"Always remember, when somebody comes up with something new,
it's usually wrong. We are to be plagiarists of the same information that
God gave the first Christians." -- Dr. Matthew McMahon, aPuritansMind.com

 

24 March, 2006   comments: (0) Church History   Books: Using The Thoughts of Other Men's Brains The comments on my last post brought out some controversy related to the topic of bible helps and theology books, so I thought I would turn this post over to Charles Spurgeon and even the Apostle Paul, for their opinions on books. We are confronting the contemporary attitude of Christians that says "I don't read the books of man, the bible is all that I need". Sometimes it's just the excuse of a television-addicted generation of believers. They simply don't make time for the books that would drive them towards a deeper walk and a more thorough understanding of the scriptures. Christians in past centuries were readers, and they're not the only ones who valued books - add to that list the Apostle Paul. In 2 Timothy 4:13 Paul says: "When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments." Charles Spurgeon had this to say about that verse: We do not know what the books were about, and we can only form some guess as to what the parchments were. Paul had a few books which were left, perhaps wrapped up in the cloak, and Timothy was to be careful to bring them. Even an apostle must read. Some of our very ultra Calvinistic brethren think that a minister who reads books and studies his sermon must be a very deplorable specimen of a preacher. A man who comes up into the pulpit, professes to take his text on the spot, and talks any quantity of nonsense, is the idol of many. If he will speak without pre-meditation, or pretend to do so, and never produce what they call a dish of dead men's brains - oh! that is the preacher. How rebuked are they by the apostle! He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books! He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up into the third heaven, and had heard things which it was unlawful for a men to utter, yet he wants books! He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every preacher, "Give thyself unto reading". The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men's brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. You need to read. Renounce as much as you will all light literature, but study as much as possible sound theological works, especially the Puritan writers, and expositions of the Bible. We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure, is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master's service. Paul cries, "Bring the books" - join in the cry. In recent times, the Australian pastor - Peter Barnes said: Thus it was that this evangelical chain [of book readers] stretched from Sibbes to Chalmers, from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century. Today, the links might have fallen out due to too many evenings in front of the television. If modern Christian book catalogues are an indication of the state of the Church, we are in deep trouble. Knickknacks, gimmicks, music, videos and CDs receive most of the publicity. And that a book like The Prayer of Jabez could top the bestseller list is cause for a lament not far removed from that of Elijah (1 Kings 19). More on The Importance of Books: How books have had a godly influence down through the ages Al Mohler's thoughts on the reading of books Martyn Lloyd Jones' on the importance of theology books Read "No Use For Bible Commentaries" - Part 1 and Part 2 Puritan advice on determining the value of a book Recommended Reading: List 1, List 2, List 3, List 4 See Spurgeon's personal library and read his commentary advice Read why it's especially important to read OLD books Posted by: Jim B.   Link: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.137   Be the first to post a comment about this article        Home  |   About  |  Videos   |  Calvinism