Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion

The Proper Use of a Study Bible

I was recently given the The ESV Study Bible as a gift for graduating seminary. Finding solid resources for Bible study is one of the things that you inherently learn as a seminarian. You learn which scholars are well learned on certain aspects and books within the cannon of Scripture, thus you turn to those men for wisdom when it comes to their area of expertise. This is where the ESV study Bible surpasses other resources similar to it.

The 2750 pages represented are a massive resource for personal Bible study. Under the direction of Theologian Wayne Grudem, the scholars who contributed to this study Bible have blended practical application with deep theological reflection in a way that is helpful to the layperson, learned Bible teacher, and even Bible scholar.

Even with all my excitement for such a wonderful resource, I think Dr. Al Mohler provides us with a healthy reminder in his article titled “How should a study Bible be used?”

Mohler writes;

“1. Read the text of the Bible first. Meditate upon the text and read it with care. Apply your own knowledge of the Bible in order to understand the particular text within its context and place in the biblical story-line. Consider and note other texts that come to your mind as directly related to this text. Read the text with full attention and conviction.

2. Look carefully at the cross-references that the study Bible links to the text you are reading. Do not look only to the citations, but read the actual passages. This assistance is still the main contribution of a study Bible — making related and parallel passages more accessible. A first principle of interpreting the Bible is to interpret the Bible by the Bible. In other words, to allow the Bible to interpret itself text by text.

3. As a third step, take full advantage of the notes, articles, and other helps printed alongside the text. In some cases, short articles will help in understanding contested issues or matters that might otherwise require a Bible dictionary or encyclopedia. Where appropriate, maps can be very useful, along with tables of measurement and similar points of reference. The very best of the study Bibles will also offer some level of commentary within the notes.

Of course, it is the Bible itself that is inspired, inerrant, and infallible — not the study materials included in study Bibles. Therefore, judge the notes by the biblical text, and never the other way around. Where possible, use more than one study Bible in order to maximize this learning process.”

To read the whole thing, click here.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, Thoughts

Salvation among the Unevangelized? A Theological Reflection.

Andreas J. Köstenberger, a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary just published a blog post on the possibility of salvation among those who are unevangelised.

Drawing from Daniel Strange’s work, he puts these people in four different categories;

1.) Children who died in infancy and those mentally unable to respond to the gospel.
2.) Those who lived prior to the time of Christ and thus before the formulation known as “the gospel.”
3.) Those who have been presented with a less-than-adequate version of the gospel.
4.) Those who have not received a presentation of the gospel, such as because they lived in a geographically remote area.

Köstenberger does not deal with the first question, he argues that it “is not directly addressed in Scripture.” He continues, “regarding individuals in the other three categories, we may draw…conclusions from our study of the gospel in the Old Testament, the Gospels, the book of Acts, Paul, and the rest of the New Testament.”

1) The gospel is God’s saving message to a world living in darkness and a humanity lost in its sin. The gospel is not a human message, nor was its conception a function of human initiative, but its origin and its impetus derive solely from God.

(2) Acceptance of the gospel is not optional for salvation but rather required, owing to pervasive human sinfulness.

3) The gospel is not vaguely theological, as if it were amenable to various ways of salvation depending on a person’s belief in a particular kind of god, or depending on the degree to which people were able to hear the gospel presented in a clear way; it is decidedly and concretely Christological, that is, centered on the salvation provided through the vicarious cross-death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(4) The messianic motif pervading all of Scripture and centering in the Lord Jesus Christ coupled with the risen Jesus’ “Great Commission” for his followers to go and disciple the nations inextricably link an understanding of the gospel as the exclusive message of salvation in Jesus Christ with the Church’s mandate to engage in missionary outreach.

5) In light of the clear biblical passages examined above, and in light of the strong and pervasive trajectory of references to the gospel throughout Scripture, there seems no proper biblical foundation on which to argue for the salvation of anyone on a basis other than explicit faith in Jesus Christ.

Click here to read the whole thing!

