5 Books Every Christian Should Read
5 Books Christians Should Read (Beyond the Bible)
Michael Horton gives the following five recommendations of books Christians should read in addition to the Bible:
Athanasius' On The Incarnation,
When I first opened his De Incarnatione I soon discovered I was reading a masterpiece ... for only a master mind could have written so deeply on a subject with such classical simplicity. -- C.S. Lewis, from the Introduction
Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians,
Besides the Bible, John Bunyan preferred Luther’s classic commentary on Galatians “before all books I have ever seen.” Prized for its penetrating insights into Luther’s theology, this volume brings to light the depths of Paul’s meaning like no other commentary.
Luther’s Commentary on Galatians is a timeless exposition of Paul’s central thought in Galatians: “The just shall live by faith.” All readers will benefit from Luther’s doctrinally sound, verse-by-verse exposition.
Originally written in Latin, Luther’s Commentary on Galatians is here translated into English by Rev. Erasmus Middleton.
John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion,
At the age of twenty-six, Calvin published several revisions of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, a seminal work in Christian theology that altered the course of Western history and that is still read by theological students today. It was published in Latin in 1536 and in his native French in 1541, with the definitive editions appearing in 1559 (Latin) and in 1560 (French). The book was written as an introductory textbook on the Protestant faith for those with some learning already and covered a broad range of theological topics from the doctrines of church and sacraments to justification by faith alone.
The Heidelberg Catechism has been admired for its clarity as an expression of the Reformed Christian faith as well as for its warm, personal tone. Many of its questions and answers--and especially Q&A 1--have been memorized by thousands and have become an anchor for faith.
and RC Sproul's The Holiness of God.
Central to God’s character is the quality of holiness. Yet, even so, most people are hard-pressed to define what God’s holiness precisely is. Many preachers today avoid the topic altogether because people today don’t quite know what to do with words like “awe” or “fear.” R. C. Sproul, in this classic work, puts the holiness of God in its proper and central place in the Christian life. He paints an awe-inspiring vision of God that encourages Christian to become holy just as God is holy. Once you encounter the holiness of God, your life will never be the same.
Horton ends this video by saying "Now, I'm leaving a lot out that I would still recommend to people. Those are the ones that come to mind that really have a potential for shifting paradigms for people."
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Originally published September 02, 2022.