Understanding Calvinism in our hearts as well as in our heads.
Understanding Calvinism in our hearts as well as in our heads.
A warm-hearted, accessible introduction to the five points of Calvinism, showing how a true understanding of them can make you a more humble and loving Christian.
For some Calvinism is synonymous with being argumentative, arrogant, and unloving. Author Jeff Medders shows how taking Calvinism to heart should fuel a love of Christ and his people that builds others up, rather than tearing them down.
Foreword by Ray Ortlund
1 The Problem With Calvinism
A Short Interlude About Jargon and History
2 Humble Calvinism is Not an Oxymoron
3 Total Dependency
4 The Prequel to Your Faith
5 The Cross, the Church, and the Cosmos
6 Drawn In and Sent Out
7 He Holds Our Hands
8 Humble and Happy (and Calvinist)
Afterword by C.H. Spurgeon
| Contributors | J.A. Medders |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781784984045 |
| Format | eBook |
| First published | March 2019 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
Calvinists should be humble and happy. It’s sadly not always the case, and Young, Restless and Reformed has too often become Proud, Aggressive and Tiresome. The trouble is we’ve misunderstood and misapplied Calvinism. J.A. Medders has done us all—and me in particular—a very great service in providing some helpful and necessary correction. I was both convicted and encouraged by his exhortation, and you will be too.
Reformed culture seems to be known for its harshness and lack of grace. Yet Reformed soteriology should create a joyful heart and a deep, glad humility that overflows into compassionate evangelism and graciousness to all. I hope Jeff's book will be used by God to renew a spirit of gentleness and humility among us, and will encourage those who have rejected these beautiful beliefs to consider them anew.
The words Humble and Calvinism probably feel at odds to many of us. Jeff Medders speaks straight to the elephant in the echo chamber, showing himself to be the chief of prideful Calvinists and charting his subsequent journey toward humble Calvinism. For years I've watched Jeff take a low road, aware of his own desire to achieve but instead choosing humble faithfulness. He is the right person to write this book and he has handled it in humility, with beautiful writing and rich theology.
It’s for people who haven’t heard of Calvinism. It’s for people who dislike Calvinism because of arrogant Calvinists. But above all, Humble Calvinism is for arrogant Calvinists.... continue reading
Oh I love this. It's easy to read, it's warm, gracious, honest and so important! You don't have to be a Calvinist to read it; I think it would be really helpful for any Christian to read. But I DO think calvinists should read it. I really do!
Perhaps it could be compulsory summer reading for young people about to start university? So much grief could be avoided if we'd all humble ourselves and treasure Christ more.
What better way to learn about Calvinist doctrine than by reading a book that embeds it in humility and grace?
I really hope calvinists will be humble enough to read it!
A nice summary of TULIP. Really good to give to someone who hasn't thought about Election before.
Call me a sceptic - but I thought 'Humble Calvinism' would be a really nice stick to beat grumpy Calvinists around the head with. In a: "Hey you! Grumpy Calvinist, read this and repent!" kind of way. What we have here instead, is a really warm, exposition of what it means to believe the five so-called doctrines of grace, how they take us to Jesus, and God's kindness to us in the gospel.
My only caveat is I don't think it's a book I could give to someone who is older than a millennial. There are too many pop-culture references, slangy turns of phrase, and Americanisms to give it the wide audience it deserves.
Otherwise I loved it. It made me praise God for his salvation in Jesus. What more do you want?
