Tuesday, June 5, 2007

TAKING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SERIOUSLY by Sinclair B. Ferguson


Taking the Christian Life Seriously is Sinclair B. Ferguson's book on Christian maturity and spiritual growth. Ferguson is a Scottish theologian and minister in the Reformed tradition.

Ferguson discusses the reasons why spiritual maturity is important and the need to abide in Christ. For Christian maturity, Ferguson recommends, among other things, competent understanding of the Bible – that is, good hermeneutics and the ability to read Scripture in context. Ferguson discusses the difficulties and obstacles to Christian maturity, including sin, temptation, and suffering. He concludes by talking about "pressing on" – serving faithfully, running the race patiently, and living maturely.

Everything Ferguson has to say is true and good. He knows his biblical languages and etymologies. All signs point to him as a credible scholar of the Bible. The one drawback to this book is that Ferguson's writing is not always interesting or engaging, and he is often slow to move from one point to another. This book is only about 170 pages, but feels longer.

That notwithstanding, this book has a lot to offer (in somewhat general terms) to those who need to or desire to grow in their Christian faith.

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