BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY CONTEST: The Simple Gospel by Jon Cardwell

October 6, 2014 by Christina

simple_gospel_web_300 — Click here to pre-order The Simple Gospel by Jon Cardwell

Recently I was honored to receive a preliminary copy of Jon Cardwell’s most recent work, The Simple Gospel. As many of you already know, Jon is Pastor at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama, and is the author of several books including Christ and Him Crucified. His latest work, The Simple Gospel is a compilation of nine fairly short essays in which he unpacks the scriptures concerning several misrepresented (and misunderstood) topics such as propitiation through faith, manmade traditions, what it means to be born-again, and others. Despite its brevity (131 pages total), The Simple Gospel is theologically rich and scripturally dense. Cardwell demonstrates his high regard for the Word of God by supporting each assertion with multiple scriptures that he expounds upon. This is the kind of book that you will want time to absorb fully

In the first chapter, Cardwell lays out the essential truths contained in the gospel by focusing on the Person and work of Jesus Christ in His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and restitution of all things upon His return. A right understanding of these essential doctrines is important lest we have “believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:2) and if we are to grow in grace, and persevere. It’s a humbling chapter to read in view of the fact that many Christians cannot stand up for the faith — let alone articulate it.

In a chapter called “The Trouble with Traditions of Men” Cardwell discusses how clinging to seemingly benign traditions — like believing the three kings went to worship Jesus at the manger (despite biblical proof to the contrary) are indication of our own rejection of the Word of God. When we downplay the importance of these errors we “testify against ourselves as Christian believers, behaving as if God’s gospel were powerless.” Cardwell concludes, “If we would only cling to Him and submit to the Spirit of Christ as much as we did our erroneous traditions, we might find ourselves walking in the spirit, moment by moment, in the Spirit’s power with the reality of the truth that the cross of Jesus Christ, according to God’s holy Word, is all that matters in the universe.”

In another chapter entitled “The Chief End of Man” Cardwell addresses the prevailing belief in many Western churches that church growth begins with “the felt needs” of the unchurched. He systematically and biblically dispels the faulty premises that support this thinking. He writes, “The lack of discernment because we just don’t know the full counsel of God … is appallingly grievous and alarmingly disconcerting. As church leaders in America, it seems that we have become more or less like Eve; deceived and unconscious of the truth (2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:14); or like Adam; willfully disobedient to the truth (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 11:3).”

In the final chapter, “A Glimpse of Eternity” Cardwell asserts that most Christians don’t have a biblical view of eternity. Rather than renew our minds with the full counsel of God, many are too easily influenced by preachers who falsely assert Christians don’t need all sixty-six books of the Bible. “This is what really bothers me about skits, plays and dramas within the local congregations,” says Cardwell. “In the Dark Ages, plays, icons, and the lighting of votive candles were used to placate the masses because the Word of God was not available to everyone … Why have we relapsed into such a sinister time? We have lost the glimpse of heaven because we have removed the Word from its place of importance and replaced it with visual stimulation in skits, plays, dramas, and cinematic entertainment.”

In typical Cardwell fashion, each chapter of The Simple Gospel exalts Christ in his person and work. For Cardwell, it is Christ and him crucified — the whole counsel in its unadorned simplicity or nothing else. The common thread in each essay is that the root of all debase thinking concerning Jesus Christ is the total depravity of man, and the downward tendency toward sin in redeemed men. In an age when so many have grown weary of the plain gospel, where entertainment is preferred over preaching, where programs and pragmatism, fables and pleasures take the place of truth, Cardwell’s The Simple Gospel is a clarion call to return to the “old paths.” It is a plea for biblical discernment in an age of error.

As in the day of Jeremiah, God is calling us back to “stand in the ways, and see.” He desires that we “ask for the old paths where is the good way, and walk therein” (Jeremiah 6:16) because it is in the old gospel paths found in the Word of God, the way of the cross of Jesus Christ, that allows us to take the Lord’s yoke upon us to learn of Him, and we “shall find rest” for our souls (Matthew 11:28; 16:24). – Jon Cardwell

GIVEAWAY CONTEST: Jon Cardwell has generously made 5 ARC (Advanced Reader Copies) available in paperback. Thank you, Jon! You may enter the contest by leaving a comment on this post. And be sure to spread the word! If you share this on any other form of social media, indicate what you have done and I will add your name for each share. The contest will close Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 9pm EST. Winners will be notified by email.

BOOK REVIEW PLUS FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST: Lady Jane Grey By Simonetta Carr

July 15, 2012 by Christina

Once again, Simonetta Carr brings history to life with a powerful presentation of England’s Nine Day Queen in her latest work, Lady Jane Grey. It is the fifth addition to her Christian Biographies for Young Readers series in which Carr introduces children to some of the most of the most prominent figures of the Christian tradition.

