Books And Reading
SGBC promotes the reading and distribution of God-honouring books -- that is, books which accurately reflect God's revelation of Himself and His work through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We desire non-believers to read books which will clearly describe their condition (as revealed by God in the Bible) and how Jesus Christ saves sinners by grace. We encourage believers to read books which build them up in the faith by the explanation and application of biblical truth.
To this end, the Church maintains the Sovereign Grace Book Ministry with a bookroom on the church premises so that visitors can purchase books and Bibles. We will also send books via the mails but have not ventured to set up a book-sellers website because of the multiplicity of websites where God-honouring books can be procured.
Here are a few books we recommend:
- Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices, by Thomas Brooks, 253 pp., is an excellent study of the methods Satan uses to hinder and attack Christians. Brooks also has lots of practical suggestions for spotting and withstanding these attacks.
- Holiness: It's Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, by J. C. Ryle, 333 pp., is a detailed study of spiritual growth and maturity. Ryle presents no quick and easy paths to growing in Christ, expect by the study and application of Biblical truth.
- How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, by Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart, 250 pp., is an excellent book to help pastors, scholars and all Christians with the interpretation of the different types of writing included in the 66 sections of the Bible. Everyone interprets the Bible -- even non-believers -- but Fee & Stuart show us biblical principles of interpretation which would help avoid error if known and applied.
- The Pilgrim's Progress [or, Christian's Journey from This World to the Next], by John Bunyan, 200 pp., is a classic in Christian literature. Written as an allegory of the Christian life, the story follows Christian from the City of Destruction on his journey to the Cross, and then on to the Celestial City. Though nearly 350 years old, the story is eternally applicable to the life and experience of every believer. You can get modern editions in today's English and editions "made simple" for children.
- Ultimate Questions, by John Blanchard, 32 pp., is a booklet which discusses human existence, God, sin as our breaking of God's law, the resultant penalty, the problem with human religion, and how a person can be forgiven and saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
- The Gospel as it Really is: Romans Simply Explained, by Stuart Olyott, 166 pp., is an easy-to-read commentary. Olyott gives an overview of Romans as well as explaining it verse-by-verse. Since Romans is a key book of the Bible, we recommend its study, and have found this book useful.
- A Consuming Fire: The Piety of Alexander Whyte, Michael Haykin, editor, 121 pp., is a compilation of writings of a Scottish pastor (1836-1921) who ministered in Edinburgh. Whyte's spiritual insight into things biblical is marked by deep, heart-felt love and reverence to God. Yet his thoughts are beneficial to any believer, and Haykin's notes help by explaining some of the historical context of the topics included.
- Principles of Conduct: Aspects of Biblical Ethics, by John Murray, 265 pp., is an important book for the grounding of believers in the biblical thinking and living. From the Eerdmans' edition cover: "There are ten chapters dealing with such important questions as marriage, labour, capital punishment, truth, law and grace. In all of these matters the attention of the reader is directed to the teaching of the Scriptures, especially the Ten Commandments, as the supreme authority in the whole sphere of Christian conduct. Professor Murray ... has commendable discernment."
- Studies in the Sermon of the Mount, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 660 pp., is a definitive analysis of Christ's sermon in Matthew 5-7. As in all of his writings, Lloyd-Jones is biblical, devotional, and practical: he does not falter when it comes to challenging believers to take seriously the teaching of the Saviour. He plumbs the depth of Christian living in the New Covenant. This may be the most heart-searching volume written in modern times.
We do not, of course, recommend all the books on any site but the larger, commonly consulted sites are:
- Sola-Scriptura.ca/
- Christianbook.com
- EvangelicalPress.org
- cvbbs.com (Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service)
- Chapters.Indigo.ca
- Amazon.com
- Amazon.ca
- ABEbooks.com is a good search engine for finding out-of-print books
If you have questions about these or other Christian literature, or if you would like us to recommend literature on specific topics, please do not hesitate to contact us.
In Christ,
Sovereign Grace Book Ministry
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