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion

The Benefits of Expository Preaching

This past semester I took a class on Bible Exposition (a method of preaching/teaching the Bible). When teaching through the Bible, it seems that systematically moving through its books has many benefits,

Below is D.A. Carson‘s list of the benefits to expository preaching/teaching;

1.    Least likely strays from Scripture.
2.    Teaches people how to read and study their Bibles.
3.    Gives confidence to the preacher and authorizes his sermon.
4.    Meets the need for relevance without letting the clamor for relevance dictate the message.
5.    Disciplines the preacher to preach through tough texts of God’s word.
6.    Enables the preacher to expound systematically through the whole counsel of God.
7.    Provides a balanced diet and helps avoid ‘hobby horse’ preaching.
8.    Eliminates ‘Saturday night fever’ and helps with a planning program.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term ‘expository preaching’, it is basically “the communication of a Biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of the passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality of the preacher, then through him to his hearers.” (Haddon Robinson)

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion

Thoughts on the History and Proper Use of ‘Altar Calls’

I began thinking about the ‘altar call’ as I read Iain Murray’s book ‘Revival and Revivalism’. Andy Naselli also stirred my interest with his blog post on the subject. Then last week we discussed the topic of ‘invitations’ in a Bible Exposition lecture. So I decided to work through the history and thought behind altar calls, and here is what I found…

A Brief History of the Altar Call

If one were to study ecclesiological history it would be noticed that the ‘altar call/invitation’  is somewhat of a new fixture in church practice. This procedure grew out of the camp meeting strategy of the early 1800’s. For many denominations the camp meeting strategy (organizing mass meetings for the purpose of evangelism) was seen as a very effective part of spreading the Gospel message. But one of the understandable, yet questionable  concerns of the churchmen in this movement was ‘obtaining knowledge of the number of conversions in these large crowds’. Iain Murray observes that these men saw response methods like altar calls valuable because “if the response to gospel preaching could be made instantly visible, there would be a far readier way of assessing success.”  The altar call grew out of these desires. It all began in the Methodist church, “the innovation of inviting ‘mourners’ to come to the front, metaphorically, ‘to the altar ’”  to repent and believe. Church historian Iain Murray writes that;

“The initial justification for the new practice was that by bringing individuals to identify themselves publicly it was possible for them to be prayed with and to be given instruction.”  Nobody, at first, claimed to regard it was a means of conversion. But very soon, and inevitably, answering the call to the altar came to be confused with being converted. People heard preachers plead for them to come forward with the same urgency with which they pleaded for them to repent and believe.”

There was an encouragement for physical response because “the numbers who made a public response were held up as unanswerable proof”  of the work that God was doing. For many of these evangelists the call to ‘come forward’ was sealed with a virtual promise of God’s peace if the people responded. While the altar call was little known before the 1820’s William McLouhlin writes, “after 1835 it was an indispensable fixture of modern revivals.”  It is now a permanent fixture in many American churches.

The Theological Foundations that Led to the Practice of Altar Calls

For those of the Arminian theology “results could be multiplied, even guaranteed” with the use of altar calls…and “the use of techniques” lead to an overall confusion about the real meaning of conversion.”  For many in the Second Great Awakening the doctrines of grace were seen as a hindrance to effective evangelistic efforts. It was the Methodist’s in particular who held that the “idea that men cannot repent and believe unless they have the ability to do so seemed logical and reasonable.”  In fact one Calvinistic preacher, William M’Gready recalled his encounters with Methodists in 1809 as follows, “as I lodged with some of them I found that their preachers had told them that the Calvinistic doctrines just taught that men were like passive machines bound in unalterable fate by the absolute decrees of God.”  The logic followed that ‘if the doctrine of mans sinful nature, thus his inability to respond, is removed from the evangelistic method, then faith and regeneration would be seen as simple and an immediate response would be made more likely.

Charles Finney, often heralded as the ‘father of altar calls’, was “convinced that ministers could produce revival by using the right methods.”  For Finney the altar call was “necessary to bring sinners out from among the mass of ungodly to a public renunciation of their sinful ways.”  Finney went as far to proclaim that “Christians were to blame if there was no revival, for God had placed the Spirit at your disposal.”  In other words, altar calls were seen as a means to secure a response, a visual proof that something could be done at once. Clearly, ones theology and ones beliefs about conversion have direct and implicit impact on how one views altar calls. Murray observed;

“If conversion is nothing more than the moment the sinner, employing that [the Holy Spirit’s] aid, yields to the truth and makes his decision, and if there are measures such as the altar call to induce it, then certainly, the church is to be blamed if she does not achieve conversions and revivals.”

