Book Review: In Christ Alone by Sinclair B. Ferguson

A couple months back, Ligonier Ministries gave me the privilege of reviewing one of their Reformation Trust titles. In Christ Alone is a study of Christ and how to live a Gospel centered life.



About the Author: Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson is senior minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., and a visiting professor of systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Ferguson is a native of Scotland and has earned three degrees, including a P.h.D., from the University of Aberdeen. He has authored many books such as: The Holy Spirit and Grow in Grace.


When I read in the preface that this book is made up of fifty articles that Dr. Ferguson wrote many years ago for Tabletalk and Eternity Magazine, I was disappointed. I thought this book was going to be an assortment of articles with no relevance to one another. But after reading through the book I realized that I was wrong. In Christ Alone isn't disjointed or haphazardly thrown together at all. The articles are tied together by a very touching story about a friend of Dr. Ferguson who passed away. That story is what inspired him to compile these articles together. The way in which the articles are arranged seems to flow very well.

The fifty chapters are divided into six major parts.

1. The Word Became Flesh (Chapters 1-6)
2. The Heart of the Matter (Chapters 7-14)
3. The Spirit of Christ (Chapters 15-22)
4. The Privileges of Grace (Chapters 23-32)
5. A Life of Wisdom (Chapters 33-41)
6. Faithful to the End (Chapters 42-50)
   

I had high expectations for this book since it came from Dr. Ferguson, and they were surpassed. Each chapter is filled with deep theological truths that are brought out and shared in an excited and passionate way. He starts out by giving a thorough background and then delving into the truths he is going to explain. In chapter five Dr. Ferguson's knowledge of the truth shines through as he explains how Christ is the Archegos or Author of our faith. He gave this example in the book to explain what the Greek word Archegos means:

"Think of a troop of commandos operating in a jungle war. They find their way blocked by a deep ravine. The situation is too urgent to find a way around. Their commanding officer manages to throw a rope across and anchor it. He then risks his life by crossing first, hand over hand. He permanently secures the rope. He creates a bridge. The way is now open for his men to cross over to the other side.

This is a pale and inadequate reflection of what the author of Hebrews means by calling Jesus the Archegos or 'author of our salvation."

Christ is similar to the commanding officer. In that He conquered death. Death could not hold Him for He lived the perfect sinless life that we could not.
Christ paved the way so that we could have everlasting life through Him and share of His inheritance.

Dr. Ferguson explains Christ's immutability as His unchanging love and holiness, His eternal grace towards us. Whether we go through a season of battling unbelief or enjoy a time of love and obedience to Christ, He will still love us and show His grace towards us no matter what we may do. For no sin is greater than Christ's sacrifice.

Dr. Ferguson also explains that Christ is our Great High Priest because He met all the requirements. He had to share in our weakness. He had to be consecrated to God's service. As well as carry the names and needs of God's people. Christ fulfilled all these requirements and offered the perfect sacrifice for His people.

Chapter thirty-seven "Eating Black Pudding" caught my attention. It sounded like a very odd title, but after reading the chapter it makes sense. In this chapter Dr. Ferguson cleverly incorporates his title into the truths he is conveying by using a story. During his ministry in Scotland, a man approached Dr. Ferguson asking him if it is okay for Christians to eat black pudding. The reason for the man's question is because black pudding contains blood. Old Testament law commands that no one should eat blood. But Paul says that we can eat whatever is sold in the meat market.(1 Cor. 10:25) Dr. Ferguson explains that this is an issue of Christian liberty and then gives the following guidelines for how to exercise our liberties as a Christian:

1. Christian liberty must never be flaunted.
2. Christian liberty does not mean that you welcome fellow Christians only after you have sorted out their views on X and Y.
3. Christian liberty ought never be used in such a way that you become a stumbling block to other Christians.
4. We ought not please ourselves, for even Christ did not please Himself.
   

One thing that In Christ Alone has helped me to understand is that we are closely tied to Christ. In chapter twenty-three (Titled Our Union with Christ) Dr. Ferguson discusses this subject. The following quote helped me to grasp our union with Christ.

"In a nutshell, abiding with Christ means allowing His Word to fill our minds, direct our wills, and transform our affections."

Abiding in Christ means more to me now when I understand that our union with Him is as intimate as Christ's union with The Father or as close as a vine and its branches.

In Christ Alone is an excellent resource that has helped me to understand God's love more deeply. As well as "the Holy Spirit guides, teaches, counsels, and brings orphans into the home and heart of God".


You can buy In Christ Alone HERE.

Merry Christmas!

While visiting with family and opening presents tomorrow, do not lose sight of what we are celebrating. Christmas is not just about presents or getting together with family.If it were, then we might as well just call it xmas. But Christmas is not about those two things. Christmas is all about the birth of our Savior!

Christ didn't come just to be an example for how to live rightly. Even though Christ did lead a life that we should strive to follow. He came for a far more important reason. That reason is found in this passage in Isaiah.

Isaiah 53

"1 Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;

by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."

That is why Christ came to earth. He came to be a substitute for us. He died so that we might have everlasting life.

1 Corinthians 5:21

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,
that we might become the righteousness of God in Him"

Tomorrow do not forget what we are celebrating and why.


Have a Merry Christmas!