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.
