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Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept

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R. C. Sproul Jr. says failing to believe God's promises is serious. "When we fail to believe His promises, we fail to believe that He is faithful." R. C. Jr. wrote Believing God to encourage Christians to take God at His word.

R. C. Jr. has chosen to write about twelve of God's promises. He does a great job of placing each of these promises in context and criticizing those who use these promises in a manner God never intended.

The first promise R. C. Jr. looks at is that God will equip us (2 Tim. 3:16). "The trouble is that we don't believe it." He encourages readers to return to the oldest Christian habit of reading, understanding and believing the Word of God.

He next looks at the promise of God's love (1 John 3:1). Our calling, for the rest of our lives, is to get our hearts and minds around the staggering reality that if we are in Christ, God truly, truly loves us.

We are reminded that God has promised forgiveness of our sins (1 John 1:9) and wisdom for the asking (James 1:5). Psalm 127 promises that children are a blessing. (R. C. Jr. does not address the issue of Paul's New Testament suggestion that Christians not marry in 1 Cor. 7:25ff. He also seems to be rather thoughtless with regard to those who have no children.)

The chapter on Psalm 37:4 is worth the price of the book. God promises that we will receive the desires of our heart if we delight in the Lord. R. C. Jr. has some fun with how difficult it is for Reformed people to "delight" in God. He reminds the stiff Calvinists that the Westminster Catechism reminds Christians we were made to enjoy God. When we delight ourselves in the Lord we do receive the desires of our heart for we desire Him. God is not only the promise keeper but is Himself the promise.

God has promised to open the windows of heaven in Mal. 3:10. R. C. Jr. addresses the "health and wealth" preachers and the damage they have caused. He helps the reader understand why Malachi asserted this promise. The Israelites doubted God and their worship was mere habit and not heart felt. He also notes that this passage in Malachi reflects a pattern of God's behavior. God is not a celestial slot machine.

With the same care R. C. Jr. looks at the promise of casting mountains into the sea (Mark 11:22-24), the promise that all things work together (Rom. 8:28), that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33), that the good work will be completed (Phil.1:6), and that we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).

R. C. Jr. says he wrote this book because, "I want to see the people of God grow in grace and wisdom." The result of his writing is a great book to use for personal devotion or as a group study. His work presents a challenge to every Christian to take God at His word.

Without wishing to insult R.C Junior, his writing simply doesn't measure up to that of his father. It's more than likely that Sproul Jr. is not trying to do that, but that said, in this book, you have 12 biblical promises God has made to mankind and R.C.Jr's advice and exposition on how to truly believe them. The goal is sound, but the presentation is rocky and awkward. I found it repetitious, tedious, often rambling and overall, "Christian Lite".

Perhaps it is my being so used to his father's work that I expected similar depth, so my own preferences may have gotten in the way of my appreciating this book as others might. If you don't want to go too deeply, this is something you might very well enjoy. If you'd rather go deep, his father's books may be more to your liking, especially "Chosen By God" or "Willing To Believe"; it may depend on where you are in your Christian walk. I would not recommend this book to serious Biblical students, theologians and mature (in their faith) Christians. I wish I could have given this a better review.

On any given day you may encounter a variety of obstacles that can make trusting God's providence seem difficult. In "Believing God," R. C. Sproul Jr. reveals how often Christians fall short in trusting God's promises. This means that we often do not affirm that God is faithful and trustworthy, moreover this is not only unhelpful, but it is a sin. Sproul offers this very readable volume to promote and stir up the faith in believing Christians as one grows in trusting God's holy word.

The author offers clear exposition on promises including:

- God's everlasting and unconditional love for His people

- Our election in Christ

- Expiation for our sins and Justification by grace alone

- Fulfilled promises as the covenant believer delights in God's word and its sure promises

- Benefits from Heaven for faithful tithers

- Real hope for those who are called by God inasmuch as all things work together for good.

Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

This text is a smooth edifying and educational study and is great for new Christians or those stuck in doubt and weak faith. Since Jesus Christ has overcome the world, hell, and the devil, the believer can trust in the certain promises of the thrice holy God through our Savior and Redeemer.

see the fresh new book that defends Christian truth:

Truth, Knowledge and the Reason for God: The Defense of the Rational Assurance of Christianity

R.C Jr. Certainly saw in the modern church the need for this book. My premature judgment of the book was that it was just going to be a typical feel good book. I thought this for no other reason than the title and my own sinful undue judgment. However, upon readin the book I found a like minded brother in R.C. Jr. who expounded many of the promises we need to treat as such. While he touched on the why and why not the most important thing about this book was the reality expressed and shown. He shows how different people may have different reasons and touched on those but he stressed the common need among man, to Believe God. I am usually slow to read new authors and this was a new author for me, and I can say that I was pleased. Much of what he said gave clarity to many of my own observations and affirmation to my concerns. Overall this book was well done.

With,"Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept," Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. makes a bold statement that, "Our problem in the evangelical church isn't, I believe, that we aren't trained well enough to grasp the hard teachings of the Bible, but that we are too worldly to believe the plain promises of the Bible. The difficulty isn't that the Bible is esoteric, but that it is profligate. The problem isn't that God speaks with a forked tongue, but that He speaks such incredible promises that we find them to be less than credible. The answer isn't to run from what God speaks, but to run to it."