With painstaking historical accuracy, Carr paints a picture of one of the most gripping figures of the English Reformation. Born sometime in 1537, Lady Jane grew up in a privileged family as a relative of King Henry VIII. While Henry did much to promote the Protestant cause, he is also responsible for the persecution and even death of many Reformers. Early on, Carr shows us that history is composed of mortal men with mixed intentions and ambitions, but through whom a Sovereign God accomplishes His purpose.

When Lady Jane was about 10 years old, King Henry died and his young son, Edward, with whom Lady Jane had grown up with became King. Providentially the two had also been exposed to Reformation theology at the Royal Palace. Because he was only 9 years old, a council of men was appointed to help him rule. In turn, the council appointed an uncle, Edward Seymour, to rule until he came of age. What is most significant about this complicated succession plan is that Edward Seymour embraced Reformation theology and there was overall agreement that the time was ripe to introduce the teachings of the Reformers to England.

Shortly after this national turn of events that set England abuzz, Jane was invited to live at the house of Edward Seymour’s brother Thomas. Thomas was married to Katherine Parr, a Reformer herself who mothered Jane and shared her love of books, music, art and dancing. Jane’s time with the Seymour’s was marked by sweetness but sadly cut short when Katherine died 6 days after giving birth. It is at this point that we see certain circumstances being set into motion for which Jane would not only be powerless to change or resist but that would ultimately bring God the greatest glory.

In February 1553, the young King Edward became gravely ill and died — but not before he changed his will and named Lady Jane successor to the throne. This threw his step-sister, Princess Mary (more commonly known as “Bloody Mary”) into a fit of rage. According to the existing plan, Mary was next in line to inherit the throne. But King Edward knew that Mary, a committed Roman Catholic, would put the country back on the road to Rome. He was determined not to let that happen. As events quickly unfolded, a reluctant yet submitted Jane was proclaimed Queen of England. Carr captures the conflicted teenagers troubled soul when she writes that Jane humbly asked God to help her rule “to His glory and service and for the good of the Kingdom – if that was His will” (32) yet upon arrival, she simply could not bring herself to wear the crown that had been brought our for her.

Jane’s reign lasted nine days. In a dramatic turn of events, she was overthrown by Mary, put under house arrest, and ultimately sentenced to death after being tried and found guilty of being a traitor. In what I consider the most haunting part of the book, we walk with Jane to the executioner’s block and enter in the final moments of this precious saints life:

Then she knelt by the block and tied a band around her head, blindfolding her eyes and keeping her hair off her neck at the same time. In the darkness she felt lost. “What shall I do? Where is it?” she said, until someone came to guide her. Her last words were the same that Jesus cried from the cross, “Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. (54)

In the words of Isaiah 53:7, sweet Jane was “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent he opened not his mouth.”

In a letter that throws a floodlight on the heart of this gentle soul, Jane writes to her sister towards the end of her short seventeen years of life:

Desire, sister, to understand the law of the Lord your God. Live to die, that by death you may enter into eternal life, and then enjoy the life that Christ has gained for you by His death. Don’t think that just because you are now young your life will be long, because young and old die as God wills. Strive, then, always to learn how to die. Defy the world, deny the devil, despise the flesh, and delight yourself in the Lord. Repent of your sins, and yet don’t despair. Be strong in the faith, with humility. With St. Paul, desire to die and to be with Christ, with whom, even in death, there is life.

Jane’s legacy is not so much found in the life she lived but the rather the death she died. Perhaps this is what is so compelling about her. It’s tempting to read her story and lament the brevity of the life of this little tender shoot so filled with promise. But in reality, Lady Jane accomplished the best that any of us could ever hope for, and that is to die for Christ.

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Lady Jane Grey. Simonetta Carr continues to do the body of Christ a service by equipping parents and educators with the tools necessary to pass on our Reformation heritage. In Lady Jane Grey we see Carr’s knack for making history understandable and exciting to young minds. Equally captivating is the artwork of the talented Matt Abraxis whose illustrations practically leap off the pages.

If you are interested in pre-ordering Lady Jane Grey click here.

Simonetta’s publisher, Reformation Heritage Books, has graciously contributed 2 books for a special giveaway contest. Please leave a comment if you would like your name to be entered in the drawing. Also, to increase your chances, share this review on your blog, or Facebook and let me know you have done so. I will enter your name for each “share.” The contest will close at 8pm EST on Tuesday, July 17th. Providential winners will be announced Wednesday, July 18th.