But, it is important to point out the underlying theological assumption behind such beliefs in ‘what’ the altar call was purposed for. For Finney, the essential component of conversion was ‘moving the will’ of men and women to respond. This was the central problem of man for Finney, his will, not that he had been born in a sinful state. Murray quotes Gardiner Spring;

“Men were instructed that all that is necessary in order to become Christians is to resolve to become Christians…It was the teaching that the renovation of the heart, instead of being the work of the Holy Spirit, is the creatures work.”

Therefore, the resolution to be converted became signified as a public action like ‘coming forward’ or ‘kneeling at the altar’. But for many who responded in such a way, there was an essential confusion, or should I say fusion between the external act and the inward change. These practices grew out of the robust Armenian theology that dominated the Second Great Awakening. In contrast, the First Great Awakening could be caricatured with evangelists of the Calvinistic persuasion. For these men, “conversion was much more a process by which the sovereign God brought salvation to the depraved and helpless sinner.”  Mark Dever is exactly right when he observes that “the way we understand the Gospel will inform the way we do evangelism.”

Some of the Arguments against ‘Altar Calls’

First, some would argue that the ‘call for a public response’ inevitably leads to confusion between the external act and the inward spiritual change. The rational behind this argument calls to attention that encouragement to ‘come forward’ and ‘become a Christian’ were so closely related that they were “virtually identical. The hearer was given the impression that answering the public appeal was crucial because salvation depended on that decision.”

Secondly, there was an inevitable concern for those who ‘come forward’ and experience no saving grace and continue in life with false assurance. In the most critical cases, this type of practice has the potential to produce “rapid multiplication of superficial, ignorant, untrained professors of religion.”  It is supposed that ‘spiritual unction’ leads people to ‘come forward.’ This may not always be the case, a physical response can be secured for different reasons altogether, such as emotionalism or even pride.

Thirdly, “altar call evangelism not only confused regeneration and faith but it also confused the biblical doctrine of assurance. When people were told that all that was needed to be save was an act of the will…willingness was ‘proved’ by a public response, assurance of salvation tended to be seen as an automatic consequence.”  The strength of such practices was tied to the response itself, and it was the response to ‘come forward’ that gave a point of proof for assurance.

Concluding Thoughts

Some would completely dismiss the use of altar calls as nothing more than an ‘organized response to religious excitement.’ The caution is heeded, “these methods…became linked inseparably to the weekly liturgy of Protestant worship. No service was concluded without an appeal to public decision. So important was this new symbol, that evangelical conversion itself is often described in the language of…’walking the isle’ or ‘coming forward’.”

It could also be argued that the establishment of ‘altar calls’ arose from the best of motives even though they were the result of a theology that diametrically opposed human responsibility against God’s sovereignty in the work of salvation. “Certainly, they” (Those in the Second Great Awakening) rightly “taught the immediate responsibility of every soul to repent and believe in the Gospel,”  but their methods reflected an unbalanced view of God’s work in salvation and human response.

I would agree with Mark Dever here, “every time we present the Gospel, whether in a public church gathering on Sunday or in a private conversation during the week, we need to invite people to repent and believe in the Gospel, if our presentation of the Good News is to be complete. What good is the Good News if I’m never told how I should respond to it or what I need to do about it?”

But I would add, in reference to altar calls, we need to be absolutely clear on what the ‘altar call’ is, and what it is not! “If we allow ambiguity on this point we are actually helping deceive people about their own spiritual state by encouraging them to be assured of their own salvation when they may not have genuinely repented and believed at all.”  The invitation is not a “gimmick to catch souls, a magical charm to ensure results, or a ritual to confirm orthodoxy.”  We are not to ‘coax or threat’  people into making a decision, we are to preach the gospel faithfully, “trying to persuade but knowing that we cannot convert. ” The Gospel, by its very nature calls for a response. Therefore we should invite people to respond, but understand that it is God who ultimately saves.

