"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." - Heb. 12:28-29.
The Scripture verses above and the great hymn by John Newton, "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken", inspired Westminster Seminary professor K. Scott Oliphint and RUF national campus ministry coordinator Rod Mays to write this book: Things That Cannot Be Shaken: Holding Fast to Your Faith in a Relativistic World. Their purpose in writing it, as a recent interview states it, "is to put an easy and concise read into the hands of young (or older) men and women struggling with the issues of authority and purpose, or who find themselves serving in an environment where questions about authority and purpose are prevalent in daily conversations and circumstances."
In the book itself, the authors state that they are concerned that "there seems to be a significant gap in the ability of most today to synthesize the truth of the Bible with what we see around us. Because of this inability, the Bible is reduced to the level of helpful personal advice and inspirational thought." (pp. 19).
It is hard to categorize this book, but it is best described as an attempt to strengthen all believers in their trust and confidence in God, His Word, and His provision for His people. There are only five chapters, each deriving their titles from lines from Newton's hymn. And the chapters also build on one another to show the power of the Gospel for us today, and tries to answer the questions that many believers wrestle with in their hearts. Is Christianity true and is God's word really a valid source of authority? If it is true, how do we apply it to our lives and can it make a difference? What does God have to do with my relationships? For each question, the authors apply Biblical answers and compelling arguments to challenge our default (and sinful) patterns of thinking and behavior.
There were at least three areas in which I thought this book was very helpful. First, their dealing with the issue of truth or authority: "People seem either to believe that truth is what makes them feel good and works best with their experience...or that truth is what makes sense to them objectively and intellectually." (pp. 20). The authors clearly show the errors and failures of these two options and point the reader instead to the authority of Christ and His Word.
The second excellent area is in their dealing with our "felt needs": "The essential human components of mind, emotion, and will were deadened by the fall. Therefore, if we remain in our sins and apart from Christ, it is impossible for us to think correctly--about God or about ourselves. We set our affections on the wrong things in an effort to enhance our lives with fulfilling relationships and enjoyable things and circumstances. Pleasing self, in an effort to find peace and happiness, is both the default mode of the human condition (after the fall) as well as its driving, conscious force. In seeking to meet all our felt needs, all the while ignoring or misdiagnosing our unfelt needs, we inevitably turn to perverse and damaging solutions." (pp. 49). Having described our natural problem in seeking what "we want", they then remind us of God's solution..."The gospel reminds us that true satisfaction will not be found by fulfilling our true desires by means of `finding ourselves' and then meeting our needs by our own efforts...We only come to recognize the real need for living water when Jesus brings it to our attention." (pp. 67).
The third area that I thought was very helpful was the Biblical concept of `spiritual amnesia' - forgetting the true and important things of God, and allowing other false beliefs to guide us. The Bible frequently commands us to remember, this book reminds us why it is necessary! "Spiritual amnesia, by definition, looks to nothing permanent. It satisfies itself with `the fleeting pleasures of sin.' ...It has no view to the end; it does not look to the reward. It is willing to exchange immediate pleasure for postponed pain. It is a spiritual malady that can only end, like Israel, with death in the wilderness and no hope for the Promised Land." (pp. 136).
I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to strengthen their faith, be reminded of what is true and why it matters, or who just wants a reminder of the true joys that faith in Christ promise and provide.
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