Category Archives: History

The story behind my favorite books

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7048lMy favorite books (in large measure) are those published by The Banner of Truth Trust. Few publishers are as biblically faithful and reliable as this one. [Aside: I recently mentioned to someone that IVP publishes both good and bad, even heretical authors — such as Greg Boyd, purveyor of “openness of God” theology. You simply can no longer trust an IVP book to be orthodox.]

Here is an article on the history of The Banner of Truth Trust (“trust” being a British term for charity or non-profit organization) by by dear friend, and BTT founder, Iain H Murray. It begins with this paragraph…

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The Banner of Truth Trust originated in 1957 in London. The founders believed that much of the best literature of historic Christianity had been allowed to fall into oblivion and that its recovery under God could well lead not only to a strengthening of the Church today but to true revival. The origins of the work were closely connected with the prayer that God would be pleased to visit the land again in true awakening. (read the rest)

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“The Bible’s Mt. Everest”

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David Mathis (writing at the DG blog) says….

Mountain View, Wengen, Berner Oberland, Switzerland

The last 12 verses of Romans 8 (verses 28—39) are the biblical Himalayas, and Romans 8:32 is Mount Everest.

[God] did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Stand in awe of this verse. Step back and view the whole range, and then focus your gaze on the highest peak. And then reorient your thinking about life’s hardest times and deepest pains.

The reason why Romans 8:32 is so breathtakingly amazing is that it combines all the most massive promises of God for his people with the (seemingly) simple reality of the gospel. In Romans 8:32, the apostle Paul takes God’s most far-reaching, hope-giving, life-changing promises and supports them the central Christian message of the gospel.

At the center of God’s magnificent Himalayan promises is his pledge to work all things—especially life’s most difficult things—for the good of his people (verses 28—30; 35—39). These promises are so huge that they are hard to believe.

Is God really working all my worst circumstances for my good? Yes! That’s what Romans 8:32 is saying. And it’s doing so by reasoning from the gospel to God’s goodness in all things.

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[I know, the photo is not Mt Everest, but you get the picture]