Resources Used and Quoted

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion

Mark Driscoll on ‘The Worthless Church’

Here is a good quote from Mark Driscoll‘s book ‘Confessions of a Reformission Rev.’;

“Being cool, having good music, understanding postmodern epistemology, and welcoming all kinds of strange people into the church is essentially worthless if at the bedrock of the church anything other than a rigorous Jesus centered biblical theology guides the mission of the church.” (Confessions of a Reformission Rev.; page 78)

Here is a link to his blog.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion

On ‘The Altar Call’

Douglas Sweeney and Mark Rodgers recently wrote a good brief history of the ‘altar call’ for Christianity Today. I have quoted the article in this post;

If you have ever attended an evangelistic church you (more than likely) have experienced the ‘invitation’, when the pastor calls for a response. I think it is interesting to know the history of altar call, how it was popularized by frontier camp meetings and Charles Finney’s “anxious bench,” and later became on of the evangelistic staples of American church. There is much debate over the proper use of altar calls among theologians. At the very least, I thought I would bring the topic up, with some follow up post’s to come.

At first, the altar call was used as an efficient way to gather spiritually interested people together for counseling after a sermon. In the early camp meetings, which were organized mass meetings for the purpose of evangelism, ministers used an “invitation to the altar” as a visible way to measure people’s response to their message. It was Charles Finney however, who “did more than anyone to establish altar calls as an accepted and popular practice in American evangelicalism.” According to Finney, the altar call was a very persuasive tool to move the human will. ”

Sweeney writes, “Iain Murray describes many opponents of the altar call who “alleged that the call for a public ‘response’ confused an external act with an inward spiritual change.” Moreover, Murray says, the altar call effectively “institute[d] a condition of salvation which Christ never appointed.” Critics argued that altar-call evangelism resulted in false assurance, as a high percentage of those who went forward to “receive Christ” soon fell away.”

This is a good introduction to the discussion. I will follow up with some thoughts later. Click here to read the whole article.

Also, see Andy Naselli.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Philosophy, Religion

Church History Teasers (Part 5): Anselm’s ‘Proslogion’

Brief Outline of the ‘Proslogion’ by Anselm of Canterbury

Preface
Anselm’s purpose for writing Proslogion is to find “a single argument which would require no other proof than itself alone…to demonstrate that God truly exists.”

Chapter’s I – XXVI
The argument starts with a statement that man was created to see God, that man has an innate hunger to know his creator. This hunger exists because man was created with implanted ‘understanding’ that God exists, even though the fool argues that God does not exist. Anselm argues that all men , if honest, must admit that there is something, ontologically, “which nothing greater can be conceived to exist.” For this reason God cannot even be “conceived not to exist.” To prove this statement Anselm calls to attention the presence of good in ascending degrees of goodness, which ultimately leads to a supreme good, or source of all other goods, which is God. For all things can be traced back to the existence of God, since “they cannot exist at all without” God.

On Behalf Of The Fool– An Answer to Anselm’s Argument By Gaunilo
Gaunilo replies to Anselm by making a distinction between the ‘real object’ and the ‘understanding’. He argues that “the real object is one thing, and the understanding itself, by which the object is grasped, is another.” He then calls for a proof, beyond his own assumptions that this object truly does exist. Gaunilo likens Anselm’s argument that although one can imagine the most beautiful island it does not prove that such an island actually exists.

In Reply To Gaunilo’s Answer– In behalf of the fool
In answering this objection Anselm applied Gaunilo’s logic to any other object of understanding in creation and argues that “if it can be conceived at all, it must exist” in some sense or another. Anselm makes the distinction between that which exists, and that which is necessary for all other things to exist. He argues that “using the lesser good to the greater” argument, we can form a considerable notion of a being than which greater is inconceivable.” For Anselm the scripture attest to this line of logic in Romans 1:20, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Key Quote
“Teach me to seek you, and reveal thyself to me, when I seek you, for I cannot seek you, except you teach me, nor find you, except you reveal thyself. Let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find you in love, and love you in finding. Lord, I acknowledge and I thank you that you have created me in this thine image, in order that I may be mindful of you, may conceive of you, and love you; but that image has been so consumed and wasted away by vices, and obscured by the smoke of wrong doing, that it cannot achieve that for which it was made, except you renew it, and create it anew. I do not endeavor, O Lord, to penetrate your sublimity, for in no wise do I compare my understanding with that; but I long to understand in some degree your truth, which my heart believes and loves. For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe,   that unless I believed, I should not understand.”