BOOK REVIEW PLUS FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY: “Christ and Him Crucified” by Jon Cardwell

February 27, 2012 by Christina

We are living in an era of seemingly unprecedented social and moral decline. At the same time, the church’s authority has been grievously diminished by doctrinal confusion and indifference. Concerning the relationship between church and culture, the late D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones observed that as the church goes, so goes society.1

The solution? The apostle Paul explains: “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). It is to this teaching that Jon Cardwell, author and Pastor of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Anniston commits his latest publication.

Why do so many Christians fail to see the providential hand of God in difficult and trying circumstances? When tragedy or calamity strikes, why do so many find little comfort in the knowledge of a sovereign God? Cardwell contends this is because a critical doctrine has “lost its place as the heart of our Christianity.”

With shepherd-like tenderness and scholarly precision, Cardwell takes us back to basics: the soul-saving doctrine of Christ, and Him crucified. In nine, easy to read, scripture laced chapters, he expounds upon the Gospel message in its preeminence, its proposition, its power, its purpose, its provision, its privilege, and its priority. Displaying his gift for poetry and prose, Cardwell caps each chapter with a hymn that is both doctrinally sound and devotionally sweet.

For those seeking “signs and wonders”, Cardwell points to John the Baptist of whom Jesus said, “among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist.”

It is interesting to note that John performed no miracle; neither was there any wondrous sign given by his hand. He preached the Christ to come, and repentance in preparation for His coming. Yet, Jesus also included at the end of His discourse that the “least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” I believe that this is because the very least soul saved by the preaching of Christ crucified after the Day of Pentecost and the impartation of Holy Spirit, is full of the greatest power on earth: God Himself. The greater works that would be done is the preaching of the cross by the blessed power of the Holy Spirit.

For those pursuing doctrine apart from knowing Christ, Cardwell reminds us of the end goal:

Our study of and meditation upon scripture is not to merely amass and categorize factoids to increase our intellects and enhance the knowledge of our minds; it is to know the Person of Jesus Christ. It is to know Christ, not things about Him. To know Christ is godly; to desire to know things about Christ is idolatry.

To be sure, Cardwell’s own theology has been forged on the crucible of adversity. In 2008, he and his wife Lisa were called out of the Alaska bush where he served as missionary-pastor to the Aleut people of the remote Alaskan fishing village of King Cove and to the Yup’ik Eskimos of the remote Alaskan fishing village of Scammon Bay. In 2006, symptoms once thought to be ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease began to manifest. Six years later, despite extensive medical testing at some of the finest facilities in the country, Cardwell’s condition remains “unidentified”. He and his wife however, live daily with the life threatening ailments. You can read all about what Cardwell calls his “light unidentified affliction” here. “Christ and Him Crucified” is written by someone who cannot afford to entertain a gospel of cheap grace.

I believe the timing of this book to be providential in that the current state of affairs bears a strong resemblance to the conditions that led to the Reformation. A gospel of grace remains largely obscured in a compromised church that sits in the midst of a culture characterized by moral and social declension. Moreover, the Romanization of the evangelical church is quietly but most assuredly picking up speed. Cardwell, in the spirit of the Reformers, calls us to put away our rotten religious falsehoods and cast ourselves wholly upon a crucified Savior. Only then will the church be revolutionized and whole societies reformed.

It is with great pleasure that I recommend “Christ and Him Crucified” to anyone seeking gospel truth. This book will lead you to a deeper examination of your faith in light of the one event upon which all eternity hinges — Calvary.

I leave you with the sobering yet faith-filled words written in his postlude:

If we desire to be faithful in Christ’s kingdom, we need look no further than the truth of Christ crucified in the pages of scripture. Every doctrine that exalts itself above the gospel truth of Christ, and Him crucified, will lead men astray: into temptation, into sin, into gross heresy, into blasphemy, unto death. Every good work, kind deed and Christian practice that exalts itself and draws attention away from Christ crucified is a damnable exercise from the start to finish. Both of these, whether deed or doctrine, if it detracts from the gospel of Christ crucified, it is building with wood, hay and stubble in Christ’s kingdom, and will be consumed by the Judgment in that Day.

Jon has graciously provided 2 signed copies of “Christ and Him Crucified” for the Heavenly Springs giveaway. If you are interested in participating, please leave a comment. To increase your chances, share this post on your FB and/or blog and let me know you have done so. I will add your name for each share. The drawing will close Wednesday, February 29th at 8pm EST. Winners will be announced on Thursday, March 1st. International entries welcome!

To learn more about Jon Cardwell and this particular book, you can visit Christ and Him Crucified. I also encourage you to subscribe to his personal blog, Justification by Grace.

I’ll be back early Thursday morning with the winners. Until then, God bless you!

References:

1 D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Remembering the Reformation” in Knowing the Times: Addresses Delivered on Various Occasions, 1942-1977 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth. 1989).

