorant of these teachings, yet we do not feel that this booklet is an adequate treatment of the subject. The fact that the work of the Holy Spirit in conversion is overlooked renders it unsatisfactory.
D.B.M.
Evolution or Creation (Revised and enlarged edition), by Professor H. Enoch.
Professor Enoch, who has been a Professor of Zoology for many years and has taught in several universities, re-examines the arguments usually set forth in support of evolution in the light of modern discoveries and the teaching of Scripture.
The Foreword is by Sir Cecil Wakeley, K.B.E., C.B., L.L.D., Past President, Royal College of Surgeons of England, etc. Sir Cecil writes, “The time has come for all thoughtful people to make up their minds about the creation of the world. Scripture is quite definite that God created the world and I for one believe that to be a fact, not fiction. There is no evidence, scientific or otherwise, to support the theory of evolution. Yet, the scientific world and our universities and schools still teach evolution. I sincerely trust that this book will play its part all over the world in exposing the unproved theory of evolution. Evolution is a man-made theory. Creation came by the hand of Almighty God.”
In chapter 17 — Modern Methods of Dating and Bible Chronology — Professor Enoch deals with the various “time-clocks” proposed and used by scientists to find out the age of rocks, fossils and other artefacts, as the Radio-Carbon method, the Potassium-argon method, the Carbon-14 method. He states that Robert L. Whitelaw, Professor of Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, after investigating about 15,000 radio-carbon dates so far published by various scientists all over the world and correcting them for the basic scientific errors and computing them backwards and classifying them, gave the following conclusions, and 14 are specifically outlined. “Fifteen thousand radio-carbon dates,” concludes Professor Whitelaw, “dead voices from the past assembled by scientists from every kind of once-living matter and every corner of the globe, now answer the question unequivocally in favour of the Bible!”
In the Conclusion (ch. 18) Professor Enoch states: “The reason why so many oppose the doctrine of creation is often due to prejudice and careless reading. Careful reading of the Scriptures, with an open mind, will reveal that no established scientific fact contradicts the story as described in the first chapter of the Bible. On the other hand, such a study will show that the doctrine of creation, the doctrine of sin, and the catastrophe of the Noachic flood as stated in the Bible, alone can reconcile all the facts of cosmology, cosmogony, the origin of life, its reproducing only “after its kind,” its variation within limits, and all the facts of Palaeontology. The facts of Palaeontology, namely, the sudden and violent entombment of animals leaving millions of fossils aggregated together and others preserved in ice in the very act of feeding can, in fact, be explained only in terms of a universal flood as described in the Bible. Geological strata with their fossils indicate not the order of evolution or even creation, but the order of burial in those waters of the deluge.
The facts of science can harmoniously be blended only in terms of creation. The doctrine of creation not only harmonises demonstrable facts of science, but also the truths of the spiritual realm which is ignored by the protagonists of evolution. Truly ‘all things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made.’ For it is the same Creator who inspired the prophet to write the account of Creation.”
Obtainable from F.P. Book Room 133 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6LE. Price £1.30. W.M.
The Korean Pentecost, by William Blair and Bruce Hunt. Price 70p.
This Banner of Truth paperback tells the story of the Korean Revival in 1907, as well as the subsequent history of the Korean Church. That the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church has been amply fulfilled in the history of the Church in Korea. In 90 years it grew from a handful to some 2½ million. The first part of the paperback is a reprint of the book written by Dr Blair in 1910 telling of the events leading up to the 1907 revival and the revival itself. The second part is by Dr Blair’s son-in-law, Bruce F. Hunt, and records the sufferings of the Church during the Japanese occupation and later under the Communists. Between them these two missionaries had no less than 90 years of mission service in Korea and were thus well qualified to tell the story of the Cause of Christ in that land.
We note that in the November/December issue of the Bulwark, Rev. M. A. Macleod of the Christian Witness to Israel, who lately visited Korea, indicates that in recent times there have been some sad and tragic divisions in the Church out there. Satan, we know, is ever ready wherever possible to break down what God has built up. Nevertheless the story of the Korean Church during this century is a heartening one and is indicative of what the Lord can do through the power and blessing of His Spirit. We gladly recommend this book to any who may not have already obtained it. D.B.M.
The Myth of God Incarnate — Reviewed and Refuted by Ian R. K. Paisley.
In this 32-page booklet, Rev. Ian Paisley, the well-known Ulster minister, reviews and refutes the heresies of a book published last year, entitled ‘The Myth of God Incarnate’, in which leading theologians of the Church of England attempt to disprove the orthodox doctrine of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mr Paisley deals with the book chapter by chapter in his characteristically forceful style and shows the erroneousness of the views stated in the book.
In commenting on the Preface he says: “In the Preface they maintain as facts two colossal falsehoods, the twin pillars upon which they erect their Babel of Apostacy; one, man is part of nature and has emerged within the evolution of the forms of life on this earth; and, two, the Bible cannot be afforded a verbal divine authority.” Starting on this basis it is easy to see where it will lead them. Paisley shows that the plain statements of Scripture are discarded as the writers go on to evacuate the doctrine of the Incarnation of its true meaning and re-interpret it in such a way that it may be ‘believable’ to the unbelieving. It is not only a new Christ that evolves in this process but a pluralistic Christ, for the only way forward in the world, it is alleged by these re-interpreters, is to accept that diverse views of Christ have equal validity. Consequently, we find Christ equated with other men of destiny. Naturally, the resurrection is denied and the Virgin Birth does not escape — a paganising development, it is thought. An attempt is made to account for the rise of the teaching of the incarnation. John gets the chief blame for this! One writer speaks of four basic Christian myths — creation, the fall, Christ’s incarnation and work of atonement, and the resurrection of the dead and final judgment. God is supposed by another writer to have revealed Himself in the great world religions. So it goes on as Mr Paisley details the heresies contained in the book. At the same time he refutes them, showing they have no basis in Scripture.
Part II of the booklet is a re-statement of the orthodox view of the mystery of God incarnate and the proofs for holding such a view. In his final remarks Paisley declares of ‘The Myth of God Incarnate’ — “This blasphemous book will soon crumble and decay.” May it indeed be so. We recommend this booklet by Rev. Ian Paisley as an antidote to the poison of ‘The Myth of God Incarnate’.
Obtainable from Mourne Missionary Trust, ‘Hor-Kesel’, Church Road, Carginagh, Kilkeel, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. Single copy 25p, by post 30p. D.B.M.