This is an attractive and inviting little book. I’m looking forward to reading it soon.
Watch the book trailer below. If you’re interested, take a test drive and read chapter one of the book! Learn more at Tyndale.com.
Author: Bob Hayton
I am a graduate of a conservative independent fundamental Bapist college who has discovered new life in Reformed Theology. This blog is where I chronicle my journey out of extreme fundamentalism (IFBx) while discussing the shortfalls of fundamentalism and the strengths of Calvinism. I'm under no illusion that I might transform fundamentalism, but I hope to share my struggles and discoveries with others who might benefit from my journey.
Quotes to Note 37: A.W. Pink on God’s Patience
I am helping to teach an adult Sunday School series on God’s attributes. Each week we are gathering excerpts from systematic theologies or other books, as a reading for those who wish to study the next week’s topic out further in advance. One of the recent excerpts I found was from A.W. Pink on God’s patience. The section quoted below, is from his short book The Attributes of God (available online). I found this concept helpful in understanding and appreciating God’s incredible patience in a new light.
Stephen Charnock, the Puritan, defines God’s patience, in part, thus:
It is part of the divine goodness and mercy, yet differs from both. God being the greatest goodness, hath the greatest mildness; mildness is always the companion of true goodness, and the greater the goodness, the greater the mildness. Who so holy as Christ, and who so meek? God’s slowness to anger is a branch…from His mercy: “The Lord is full of compassion, slow to anger” (Psa 145:8). It differs from mercy in the formal consideration of the object: mercy respects the creature as miserable, patience respects the creature as criminal; mercy pities him in his misery, and patience bears with the sin which engendered the misery, and is giving birth to more.Personally, we would define the divine patience as that power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forbear so long in punishing them. In Nahum 1:3 we read, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,” upon which Mr. Charnock said:
Men that are great in the world are quick in passion, and are not so ready to forgive an injury, or bear with an offender, as one of a meaner rank. It is a want of power over that man’s self that makes him do unbecoming things upon a provocation. A prince that can bridle his passions is a king over himself as well as over his subjects. God is slow to anger because great in power. He has no less power over Himself than over His creatures.It is at the above point, we think, that God’s patience is most clearly distinguished from His mercy. Though the creature is benefited thereby, the patience of God chiefly respects Himself, a restraint placed upon His acts by His will; whereas His mercy terminates wholly upon the creature. The patience of God is that excellency which causes Him to sustain great injuries without immediately avenging Himself. He has a power of patience as well as a power of justice. Thus the Hebrew word for the divine longsuffering is rendered “slow to anger” in Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 103:8, etc. Not that there are any passions in the divine nature, but that God’s wisdom and will is pleased to act with that stateliness and sobriety which is becoming to His exalted majesty.
In support of our definition above let us point out that it was to this excellency in the divine character that Moses appealed, when Israel sinned so grievously at Kadesh-Barnea, and there provoked Jehovah so sorely. Unto His servant the Lord said, “I will smite them with the pestilence and disinherit them.” Then it was that the mediator Moses, as a type of the Christ to come, pleaded, “I beseech Thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken saying, The LORD is longsuffering” (Num 14:17). Thus, His “longsuffering” is His “power” of self-restraint.
Again, in Romans 9:22 we read, “What if God, willing to shew His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.” Were God to immediately break these reprobate vessels into pieces, His power of self-control would not so eminently appear; by bearing with their wickedness and forbearing punishment so long, the power of His patience is gloriously demonstrated. True, the wicked interpret His longsuffering quite differently—”Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Eccl 8:11)—but the anointed eye adores what they abuse.
“The God of patience” (Rom 15:5) is one of the divine titles. Deity is thus denominated, first, because God is both the Author and Object of the grace of patience in the saint. Secondly, because this is what He is in Himself: patience is one of His perfections. Thirdly, as a pattern for us: “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col 3:12). And again, “Be ye therefore followers [emulators] of God, as dear children” (Eph 5:1). When tempted to be disgusted at the dullness of another, or to be revenged on one who has wronged you, call to remembrance God’s infinite patience and longsuffering with yourself.
Free eBook Alert! “Crucial Questions” series by R.C. Sproul, Free on Kindle
Free book alert! You can get the entire “Crucial Questions” series of booklets by R.C. Sproul today on Kindle for free. There are 17 books in all, averaging 60+ pages each. I’m sure this deal is for a limited time only.