In many ways Anselm’s Proslogion is a philosophical devotional. To adapt the words of C.S. Lewis, ‘hard doctrine or philosophical theology are often more helpful in devotion than the modern idea of devotional readings’. Proslogion is more a philosophical work than a devotional, but has devotional value for the Christian thinker.

In short, Anselm sought to provide one argument for the existence of God that required no other proof beyond the argument itself. The end result was what has now come to be known as a classical example of the ontological argument. Proslogion is truly a good model, within certain boundaries, of ‘faith seeking understanding’, or an ‘example of meditation on the grounds of faith.’

Anselm’s argument style is philosophical, in that he attempts to argue proof of God from following the rules of logic. The devotional qualities are obvious from the preface, Anselm calls the reader to cast aside all other cares and “enter the inner chamber of your mind; shut out all thoughts save that of God…and seek him.” Anselm’s heart is clear, “let me seek you in longing, let me long for you in seeking; let me find you in love, let me love you in finding.” For Anselm, “there is…so truly a being than which nothing greater can be conceived to exist, that it cannot even be conceived not to exist; and this being you are, O Lord, our God”, and “no one who understands what God is can conceive that God does not exist.” Anselm attempts to prove that all men understand that God exists, whether they acknowledge it or not.

It seems well to mention the only boundary that this author might add to sober Anselm’s argument. One must never assume that reason is neutral, reason has, like all other things, been devastated by sin. Therefore, it is not by reason alone that one may truly find God. While reason may point to God, Romans 1:20, it may never remove the separation caused by sin. Gaunilo argued this in his response to Anselm, “for it should be proved first that this being itself really exists somewhere” beyond mere “hypothesis.” Yet Gaunilo may over step his argument by qualifying the former statement in adding that the existence of such a being must be proved “to such a degree that it cannot be conceived not to exist.” Again, some might argue that both writers are resting their final arguments on reason alone, and ‘proofs’ that demand such belief. At the very least, these arguments can bring an atheist to an agnostic position.

The philosophical elements of this work are well balanced with devotional overtones. Anselm writes at the end of the first letter, “I pray, O God, to know you, to love you, that I may rejoice in you. And if I cannot attain to full joy in this life may I at least advance from day to day, until that joy shall come to the full. Let the knowledge of you advance in me here, and there be made full. Let the love of you increase, and there let it be full, that here my joy may be great in hope, and there full in truth.” While this work is heavy philosophically it is not devoid of devotional elements. Proslogion is, literally, a philosophical discourse on the existence of God. While Anselm himself acknowledges that his “understanding cannot reach” God alone, he does illustrate the use of reasoning in removing the intellectual walls that hinder one from acknowledging the existence of God.

When read alongside of Romans 1, Anselm has provided a good example of philosophical reasoning; in that ‘being’ points to the existence of something greater, the Supreme Being, namely God.

Part 1: Tertullian’s Apology

Part 2: Athanasius ‘On the Incarnation’

Part 3: Saint Benedict ‘The Rule’

Part 4: Gregory’s ‘Pastoral Rule’

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Media and Technology, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, Thoughts

The Freedom of Choice Act

The issue of abortion, and the issues surrounding abortion have been at the heart of many pro-life advocates for the past few months. I thought I would pass on this blog post from Justin Taylor,

“Consider signing the Fight FOCA [Freedom of Choice Act] Petition.

No matter your political persuasion or feeling on the role of politics, it’s a simple thing you can do to help fight against this legislation, which would:

eradicate state and federal laws that the majority of Americans support, such as:

  • Bans on Partial Birth Abortion
  • Requirements that women be given information about the risks of getting an abortion
  • Only licensed physicians can perform abortions
  • Parents must be informed and give consent to their minor daughter’s abortion

FOCA would erase these laws and prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future.”

For more background information on the Freedom of Choice Act, please see his post here.

