All of Grace
| C.H. Spurgeon
An Earnest Word With Those Seeking Salvation
This is up there in one of my all-time favourites. Spurgeon, undoubtedly one of the greatest preachers in Christianity lays a solid foundation for salvation by grace and grace alone, he articulates it so well that anyone would follow his argument. It is a sound biblical analysis on the sufficiency of the atonement of Christ's sacrifice and what it accomplished on our behalf by means of pure undeserved grace.
Pros
Spurgeon presents his point in a very logical manner that is easy to follow and his thoughts aren’t scattered but rather he ties together all the threads. One of the things I Loved the most about this book is that it does not give you some 5 step plan to assurance, but rather it expounds on the doctrine of redemption and is heavily reliant on scripture to affirm it. It leaves one with only one place to go and creates a dependency on Christ.
“Faith is the tongue that begs pardon, the hand that receives it and the eye which sees it; but it is not the price which buys it. “
Another great thing about this book is that from the outset, chapters which may sound very simplistic and basic are illuminated in such detail through Spurgeon's exceptional ability to use metaphors and analogies to highlight the beauty and profound impact in the simplest of truths.
Cons
There are two possible drawbacks, firstly that Reformed theological thinking permeates forth from the pages and therefore less reformed thinkers are unlikely to find Spurgeon's Doctrines of Grace as engaging as contemporary preaching.
Secondly, the journey ends too quickly and leaves you wanting more. It’s a quick read and I recommend dwelling and meditating on the impact that these timely truths can have on us rather than storming through the book in one sitting. Yes, one sitting! It’s that good a read that you may be tempted not to put it down.
Conclusion & TYB Rating
Overall this is a great book and will be in my treasure chest for some time. Great for new believers, it sets a foundation for their reliance on Christ; and for seasoned religious folk, as a timely reminder not to be drawn into the perils of works based religiosity. Written in the 19th century and yet still its truths are as timely as ever.
It’s a must read! TYB Rating 4.5/5 stars.
book review by mike els