In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel-Centered Life by Sinclair B. Ferguson

The Review

This is what I did not like about the book: the chapters rarely had anything to do with the previously chapter. That was a bit disconcerting to me until I read (back of the book or what have you) that this was a collection of series of articles for Tabletalk magazine. To which I remarked, "OOOOOhhhhhh."

Now I know the source, I can give this book a very favorable review.

Given the layout of the chapters, this book reads more like a devotion than anything else. I am not a huge fan of devotions because often, they are written as though you just got up in the morning, coffee has yet to be brew and your brain is not processing at full capacity. In other words, not deep and surface level. This book is not that.

Imagine reading this in your morning devotion:

"Learn to admit sin for what it really is. Call a spade a spade-call it "fornication" (v. 5), not "I'm being tempted a little"; call it "uncleanness" (v. 5), not "I'm struggling with my thought life"; call it "covetousness, which is idolatry" (v. 5), not "I think I need to order my priorities a bit better." This pattern runs right through the whole section. How powerfully it unmasks self-deception-and helps us to unmask sin lurking in the hidden corners of our hearts! "

Good morning to you.

You can expect each chapter to dive deep to at least unveil the beauty of Christ and how to apply Him, His work into your every day life.

I wish more devotions were written like this.

I wish more Christian self-help books were written like this.

Heck, I wish any book that dares to be written on the glories of God would be written like this. Stop making it about us and start talking about His Majesty, King Jesus.