Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation (Cure Book) [Paperback]

Michael Horton (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Baker Pub Group (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801043743
• ISBN-13: 978-0801043741
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,113,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael S. Horton

White Horse Inn, President
White Horse Inn Radio Show, Co-Host
Editor-in-Chief, Modern Reformation Magazine
J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California

B.A., Biola University; M.A., Westminster Seminary California; Ph.D., University of Coventry and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.

Michael Horton is the president of White Horse Inn, a multi-media catalyst for Reformation. He is editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine (www.modernreformation.org) and co-host of the nationally syndicated White Horse Inn radio broadcast (www.whitehorseinn.org). Michael Horton is also the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California. Before coming to WSC, Michael Horton completed a Research Fellowship at Yale University Divinity School. A member of various societies, including the American Academy of Religion and the Evangelical Theological Society, Michael Horton is the author/editor of twenty books, including a series of studies in Reformed dogmatics published by Westminster John Knox, whose final volume (_People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology_) was published in 2008 which won the 2008 Christianity Today Book of the Year award in Theology.

His most recent books are _The Gospel-Driven Life_, _Christless Christianity_ and _People and Place: A Covenant Ecclesiology_. He has written articles for _Modern Reformation_, _Pro Ecclesia_, _Christianity Today_, _The International Journal of Systematic Theology_, _Touchstone_, and _Books and Culture_.

Michael Horton is associate pastor of Christ United Reformed Church in Santee, California, and lives in Escondido, with his wife, Lisa, and four children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The True Reformation (Biblical) View, May 6, 2004

By 

theologicalresearcher "theologicalresearcher" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation (Cure Book) (Paperback)

Though it has been a few years ago since I read this book, this book is one of the most biblical books I have read on the "lordship controversy" that erupted during the late '80s/early '90s. The book contains contributions from various authors from the Reformed and Lutheran traditions. Some of the more notable essays were written by Michael Horton, Rich Ritchie, and Kim Riddlebarger. The authors are critical of both the "free grace" position of Zane Hodges, Charles Ryrie, and Earl Radmacher and the "lordship" position of John MacArthur, Kenneth Gentry, and Ernest Reisinger. The authors feel that the "free grace" scholars put a radical disjunction between justification and sanctification, while the "lordship" scholars make no distinction between faith and doing works. Horton et al. find the perfect and biblical balance: those justified will produce works of righteousness (against Hodges/Ryrie/Radmacher), but having faith in Christ is not the same as obeying God's law (against MacArthur/Gentry/Reisinger). Many will complain that the authors of this book are capitulating to the free grace position in a Reformed attire. However, that is not the case. The authors in the book strongly believe that those united to Christ will be morally and spiritually renewed from within. Their view of faith is not "intellectual assent alone" but a genuine "faith in Christ alone" (to say that the authors are promoting the former rather than the latter is to be ignorant of Reformation history and theology). Unfortunately, this book has been overshadowed by other books from the other camps (especially MacArthur's). The only criticism I have is that the book is at times incoherent because of the authors' varied backgrounds (as pointed out by Jonathan Koh below). Hence, you get someone like Strimple sounding a bit too "MacArthurian" than what a lot of Reformed and Lutheran readers would feel comfortable with. Despite that one criticism, this book should be read by all who are interested in what true repentance and sanctification are. Unfortunately, this book is out of print. Perhaps someday Baker Books will revive this book in a new print edition (or better, an expanded edition). The importance of this subject makes this book absolutely necessary to be put out in the market again.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must read for those into Lordship Salvation debate, November 14, 2000

By 

Jonathan Koh (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation (Cure Book) (Paperback)

I'm one who has read quite a bit into the Lordship Salvation debate. This debate really is about the gospel and thus it is a very important subject!

This book edited by Horton is definitely a must-read for those who want to explore into this debate. I've been blessed by some articles in modern Reformation (the magazine that Horton edits) which has made me seen the debate in a new light. The magazine articles and this book has also made me changed my thinking from a pro-Lordship, MacArthur/Walter Chantry style, to a more balanced but yet confused (!!) person.

Two complains about this book. Firstly, I think Horton is quite unfair towards Hodges. Though Horton remains one of my favourite authors, I didn't really like the treatment of Hodges in this book.

Secondly, because of the varied nature of the book and the different views of the different authors, there was a lack in unity overall.

But the book is refreshing in that it approaches the subject from a historical view - from the Reformation.

I liked Horton's criticism of MacArthur's teachings - not because i like to see criticism, but because i thought through the criticisms the issues were made clearer. I'm not sure MacArthur has changed totally because of this book, though I know he has changed his views a bit.

Rick Ritche's chapter on "The Law According to Jesus" was enlightening and it provided a very lutheran view on the law-gospel. This view contradicted many a pro-Lordship's view on the "Rich Young Ruler" passage - a passage that many pro-Lordship advocates use to defend their view.

Horton's "Christ Crucified between Two thieves" provided a insightful look into these same issues which occured in Church history.

Riddlebarger's "What is Faith?" chapter is good in that it clarified what faith is - not repentance, but knowledge, assent and trust alone!

And Rosenbladt's chapter on "Christ died for the sins of Christians, too" gave a good Lutheran end to this issue - the importance of realising that Christ's death and His benefits are always there for the Christian.

Once again, a must reading for those into this debate.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Description of the Options... Lacking Argument, March 2, 2011

By 

John R. Bowling (Sarasota, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christ the Lord (Paperback)

Summary:

A collection of essays in response to the controversy between John MacArthur and Zane Hodges. MacArthur favors the Lordship-salvation position and says that true, saving faith includes obedience. Zane Hodges says that faith is merely intellectual assent and it does not include obedience.

The authors of the essays in this book argue against both MacArthur and Hodges. Critiquing MacArthur, they point out that while obedience follows faith, it is not itself a part of faith. Critiquing Hodges, they point out that faith is not merely intellectual assent; rather, it has three components: knowledge, assent, and trust. And, contrary to Hodges, obedience will result from true, saving faith. The book is broken into two sections. The first part looks at Scripture and the second part looks at the history of the debate as it developed in the Reformers and then the Puritans.

Analysis:

Exegetically, the book is weak. In fact the majority of the book is spent describing the position of Hodges and MacArthur and then of the positions as they existed in history (e.g. Warfield vs. Chafer). Much less time is spent describing the authors' own position and even less time (!) exegeting any Scripture passages. In fact I'm not sure it can be said that any passages of Scripture are exegeted. Instead, the authors provide their different verses and interpretations to some passages that all parties appeal to (the Rich Young Man passage).

While I am in 100% agreement with the authors in this book, I find it frustrating that so little exegesis is being done. Like another more recent book which Michael Horton edited dealing with similar issues "Justified"(this time between John Piper and N. T. Wright), too much time is spent simply saying "But this is what the Reformers thought..." In the end, I'm tempted to say "WHO CARES!?" Why should anyone give a crap what the position of the Reformers taught if it's not in line with Scripture? Knowing that John Calvin or B.B. Warfield said "so and so" isn't going to help me respond to someone who tries to argue their case from Scripture. At best, I'll be able to show that they don't belong in the Reformed tradition.

I'm giving the book two stars because it laid out the positions and distinctions clearly between MacArthur, Hodges, and the others. I'm giving the book another star (totaling 3, for the mathematically challenged) because I agree with the authors of the book. But ultimately Michael Horton & Co. are going to have to rely on something more than their tradition if they want convince more than those who are already convinced.