Customer Reviews

Now, That's a Good Question!

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I am a Christian who has been studying the bible for about five years, and I still have much to learn. I love to read books that ask the tough questions and try to answer them based on the bible! I read another review of this book saying it does not do that; I respectfully disagree. I believe Mr. Sproul has given us an intelligent, succinct, well-thought-out answer to many of the difficult questions that come up about the Christian faith. I pick the book up and re-read it often, as I can always find something new. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an educated approach to questions we sometimes hear from others, or even come up with ourselves!

Concise, grace filled answers to a Large variety of questions a new babe in Christ might ask - or an older one - or a "friend" with whom you would like to share eternity by sharing the gospel , but need some helpful intro. Good gift choice because erudite/sharp, but directed toward a short/sound bite/rushing around society like most of USA. Thought provoking answers with many delightful and almost surprising; filled with light and peace-filled grace.

Sproul explains in foreword that these are not exhausting answers, thus very good opportunity to begin conversations and ( together ) search scriptures to test these "prophesies". I really, really like his intro statement ( I paraphase ) and reminder - that we are ALL fallen creatures ( even the marvelously talented students like Sproul ), thus will definitely sin in our interpretations/explanations. Really need to recover personal responsibility to study scripture ourselves and work within His community to test and allow for accountability. This seems like a simple, " like- duh " admonition and exhoration, but not in practice as you know whether in this 'postmodern' age or in the earliest church communities.

Who else will give this type gift to your or my friend or new acquaintance at Christmas or any of the many Christian holidays or his/her b'day?

I have read quite a few questions-answer books in Chrsitian titles. This is among the better of them. I don;t know much about the author, but I found the answers interesting, and easy to understand. Most of them reasonable. The book is a good reference, and east to search through. Most questions regarding Christian Faith, that I could think of were answered fairly.Not overly complew, but a nice start for the inquisitive.

I bought this book because every year, our church has a theological question and answer night, and this book has a lot of good questions that people ask about the Christian faith.

R.C Sproul is eminently qualified to write this book because he is a leading apologist for the Christian faith. I especially appreciated his answers to questions related to God's sovereignty and man's freedom, the identity of Jesus Christ, the reliability of the Bible, and heaven and hell. Sproul's questions and his answers will prepare and help a pastor or Christian layperson explain the faith to those with inquiring minds.

I also appreciated the humble spirit that Sproul brings to this book. He knows that it is an awesome thing to teach the word of God, and he feels the weight of the calling (you can tell this by reading the introduction).

It should also be stressed that R.C Sproul is a five point Calvinistic Christian. That means his answers to questions related to predestination, eternal security, the end times, and the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross are going to be slightly different than the answers a less Calvinistic Christian might give.

For example, Sproul believes that God predestines certain individuals to be saved and chooses to pass the rest of humanity by. He also teaches that Jesus died only for those chosen to salvation.

He also teaches that the coming of Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 is a coming in judgment on Jerusalem and the temple, not a 2nd coming to establish a 1000 year millennial kingdom on earth. Some believers in Christ do not hold these positions, and yet they color a number of Sproul's answers.

But the preponderance of the book gives solid, evangelical answers to the questions people ask. Sproul is also not afraid to say that sometimes, the answer is "I don't know." This is a good book, and I am glad I found it at the Barnes and Noble book store.
Rev. Marc Axelrod

I love the format of this book: One of the finest theologians in America today, answering 300 questions from a radio audience off the cuff with answers to each of these individual questions in less than 4 minutes. The questions in this book are the original questions from the live call in audience, and the answers have been edited only insofar as missing assorted "uh's" and "um's."

The questions are broken down Into 22 categories. R. C. Sproul is a reformed theologian and pastor, and his expertise is in the areas of theology, apologetics, philosophy, Bible exposition and interpretation. He is a brilliant communicator and has the ability to bring the cookies on the shelf for the layperson - no matter how complicated the issue. I have included all the categories listed below, along with two sample questions from the section.