From there on, reading "Believing God" by Dr.R.C. Sproul and R.C. Sproul Jr. ,was an experience of 161 pages of a simplistic yet detailed breakdown of twelve basic but significant, promises of our Father in Heaven; They are:

1. All Scripture Is Profitable (2 Timothy 3:16)

2. Our Heavenly Father Loves Us (1 John 3:1)

3. Confession, Forgiveness, and Cleansing (1 John 1: 9)

4. Wisdom for the Asking (James 1:5)

5. Children Are a Heritage (Psalm 127)

6. The Desires of Your Heart (Psalm 37:4)

7. Open Windows of Heaven (Malachi 3:10)

8. Mountains Cast into the Sea (Mark 11:22-24)

9. All Things Work Together (Romans 8:28)

10. He Has Overcome the World (John 16:33)

11. The Good Work Shall Be Completed (Philippians 1:6)

12. We Shall Be Like Him (1 John 3:2)

What Dr. Sproul delivers to us, is a look at how we can sometimes take something that is so simple and make it more complicated than it otherwise should be and oh how complicated can we make things sometimes or as the old adage goes, "Too many cooks in the kitchen".

I highly enjoyed reading "Believing God" Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept",and felt that it is a hands down, challenging book that challenges the Christian follower to have a teachable heart, to be open and to be willing to look at twelve simplistic promises that can be found in the Bible but resisting the urge to reach over to the salt and pepper shakers and add more seasonings than what is already there.

It had me wishing that there was a study guide to go with it, but as I re-read "Believing God", I discovered that even in a small group, bible study setting, this will still even make an appropriate bible study, as well as a personal study/reading.

The book is challenging.

It is convicting.

It is enriching.

"Believing God" is a book that takes you out of a safe comfort zone and challenges you to don't look at His Word with a teachable heart and be prepared to not be dismissive, but be open, be willing and be honest.

As Dr. Sproul shares on page 26 of "Believing God", "We believe in reproof,as long as what we are being reproved for is wrong doctrine. We believe in correction, as long as we are having our doctrine corrected. Paul, however, is leading us somewhere. What we need is instruction in righteousness, which is rather a different standard of spiritual maturity than having our theological i's dotted and t's crossed. That means, in turn, that we do not believe this promise, because we have missed its point."

Running along the lines of,"`If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness' (1 John 1:9),", in "Believing God," Dr. R.C. Sproul shares a deep look at how ,"God is utterly unimpressed with our efforts to beat ourselves psychologically for our sins. What He wants is a true humility that will manifest itself as faith, as believing God.",and how to approach our Heavenly Father from a common sense outlook versus a, whose wrong, whose right outlook.

I found myself having to re-read "Believing God" several times and in doing so, I found myself, not only just drawn into a basic breakdown of the twelve significant promises that Dr. R.C. Sproul wrote the book around, but a steadfast reminder to all of us how sometimes, we need to stop looking for the "i's" and "t's" that are crossed and just look at Him for Him.

The book delivers what it says that,"In the final analysis, the book functions as a mirror in which every reader with a teachable heart will see how he or she can more fully believe God. All Christians who appreciate careful biblical teaching and heartfelt passion for God will appreciate and benefit from this book".

"Believing God", isn't promoting a Pollyanna look at His word nor is it a pointing finger, but it is a careful look at how we can actually hurt our walk by helping the enemy by holding ourselves back by doubt and fear more than just trusting in our Father inI following Him.

On the other hand, "Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept" is a casual, daring but honest look at our Christian walk and a challenge to approach His word not with set opinions but rather be open with a teachable heart to His Word and grasp with joy and wonder at the freedom and grace of our Heavenly Father.

I was reminded that Jesus calls us to be child-like in our faith and not by being naive but truly open to His Word and what He holds for all of us and how we can sometimes go over the line and play in the hands of the enemy. The book had me wondering by the time I had finished it, do we have such doubt in ourselves about being able to understand His work that we might unintentional make it harder to comprehend our Father's promises than what is really there.

Challenging thought, but not so much as challenging as R.C. Sproul's called that part of us understanding and embracing includes a heavy dose of humility when reading God's Word.

Humility is expressed best not with flowery odes but through rather ordinary obedience.

Obedience is better even than the flattery of imitation. We ought to come to God's law as King David did, delighting in it, meditating on it, and obeying it.

Too often, however, we "honor" God by creating our own law, making ourselves more pious than Him. God says, "Don't eat," and we say, "Don't touch." God says, "Give ten percent," and we say, "Give twenty our heavenly father loves us 13 percent." Like the Pharisees before us, we add to God's law, then expect Him to pat us on the back. This problem of seeking a piety greater than God's, however, gets no uglier than when we apply it to ourselves.

There are just too many gems to be glean from "Believing God: Twelve Bible Promises Struggle to Accept" that if you are open with a teachable heart and ready to be challenge in fully embracing and understanding our Father's promises, read, "Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept".

This isn't about doctrine. It isn't about legalism. It's about embracing God's promises for all of us.

Review of Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept by R. C. Sproul, Jr.

28

APR

Let's get this out of the way right off: Dr. R. C. Sproul, Jr. isn't his father, Dr. R. C. Sproul, Sr...and he doesn't need to be. His work stands on its own.

"Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept," tackles one of the problems in the modern church: Christians who fail to believe God and His promises. Citing worldliness among believers as the main culprit for our disbelief, Dr. Sproul, Jr. tears down our reasons for not believing and then delivers a water-tight case for doing what so many find impossible: trusting God.

This isn't a deep theological treatise and that might be a problem for some readers, however, the depth he attains and the style of writing he uses perfectly fits the audience Dr. Sproul, Jr. is aiming at: those who have trouble fully believing that, not only can God do what He promises, but He will do what He has said. Dr. Sproul, Jr. builds his case gently but firmly."Believing God" focuses in on God and His glory throughout and still manages to meet us where we are spiritually...while taking us to where we need to be.

I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: I received a free PDF for purposes of review from Reformation Trust Publishing. I was not required to give a positive review, simply an honest one. When my review is published, I will be sent a copy of the book itself.