Book Review : 7 Biblical Truths You Won’t Hear In Church
On the weekend I read 7 Biblical Truths You Won’t Hear In Church by David Rich. And actually I have heard most of these biblical truths in church (with one notable exception, predestination). Towards the end of the book Rich says, “I simply want to shed light on truths that rarely get explored,” which is a valid summation of the book, but would be a lousy title.
So the 7 truths are these: God doesn’t grade on a curve (because God requires perfection); Dead people can’t help themselves (about predestination); The 10 commandments were not given to be kept (but rather given to led us to Christ); What you see in the mirror is not the real you (about our identity in Christ); Trying to live for Jesus will only frustrate you (because we trust not try); Prayer doesn’t change God’s mind (because God is Sovereign not prayer); God keeps Satan on a leach (since Satan has to ask God’s permission to do stuff).
I struggle with Rich’s thoughts on predestination though he did raise some interesting points. He uses the example of Lazarus and feels Lazarus had no choice when Jesus called him from the tomb. He quotes John 6:37 “all that the Father gives Me will come to Me.” But my understanding of true love is that it is given and received voluntarily and therefore we have a choice and a few verses later in John 6:40 we read, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.” Anyway I think I agreed with the other stuff in the book and he presents it in an interesting and down to earth way. It is quite a short book only 150 pages.
4 thoughts on “Book Review : 7 Biblical Truths You Won’t Hear In Church”
yeah, predestination is something i studied and even dabbled in believing for awhile. i won’t go into great lengths here, since it is such an expansive and nuanced subject, sufficeth to say that i don’t believe in predestination in the way that most “calvinists” would describe it.
our ideas about the cross and salvation seemt to be limited to our ideas about heaven and hell and who goes where. and i think that misses the scope of the gospel (i.e. the GOOD NEWS FOR ALL PEOPLE) entirely.
we already spent some time exfoliating Romans 9-11 earlier this year (another “predestination classic”), perhaps we will get to John.
Susan
i find it fun to dialogue with other thinking and creative and theological women, especially those in different countries and cultures.
What is wonderful is that in Christ we do have much to bond over and in addition over being writers, women,etc.
about the book on 7 rules. hmmm, some of them seemed somewhat simplistic and maybe they aren’t when you read the whole book. but the matter of predestination is not simplistic and putting it into a simplistic setting can distorg it.
I do believe i chose GOd because he first loved me. I do believe my heart was as dead as Lazuras until Jesus gave him (and me)life.
with that in mind, do i understand completely how i have choice, yet god chose me first? No, i believe that is where His thoughts are so above my thoughts.
The Lord is so gentle with His truths, not like some of us when we bulldoze people. I encourage you to read the Gospel of John with pre. in your mind and see where the Holy Spirt guides you.
Books relevant to subject: Packer’s, Knowing GOd and Evangelism and the Soverienty of God, any of Joni Ericson Tada’s books. The one that helped me the most was Redemption, Accomplished and Applied. This one is not as light weight but John Murray has a beautiful grasp of the English Language and does service so well in glorifying GOd in his writings.
Thanks for letting me comment. I also critique and do book reviews often. I’ll post one on Radical Hospitality on my blog…acovenant woman.blogspot.com
Cathryn
I skimmed through the book recently. I enjoy reading books that challenge me. Some good stuff there. If I'm not mistaken predestination has nothing to do with salvation. It has to do with people who have been saved. Their sins are forgiven, they are indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit, baptized into the body of Christ and predestined to be conformed to His image. When talking about the elect are you referring to Jesus (Isaiah 42:1), the nation of Israel (Isaiah 45:4) or Christians (1 Peter 1:2)? Exactly what is spiritual death. In Revelation 20 we see the second death. If Revelation 20 is describing the second death, then what is the first death? It is physical death. Then what is spiritual death? The Bible doesn't say. Our sins do separate us from God, but is that spiritual death? Our total being (body, soul, and spirit) are separated from God; not just our spirits.
If you truly believe that salvation comes before belief then you will be forced to arrive at one of two conclusions. By saying salvation comes before belief you are saying God chooses who will be saved since man can't do anything to be saved. The first conclusion would be universalism. After all if its up to God who will be saved and God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Timothy 2:4) then all will be saved! Or if God only chooses certain ones and not the others then you have Calvinism.
~craig
Hi Craig, Thanks for dropping by. It's been over 3 years since I read this book and I've since given the book away. So I can't check up on exactly what I disagree with in regard to predestination.
Interestingly enough I was reading something recently which made me think that God has predestined the church in the same way he predestined Israel. This would fit in with your remark: predestination has nothing to do with salvation..
The churches I have attended over the years have not spent much time discussing predestination. Consequently I haven't spent much time thinking about it.
The point I was making in this book review and still believe is that true love is given and received voluntarily. Therefore God gives us a choice, would you agree?
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