Amazing Grace (Second Edition) E-Book

Timothy George

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

The doctrine of God's grace has sparked some heated controversies in the history of the Christian church. What are dispensations of grace? Is grace really irresistible? In Amazing Grace noted theologian Timothy George looks at some of these debated questions. Grounded in Scripture, his insights continually draw the reader back to the fundamental truth of God's free and sovereign favor to ill-deserving sinners. Originally written to address the "Calvinism controversy" brewing within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), this study was used in thousands of churches and study groups throughout the SBC and beyond. Now this popular primer on the basic themes of Reformed theology has been updated and expanded. Though written from George's Southern Baptist perspective, the book's irenic tone appeals to a wide audience and shows how sound Reformed theology has taken root within several Reformation traditions.

Leseprobe

“Reading this wonderful book resembles exploring a spiritual treasure trove. You encounter one sparkling insight after another regarding God’s marvelous grace. In accessible prose Timothy George helps us to understand better just how amazing God’s sovereign grace actually is. The book’s message will instruct, encourage, and refresh your Christian life. After all, God’s sovereign grace is a worthy subject for our daily reflection and most profound meditation.”

John D. Woodbridge, Research Professor of Church History and Christian Thought, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Amazing Grace by Timothy George is an amazing little book! It is biblical and practical, theological and missional. It delves into the mystery of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, providing wonderful insight while also allowing the tensions of Scripture to remain. I was blessed by the book the first time I read it. I enjoyed this edition even more.”

Danny Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Amazing Grace is a gracious and graceful defense of the doctrines of grace. Although this book began its life as a piece dedicated to helping Southern Baptists understand the dispute between Calvinists and non-Calvinists in their denomination, it should help anyone appreciate why the apprehension of God’s grace must be absolutely central to Christian life and worship. May many, by God’s grace, read it and adopt its wise and irenic posture in the various controversies that a biblically faithful affirmation of grace can arouse.”

Mark R. Talbot, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Wheaton College

“It is hard to be simultaneously boring and polarizing, but the Calvinism/ Arminianism debates typically are both. The arguments are often filled with the kind of ‘bitter jealousy’ and ‘selfish ambition,’ the Scriptures identify as ‘demonic.’ Timothy George’s Amazing Grace is different. In this book, a world-renowned Christian scholar walks through the biblical texts about God’s purpose of grace in a way that is honest, easy to understand, and charitable to those who disagree. Whether you are a Calvinist, an Arminian, or somewhere in between, you’ll learn something from this book. You’ll also see modeled how to converse with those who disagree with you. And, more than all that, you’ll put the book down at the end and worship our love-driven, grace-filled God. This is the best book on God’s grace in print today.”

Russell D. Moore, Dean, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Biblically faithful, historically well informed, and irenic in tone, this wise work from the pen of Timothy George is a sure guide for anyone perplexed about questions of divine sovereignty, grace, and human responsibility. Highly recommended!”

Graham A. Cole, Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“George has given us a biblically based and theologically formed treatment of the amazing grace of God in the salvation of men and women. Historically informed, timely in its application, and gracious in spirit, this lucid and readable work will be beneficial for many, especially those who struggle with the tensions involved in God’s initiative in our salvation and our response to God’s abounding grace for sinners. I am pleased to recommend this insightful treatment of this important theme, which will be particularly helpful to pastors, church leaders, and church study groups.”

David S. Dockery, President, Union University

ALSO BY TIMOTHY GEORGE

Faithful Witness: The Life and Mission of William Carey

Galatians: The New American Commentary

Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad?

(with David Dockery) Theologians of the Baptist Tradition

(with John Woodbridge) The Mark of Jesus: Loving in a Way the World Can See

Theology of the Reformers

Amazing Grace: God’s Pursuit, Our Response, Second Edition Copyright © 2000, 2011 by Timothy George

Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

First edition 2000 First printing, Second Edition 2011 Cover design: Amy Bristow Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture references marked NEB are from The New English Bible © The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and The Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

Scripture references marked NKJV are from The New King James Version. Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked PHILLIPS are from The New Testament in Modern English, translated by J. B. Phillips © 1972 by J. B. Phillips. Published by Macmillan.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN:

978-1-4335-1548-4

PDF ISBN:

978-1-4335-1549-1

Mobipocket ISBN:

978-1-4335-1550-7

ePub ISBN:

978-1-4335-2477-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data George, Timothy. Amazing grace : God’s pursuit, our response / Timothy George. —2nd ed.           p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-1548-4 (tp)

1. Grace (Theology). 2. Theological anthropology—Christianity. 3. Christian life. 4. Baptists— Doctrines. I. Title. BT761.3.G46 2011 234—dc22

2010039161

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

VP2221201918171615141312111413121110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For

Lee Atlas Barbara Bruce Mark Dever Mark and Jackie DeVine Barry Harvey Paul House Annemarie Kidder Timothy McCoy Al Mohler Elizabeth Newman Hal and Mary Anne Poe Thom Rainer Zechariah Schariah Michael Spencer (1956–2010)

CONTENTS

Preface

11

Chapter 1

Our Gracious God

15

Chapter 2

The Providence Mystery

25

Chapter 3

Saved by Grace

57

Chapter 4

A Graceful Theology

79

Chapter 5

Grace and the Great Commission

101

Chapter 6

Living by Grace

123

Notes

143

Scripture Index

149

PREFACE

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.~ EPHESIANS 2:8–9

Amazing Grace was published in its first edition ten years ago as the 2001 Doctrine Study for the Southern Baptist Convention. At that time there was growing concern, even alarm in some quarters, over what was called the “Calvinism controversy” within America’s largest Protestant denomination. It was felt that a clear, simple exposition of what are known as the doctrines of grace might shed more light than heat on this growing dispute, and I was asked to write this book with that purpose in mind. In fact, over the past decade many thousands of believers, churches, and associations within the Baptist world and beyond have found this little book to be helpful in just that way. In response to many requests from pastors and church leaders for a new edition, is being published again, with only slight changes, in hopes that it will continue to serve something of its original purpose.