BOOK REVIEW: “Weight of a Flame: The Passion of Olympia Morata” by Simonetta Carr

January 30, 2012 by Christina

There is a biblical mandate incumbent upon every generation of Christians that the next generation hear of the “mighty acts” of God. In the annals of the Protestant Reformation are a noble band of women who yearned to see the gospel prevail and the Reformation overcome all opposition. These women have left the body of Christ a beautiful legacy of courage and faith. To help uphold this legacy and pass our Reformation heritage to the next generation, Simonetta Carr has written, “Weight of a Flame: The Passion of Olympia Morata”. It is the fifth in a series of historical fiction by P&R Publishing for young adults (particularly girls) called, “The Chosen Daughter Series” which focuses on historical women who are timeless role models.

Whether reading for pleasure or academic purposes, the story of Olympia Morata will inspire. Weight of a Flame is a well told narrative which helps to illuminate a critical time in the church’s history. Set in Italy during the early 16th-century, Olympia Morata lived in an age of great upheaval and violence for Italian Protestants. It was a time when a profession of faith in Christ alone meant a choice between compromise, death, or exile. With imagination and creativity Carr brings to life one of the most beautiful and compelling female figures of the Protestant Reformation.

Born at Ferrara in 1526, Olympia Morata is a child prodigy trained by her father, Fulvio Morata, in the classics. Having made remarkable progress in her academic studies, her fame quickly spread. At the age of fourteen she was invited by Duchess Renee of Este to be a companion and tutor to her daughter Anna. Upon arrival Olympia quickly falls into favor in a court filled with scholars. Surrounded by volumes and shelves of books, the young Olympia was in her element. It wouldn’t be long though, before signs of tension would show as the doctrines of the Reformation took hold in Ferrara in the midst of a divided court. Shortly after her father’s conversion from humanism to Protestantism he took ill and Olympia was called to leave court and nurse her ailing father. In the course he dies, leaving Olympia and his family a beautiful testimony of Christ. This is the beginning of what would be a short and painful life characterized by hard lessons and self-denial.

With an allegiance to history that is as good as any historian, Carr takes us inside the young Olympia’s world. We suffer disappointment with her upon being told her services were no longer needed at court. Our hearts flutter with excitement as Andreas Grunthler, a young physician, desires her hand in marriage. We cannot help but agree with the young couple as they discern the ominous clouds of persecution gathering around the Reformed church at Ferrara. We travel with them on an exhausting journey to Germany that is fraught with perils and dangers of all kinds. We praise God with them for His sovereignty and providential care throughout. We breathe a sigh of relief as they arrive and settle in Schweinfurt only to discover the place where they expected to find refuge would be the place of greatest danger.

In each dramatic chapter, Carr helps us absorb all the historical data while we empathize with the human qualities of our heroine. More important, we identify with the young Olympia as a Christian. The stakes are high at every turn and as conflict after conflict unfolds, the reader is challenged by the faith of this young woman who did not love her life so much as to shrink from death (Revelation 12:11).

Olympia’s last days were marked by great physical pain as she was struck with an incurable plague. Carr gives us a glimpse into the soul of a saint who, rather than despair over tragedy rejoices at the prospect of entering into eternal life. “God has measured out a definite course of life for me…brief and full of work and woe. I have almost arrived at the finish line, and then I will be with Christ forever. Why would I want to turn back to the starting gate?”

In a culture characterized by heedless self-indulgence and that extols the virtues of selfishness and ambition stands Olympia Morata, a woman whose short 29 years consisted of troubles, reproaches, persecutions, and death. Having forsaken all worldly pleasures and satisfactions for the sake of the cross, Olympia’s story encourages us to run the race marked out for us with perseverance (Hebrews 12:1). It is my pleasure to recommend this book to all readers, but particularly young women, who will find in Olympia Morata, a shining example of strength and courage. May we pass the legacy of Olympia Morata to our daughters as she faithfully followed our Lord in duty, and in glory thereafter.

You can purchase Weight of a Flame here and also explore other books in the “Chosen Daughter” series here. Additionally, the author has done the readers a great service by posting a four-part series on her blog called “Truth and Fiction” in which she discusses what is historically true and what is fiction in each chapter. Not only is this a fun thing to do while reading, but you will learn how writers of historical fiction use primary and secondary sources, and other historical data to help direct their imagination. Click to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Also, if you have not done so, take a moment to read my interview with Simonetta Carr here. I trust you will see that Carr’s contribution to the body is nothing short of a labor of love.

Finally, last year Heavenly Springs commemorated the Reformation with a special series called, “Women of the Reformation”. Lord willing we will do it each year. I invite you to visit Petra Hefner’s moving tribute to Olympia Morata here.