Honestly, I'm not well-read or at least not well-read in the theology department. To rectify that, I have started a reading campaign. I invite anyone who's interested to read my book reviews and comment in the comments section or via E-mail, their thoughts--especially if they have read the same book. A group book club would be ideal, with lots of titillating discussion, but I think I'm overshooting things a bit, so for right now, I would be completely content with any corrections or other summations of the book.
Upfront, I will give to you some patterned guidelines that I intend to follow for each review:
1) I'll personally rate each book from 1 to 5 stars (5= blow-your-socks-off-wow!)
2) I'll try to give a short, brief overview of the book. Probably plagiarized right from the book's jacket.
3) I'll try and give you a very biased, subjective opinion of what I thought about the book.
Book 2 of this newly created section ends up being another power-packed selection. I'm no math genius, but I would easily say that this book is power-packed times 2--double the pleasure, double the fun. Except worldly pleasure and fun is exactly what this book denounces.
The Mortification of Sin by John Owen: Abridged and made easy to read by Richard Rushing
I did not expect to come across a blow-your-socks-off book so soon, but this is it. The more I read and study scripture, the more I find that there are very (VERY) few books that I can honestly label as Christian essentials. But this, my friend, is a Christian essential. So overall, I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars (and secretly, if I hadn't been so unbelieving as to think that the Lord would give me an opportunity to read other stellar books--I would have not limited the rating to a measly 5 stars for these types of books.)
In this abridgement of a classic work, the famous Puritan John Owen shows the need for Christians to engage in a life-long battle against the sinful tendencies that remain in them, despite their having been brought to faith and new life in Christ. Owen is very insistent that believers cannot hope to succeed in this battle in their own strength. He sees clearly that the fight can be won only through faith in Christ, and in the power of the Spirit. Fighting sin with human strength will produce only self-righteousness, superstition and anxiety of conscience. But with faith in Christ, and with the power of the Spirit, victory is certain. The temptations in times like Owen's and ours are obvious on every side; the remedy to them is clearly pointed out in this practical and helpful book.
Don't let the page count of 130 throw you. Don't let the small size of the book deceive you. And please don't let Richard Rushings wonderful attempt at making an "Abridged and made easy to read" paperback lull you into a false sense of security that this is, in fact, easy. It is all but easy. Obviously, those words are meant to give us layman a sort of non-intimidated approach toward such a book. I'm sure, that relative to the actual work of John Owen, it is "easy," but egads--this book was a well-worn hamster wheel for me. Starting with the fact that my sin was the spotlight of every page of this book.
If you're prone to underline every thought, sentence and paragraph that strike you so later on, you can easily reference the major points that hit you the most, be prepared with a large pen and lots of ink. As a dear sister of mine put it so succinctly, you'd be better off underlining the things that you'd rather not remember. I dare say, there would be few things underlined or noted. I know that there will be some who will disagree whether this is an easy read or not, but I would defy anyone to explain to me why each page is not filled with condensed mini, Calvary-exalting text that gives us a deeper understanding of God's work in our doctrinal learnings and practical lives. Yes! Boldly and confidently I declare that this is truly one of the best books I have ever read. It is solidly rooted in the scripture and for every point he makes, he roots it in contextual, well-grounded scripture references.
This is not a cliche read. You know the type of books. They use Colossians 3:17 and I Corinthians 10:31 as a mantra for everything in life. Those are excellent verses of the bible, but I get wearied when reading whimsical books where their only argument is founded under such a giant umbrella. If the bible is the scalpel used to cut and divide, then this book can be compared to the hook that holds the skin back while the bible does the cutting.
I dare say that this book dives deep into the heart of scripture and explains in plain, clear and precise terms, how the bible defines sin; the cause of sin; and the consequences of sin. He takes a word that is under-used and redefined by this culture and uses scripture to turn stiff necks back toward what scripture says sin really is. Dividing it out for us, I'm not sure that there is any major point of the scriptural study of sin, left untouched by John Owen.
If there is any one teensy weensy flaw, I would have to say that you may not agree with every minute detail of how Owen interprets scripture...but it would be few and far between times...if at all.
I'll leave you with this teaser from the book and hope that this will draw you in to either borrow it or pay the pitiful $9.00 from Banner. As stated before, I found it very difficult to find just one paragraph that could wrap up this book into a nice, neat advertising package. My only exhortation--please read this book!
"Suppose a man is a true believer, and yet finds in himself a powerful indwelling sin. This sin makes him captive to its power, and consumes his heart with trouble. It perplexes his thoughts, weakens his soul in communion with God, takes away his peace, defiles his conscience, and exposes him to hardening through the deceitfulness of sin. What shall he do? What course shall he take to mortify this sin, lust or corruption? How can he gain victory enough, even though it is not utterly destroyed, yet, in his contest with it, he may be enabled to maintain his power, strength and peace in communion with God?"
This book is a paperback series from Banner Publishing and God-willing, I look forward to more 5 star reading!
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