Here is a list of all the books with info from Ligonier Ministries, and here is a link to an Amazon search with all 17 books listed. The books are also available free for Logos, or direct from the Ligonier Ministries website.
St. Patrick and the Conversion of Two Irish Maidens
I have always been intrigued by St. Patrick. He is the missionary responsible for the conversion of many in Ireland. Legends and myths have certainly sprung up regarding him, but there is a kernel of truth, and I would expect that many of the miracles attributed to him happened in one form or another as God’s witness to the power of the gospel in that dark land.
I like to read something about or by Patrick on St. Patrick’s Day, and today I read through most of the earliest account we possess of Patrick, written in the 7th Century. In it I found an amazing tale of Patrick’s conversion of two beautiful Irish maidens. The following is from the Memoir of Patrick by Tirechan, also known as the “Book of Armagh”. I’m using this English translation.
This account is interesting due to seeing Patrick’s confession about who God is.
Chapter 19: (1) Holy Patrick, then, crossed the bed of the river Shannon at the Ford of the Two Birds, making for Mag Aí. When the druids of Loíguire son of Níall, Máel and Capitolauium, who brought up the two daughters of Loíguire, fair-haired Ethne and red-haired Fedelm, heard about this,(2) fearing that these (maidens) might make the ways of the holy man their own, they grew very angry and brought the darkness of night and dense fogs over the whole of Mag Aí. (3) We do not know by whose power this was (done), but we do know that this night lasted for three days and as many nights.(4) The holy men went on a fast of three days and three nights, and with a hundred prayers and constant genuflections besought God, the King of kings, and all the magical evil disappeared from Mag Aí, and he said: ‘Thanks be to God.'(5) And he went through the bed of the river Shannon that is called Bandea to Dume Gráid, where Patrick ordained holy Ailbe a priest, and pointed out to him a marvellous stone altar on the mountain of the Uí Ailello, because he was among the Uí Aillelo, and he baptized holy Maneus, whom bishop Brón son of Icne, a servant of God (and) companion of Patrick, ordained.
Chapter 26: (1) Then holy Patrick came to the well called Clébach, on the slopes of Cruachu to the east, before sunrise, and they sat beside the well, (2) and, behold, the two daughters of king Loíguire, fair-haired Ethne and red-haired Fedelm, came to the well, as women are wont to do, in the morning to wash, and they found the holy assembly of bishops with Patrick beside the well.(3) And they did not know whence they were or of what shape or from what people or from what region, but thought they were men of the other world or earth-gods or a phantom; (4) and the maidens said to them: ‘Whence are you and whence have you come?’ and Patrick said to them: ‘It would be better for you to profess our true God than to ask questions about our race.’ (5) The first maiden said: ‘Who is God and where is God and whose God is he and where is his dwelling-place? Has your God sons and daughters, gold and silver? Is he ever-living, is he beautiful, have many fostered his son, are his daughters dear and beautiful in the eyes of the men of the earth? Is he in the sky or in the earth or in the water, in rivers, in mountains, in valleys? (7) Give us an account of him; how shall he be seen, how is he loved, how is he found, is he found in youth, in old age?’ (8) Replying, holy Patrick, full of the Holy Spirit, said: ‘Our God is the God of all men, the God of heaven and earth, of the sea and the rivers, God of the sun and the moon and all the stars, the God of high mountains and low valleys; (9) God above heaven and in heaven and under heaven, he has his dwelling in heaven and earth and sea and in everything that is in them; he breathes in all things, makes all things live, surpasses all things, supports all things; (10) he illumines the light of the sun, he consolidates the light of the night and the stars, he has made wells in the dry earth and dry islands in the sea and stars for the service of the major lights,(11) He has a son, coeternal with him, similar to him; the Son is not younger than the Father nor is the Father older than the Son, and the Holy Spirit breathes in them; the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are not separate. (12) Now I wish to join you to the heavenly king since you are daughters of an earthly king, if you are willing to believe.’ (13) And the maidens said as with one voice and one heart: ‘Teach us with all diligence how we can believe in the heavenly king, so that we may see him face to face. Tell us, and we will do as you say.’ (14) And Patrick said: ‘Do you believe that through baptism you cast off the sin of your father and mother?’ They answered: ‘We believe.” ‘Do you believe in penance after sin?’ ‘We believe.’ ‘Do you believe in life after death? Do you believe in the resurrection on the day of judgement ?’ ‘We believe.’ ‘Do you believe in the unity of the Church?’ ‘We believe.’ (15) And they were baptized, with a white garment over their heads. And they demanded to see the face of Christ, and the holy man said to them: ‘Unless you taste death you cannot see the face of Christ, and unless you receive the sacrament.’ (16) And they answered: ‘Give us the sacrament so that we may see the Son, our bridegroom’, and they received the eucharist of God and fell asleep in death, and their friends placed them on one bed and covered them with their garments, and made a lament and great keening. (17) And the druid Caplit, who had fostered the one, came and wept, and Patrick preached to him and he believed, and the hair of his head was shorn off. (18) And his brother Máel came and said: ‘My brother has believed Patrick; not so I, but I will bring him back to heathendom’, and he spoke harsh words to Mathonus and Patrick. (19) And Patrick preached the faith to him and converted him to the penance of God, and the hair of his head was shorn off, that is, the (hair cut in) druidic fashion (which was) seen on his head, airbacc giunnae, as it is called. Hence comes the saying that is the most famous of all Irish sayings, ‘Máel is like Caplit’, because (both) believed in God. (20) And the days of mourning for the king’s daughters came to an end, and they buried them beside the well of Clébach, and they made a round ditch after the manner of a ferta, because this is what the heathen Irish used to do, but we call it relic, that is, the remains of the maidens. (21) And the ferta was made over to Patrick with the bones of the holy virgins, and to his heirs after him for ever, and he made an earthen church in that place.
For more reading on Patrick, consider the following posts:
Book Briefs: “John Knox (Christian Biographies for Young Readers)” by Simonetta Carr
The Christian Biographies for Young Readers series introduces children to key figures from church history. Author Simonetta Carr and illustrator Matt Abraxas offer a compelling and beautiful historical account of the life of each Christian figure profiled in the series. To date, the series includes volumes on John Calvin, John Owen, Augustine of Hippo, Athanasius, Anselm of Canterbury, Lady Jane Grey, and now, John Knox.
John Knox’s life has action and adventure enough for any young reader. His story is told with an eye to historical accuracy and with an eye to a child’s mind. From humble beginnings, Knox finds himself as a bodyguard to Reformer George Wishart, who is captured and killed. Knox goes from hiding out in St. Andrews Castle, a Protestant stronghold, to cowering in the belly of a French galley as a slave. He finds unexpected freedom and returns to pulpit ministry in England, but soon has to flee in exile to Geneva where he comes under the tutelage of John Calvin. He returns to Scotland in time to help lead the Reformation movement there. Knox the fiery preacher, delivers a sermon that sparks an all-out revolt and ultimately wins Scotland’s religious freedom. Knox’s life is not only eventful, but it provides teachable moments for children to study the Reformation and to learn what was wrong with the Roman church. It also teaches children the sacrifice that people faced to follow Christ in years gone by.
This book is a joy to page through. Full color illustrations, photographs, portraits and maps, buildings and vistas appear at the appropriate time on each page. After the biographical sketch, a time line of Knox’s life is included, as is an excerpt from the “Scots Confession of Faith” that Knox helped author. Also included is a “Did you know?” section for interested young readers. There we learn that Queen Mary Stuart may have been the first female golfer; John Knox is buried under parking stall number 23 at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh; and preachers back then were limited to one hour (and timed by an hour glass) to protect the Sunday schedule.
As a lover of church history, I appreciate Simonetta Carr’s attention to detail and focus on historical accuracy. Rather than painting an impossibly perfect picture of a higher-than-thou saint, she gives us the true John Knox, doubts and weakness and all. He was like any of us, and because of that we can learn to mimic his faith and grapple through the same questions he did.
This book deserves a place of honor at the coffee table, but might end up in the kids’ bookcase, more often than not. It also should find a place in church or school libraries. If you haven’t picked up a title in the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series, now would be a good time. You won’t be disappointed with John Knox. Read also this earlier review of some of the previous titles in the series.
Pick up a copy of this book at any of the following online retailers: Amazon, Westminster Bookstore, ChristianBook.com, or direct from Reformation Heritage.
Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a positive review.
About Book Briefs: Book Briefs are book notes, or short-form book reviews. They are my informed evaluation of a book, but stop short of being a full-length book review.