1) Knowing God (19 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Why does God remain invisible?" and "Why does God love us so much?"
2) Who Is Jesus (9 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Was Christ capable of sinning?" and "Did Jesus ever laugh?"
3) The Work of the Holy Spirit (10 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Does every human being have the potential to receive the Holy Spirit?" and "What was the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament?"
4) The Book of Books (17 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "How were the books of the Bible selected and compiled?" and "How do you know the Bible is true?"
5) The Way of Salvation (23 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Why did God save me?" and "What do good deeds have to do with salvation?"
6) Sin and the Sinner (13 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What is meant by the term original sin?" and "Are there gradations of sin?"
7) Faith and Philosophy (14 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Doesn't science disprove Christianity?" and "Is there a distinction between Christianity and religion?"
8) The Power and Purpose of Payer (11 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "How can we, as Christians, have more power in our prayer lives?" and "Does God hear the prayers of the non-Christian?"
9) The Growing Spiritual life (27 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What do you do in your daily devotions?" and "What concerns you most about today's Christian?"
10) Understanding Satan (6 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Can the Devil read my mind?" and "Has Satan been given dominion over the earth until Jesus returns?"
11) Heaven and Hell (16 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Will we recognize each other in heaven?" and "What happens to animals when they die?"
12) Sharing the Faith (10 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What is faith?" and "Is the Christian faith really rational?"
13) Church Life (26 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What are the basics to church growth?" and "What is the most crucial issue confronting today's church?"
14) Marriage and Family (22 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What should make Christian marriages distinctive?" and "Are there biblical grounds for divorce, and if so, what are they?"
15) Career Issues (9 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What is the biblical concept, if any, of retirement?" and "How can an employer show employees Christlike dignity?"
16) Money Matters (10 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What do you believe the Bible teaches about tithing as it relates to Christians today?" and "Is there a clear biblical position against lotteries and casino gambling?"
17) Life-and Death Issues (7 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Does the Bible say anything about euthanasia?" and "What should be the Christian stand on the death penalty?"
18) Suffering (12 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "What is the difference between God testing us and tempting us?" and "If God is all powerful, then why does he allow suffering?"
19) The End Times (12 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Are we living in the last days?" and "What does Scripture teach us about the future role of Israel?"
20) Lifestyle Ethics (17 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Should Christians impose their ethics on non-Christians?" and "Is it wrong for scientists to engage in genetic engineering?"
21) Christians and Government (13 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Are biblical solutions to world problems outdated?" and "Should Christians work to have Christian values in public policy?"
22) Puzzling Passages (19 Questions asked and answered) - for example, "Why in the Old Testament does God demand so much violence and war of the Jewish nation?" and "The Lord says in the Old Testament that he loved Jacob but he hated Esau, and in 1 John, John actually says that if we say we love God but hate our brothers, we're wrong. How can we reconcile these two passages?"

I think this is a resource you will use for life - especially for Christian leaders, pastors, counselors, missionaries, and teachers - who deal with similar questions in their respective ministries on a regular basis. The index in the back of the book makes this a resource that you can use to find if a specific question you are struggling with, or have been asked is included. It is not exhaustive, but has a lot of the questions that most Christians struggle with and are asking. It also makes a great gift for someone who loves to study God's Word.

Dr. Sproul does an excellent job of addressing tough questions we face everyday. He breaks up the book into eleven sections. Each section contains numerous questions. This book is an excellent reference. I also notice that visitors are always picking it up. Therefore it is an excellent tool in evangalism.

This book is exactly what I was looking for. It was well laid out, and answered questions in an informative, easy to understand way. R.C. Sproul is masterful at explaining answers to difficult questions.

Having this book in my library is quite valuable. It allows me access to sound theological and reasoned answers to many question that pop into my head. This is not meant to be a highly technical book, but of the more general question variety. It is very good at what it does. I would assume Sproul wrote this so he wouldn't have to answer so much mail on the same questions. So if you like the wit and wisdom of Sproul, I highly recommend this book. Not so much to read through, but for reference use. Especially if you question a lot and desire answers.

This is an excellent resource book for answering a lot of questions that are common to people struggling with spiritual and/or moral issues.

This is a book I give to Christians who are looking for many answers to the common troubling questions out there they are presented with by their unbelieving friends, or even their own selves.
This would be one of those books you'd like everybody in the church to read just to be better prepared and more confident in their faith.