Ron Maness's blog

The Promise and the Blessing: A Historical Survey of the Old and New Testaments

, by Michael A. Harbin (ThD and ThM from DTS). In a single volume, this lavishly illustrated book reveals the big picture of salvation history. Arranged chronologically rather than canonically, it traces the flow of Israel’s history and shows how the New Testament proceeds out of the Old. Gives the grand narrative of the Bible, with beautiful full-color photos, as well as sidebars and brief “breakouts” of supplementary information.

Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, edited by G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson. An exploration of OT quotations, allusions and echoes occurring in each book of the NT from Matthew through Revelation, providing a profound witness to the unity of the Testaments in the mystery of Christ. Covers the entirety of the NT in a single volume, arranged in verse order, beginning with Matthew 1. In addition to the editors, other contributors include Craig Blomberg, Andreas Kostenberger, I. Howard Marshall, Moises Silva, et al.

The Future of Justification: A Response to N.T. Wright, by John Piper. In responding to the so-called “New Perspective on Paul”, Piper presents a strong defense of the traditional Protestant view that justification is the heart of the gospel.

The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. Six contributors, including Piper, David Wells, and D.A. Carson, offer a practical, biblical vision of Christ’s supremacy and how to share that message and the gospel in a postmodern society.

Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord’s Supper, by Ben Witherington III. Explores the background, historical and scriptural origins, and the implications of the Lord’s Supper. After excavating the diverse ways in which Scripture and early Christian tradition speak about the Lord’s Supper, Witherington advocates that it is much more than either magic or mere symbolism, but primarily about who the people of God are and how they should live together

For Us and For Our Salvation: The Doctrine of Christ in the Early Church, by Stephen J. Nichols. The intriguing development of the doctrine of Christ over the early centuries of the church. John MacArthur says that “in a world where the biblical depiction of Christ is often distorted or denied, this book serves as a tremendous defense of orthodox Christian belief”.

Contagious Holiness: Jesus’ Meals with Sinners, by Craig L. Blomberg (New Dimensions in Biblical Theology). One of humanity’s most basic and common practices—eating meals—was transformed by Jesus into a divine encounter. In sharing food and drink with his companions, he invited them to share in the grace of God. His redemptive mission was revealed in his eating with sinners, repentant and unrepentant alike.

John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace, by Jonathan Aitken. In this major new biography, Jonathan Aitken, a former member of Parliament who became a Christian while serving a prison term, readably tells the story of Newton, the slave ship captain who became a Christian, mentored William Wilberforce, and penned one of the most sung hymns of all time.

Misquoting Truth: A Guide to the Fallacies of Bart Ehrman’s Misquoting Jesus, by Timothy Paul Jones. A spirited response to Bart Ehrman, a former evangelical but now radical New Testament critic and author of several best-selling books, such as Misquoting Jesus and Lost Christianities.

Words to Live By: A Guide for the Merely Christian, by C.S. Lewis. Lewis had the ability to precisely define and explain key issues in the life of faith. This collection contains selections from his fiction, nonfiction, and letters arranged by subject matter, so that the reader can discover the wisdom of C.S. Lewis on confession, desire, friendship, joy, marriage, silence, truth, and more.

The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South, by Philip Jenkins. As Christianity’s center of gravity moves southward, Africa may soon be home to the world’s largest Christian populations. Jenkins takes a close look at Christianity in the global South, and notes that it is first and foremost a biblical faith.