The Truth about the Lordship of Christ

I have often criticized smallish theological books for their size. Typically, I have equated light with shallow because some of the deeper conversations were omitted from the manuscript thus leading to the smaller work. Well, that criticism cannot be levied against John MacArthur's The Truth About the Lordship of Christ. In this instance, mini means mighty. In taking the lead on topics of truth in a society built upon relativism, MacArthur has created "The Truth About" series. The series is currently comprise of three books -- the lordship of Christ, grace, and forgiveness -- and my sincerest desire is that many more will be forthcoming. Technically speaking, the book on grace was the first installment of the trilogy; however, I believe the lordship of Christ must be the centerpiece of the series. After all, if you do not believe in the lordship of Christ, the offer of grace from His sacrifice on the cross will not matter to you. MacArthur does not provide a flowery or catchy introduction for the reader. He opens with three provocative sentences: (1) Christians have many reasons to rejoice, (2) God's sovereignty over all things it the major one, and (3) His sovereignty is the most significant truth about God in all of Christianity. There's no fluff in those statements and he has immediately launched into the truth about His lordship. Later in this opening chapter, he brings in tough matters and ultimately resolves them with philosophical simplicity: if you believe in God's sovereignty, then you recognize your own simplicity; so, since God's ways are higher than your ways, you must trust in Him and His lordship. The progression of the work is natural: Lordship of the universe and then our lives. This lordship in our lives leads to several present factors (daily submission, holy living, confession, and restoration) and a future reality -- the ultimate destination of an eternity with God. Clearly, the thoughts are well-reasoned, clearly defined in Scripture, and provocative. My favorite quote from the book overlaps pages 32 and 33: "spiritual passion is not the norm. The norm is not to let Christianity disrupt your lifestyle. If you follow that, your spiritual temperature will drop and you'll become apathetic." In those short sentences, he has diagnosed the problem with modern Christianity that the title of the book (Lordship of Christ) can quickly resolve. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”