To sign the petition, CLICK HERE

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Philosophy, Religion

Beauty and the Existence of God

I came across a post of interest on “The Scriptorium Daily” this morning. One of the subjects that I enjoy studying is beauty, and its relationship to theology (Click Here).

The post was written by John Mark Reynolds, who is the founder and director of the Torrey Honors Institute, and Associate Professor of Philosophy, at Biola University. In 1996 he received his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Rochester.

The post deals with “Beauty and the Existence of God.” Here is an excerpt;

“The existence of beauty suggests that a God exists and that He is good. It is not a sufficient proof for the existence of God by itself, but a confirmation of His existence to those with other reasons and personal experiences that suggest His reality.”

Click here to read the whole thing.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion

John Piper: ‘Let the Nations Be Glad’

I recently finished reading John Piper‘s book ‘Let the Nations Be Glad’. I thought I would share the main point of the book and its strengths. The central thesis of John Piper’s book “Let the Nations Be Glad” is very clear in the first chapter. Piper writes; “missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. In fact “missions exists because worship doesn’t”, therefore “worship is the fuel and goal of missions”.

Piper rightly argues that Christian missions are the means that bring about true worship. The central theological theme of this book is that God’s desire for people to glorify Him as their highest treasure motivates the Christian’s desire to see God glorified. Piper writes, “the ultimate foundation for our passion to see God glorified is his own passion to be glorified”. Piper rightly perceives how this idea might be misconceived and argues that it is not megalomania for God to desire His own glory. This gets into the missional theme of the book, when humanity begins to recognize “true value for what it is and…enjoy it in proportion to its true worth” they experience true satisfaction. Since God is of supreme value we should desire that all men know and worship Him for their ultimate satisfaction. The essence of worship is “the experience of being satisfied with God in Christ”. Therefore, we should aim “all we do to maximize our satisfaction in God”, because “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him”, and we should also labor in order that others would experience this satisfaction. So it is this zeal “for the glory of God that motivates world missions”.

When it comes to the task of missions this means ‘liberation’, the simple “fact is that the message we take to the frontiers is that people everywhere should seek their own best interest”. But this liberating mission comes at a cost, and it’s often hard, “missions and ministry are war”. Piper gives the sober reminder that times of war often leave loss. Yet there is hope in “loss and suffering”, when joyfully accepted for the Kingdom of God, they “show the supremacy of God’s glory more clearly in the world than worship or prayer”.

Piper rightly brings this difficult task into perspective with prayer proclaiming that it “is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission”. While Satan’s aim is that no one would be saved, “the purpose of prayer is to make clear to all the participants in this war that the victory belongs to the Lord”. And when we pray, we are asking “God to do for us through Christ what we can’t do for ourselves- bear fruit”. Piper also makes an important distinction in saying that the work of missions is “the proclamation of the gospel in word and deed”, with the aim of bringing “about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all nations”. He argues that God’s will is “that every people group be reached with the testimony of Christ and that a people be called out for his name from all the nations”.

Furthermore, the passion of missions “is to honor the glory of God by restoring the rightful place of God in the hearts of people who presently think, feel, and act in ways that dishonor God every day, and in particular, to do this by bringing forth a worshiping people from among all the un-reached people of the world”. Piper then concludes that the motive for missions is “mercy for man and glory for God”, which is one coherent goal.

John Piper provides a steady diet of ‘theocentric’ arguments in all of his books, and this one is no exception. Piper seems to always draw a clear line in the sand and call for a radical response. He writes to inspire “generations of world Christians who are willing to lay down their lives to make the nations glad in the glory of God through Jesus Christ”. One of the crucial strengths of this book is the absolute necessity of the Gospel to the central thesis. Without a devoted stance on the Gospel this book would make no sense, it is the “saving faith…coming to Jesus for the satisfaction of your soul thirst” that provides foundation for all of Piper’s arguments. The gospel is not only the foundation, but the persuasion behind this book, “God’s goal to be glorified will not succeed without the powerful proclamation of the gospel”. Let the Nations Be Glad is refreshing in a market full of books that teach technique, and strategy. This book is loaded with scripture! The biblical and theological arguments that thread through this work give it a timeless value, and while this work is timeless it is also timely. Piper does not neglect the critical issues facing the church today such as materialism, annihilationism, and universalism.