Book Review: Love by Calvin Miller

The very definition of God is Love (p.47, 1John.4.7-8).  This is a great book to have a small group with or just to read on a daily basis for 6 weeks.  Calvin Miller does a great job of providing scripture to prove his points and also does a good job of making the reader read their Bible every day in order to understand what the Miller is saying.

Miller says,

“the best thing about the good news is that forgiveness of sin was immensely simplified when Jesus took upon Himself  the sacrificial work of the cross” (p.31).

That is Love right there; Jesus forgiving sinners of something they do not deserve.

 

The book covers forgiveness, giving and love very well for such a small book.   Miller says, “the primary evidence of love is giving” (p.7).  If you do not give, how can you say you love people?  Not just giving money, but time and talent can be given also.  Miller encourages believers to give whatever and whenever they can.  I have nothing but good things to say about this book.  You should read it.  Miller makes a book for every fruit of the spirit and I may try to get my hands on a couple of those to J God bless you and I pray you enjoy this book.

 

sin and law terms

Actus Reus – Illegal Act

Mens Rea – guilty mind

 

Unintentional sin

This is a controversial issue.  There are some Christians who believe that it is possible to not sin once Jesus lives in you.  This is heresy in my opinion when looking to the scriptures for answers:

1 John 1:10 if we say we have not sinned we make Him(God) a liar

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-

 

But, there are still some who are Christians and non-Christians who think they have done nothing wrong.  They feel that God is not angry with them because they do not sin.  This is very far from the truth.  We all sin, whether it is intentional or not, we are born into sin

it is who we are; Sinners

 

Rom 2:12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law

Rom 3:23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Rom 3:10  as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one;

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned-

 

Whether you have done nothing or everything wrong in your life, You are a sinner, I am a sinner, we are all sinners.  No one can escape it, it is who we are.

 

Now that that has been established, I would like to go over some legal terms that will help make this case understandable today.  Actus reus is an act that is illegal(sin).  Mens rea is a guilty mind(intentional sin).  Without the fusion of the act and the intent, it is an unintentional sin.  Example:

I was talking with my wife and doing something else at the same time not really listening to her.  When she says, “were you listening to me?” I reply with, “YES,” instantly, without realizing I am lying!!! Unintentional, the response just comes out.  We have a sin nature that we cannot escape.

 

Now if the act and the intent is there, it is an intentional sin.  Example:

Someone asks me if I did the thing they asked and I answer, “yes,” knowing fully that I did not do what they asked!

 

If Actus reus(sin) occurs without Mens Rea(intent), I still sinned, I just didn’t mean to.  If I am going ten mph over the speed limit and I get pulled over, the cop still gives me a ticket, I am still guilty.  There is still a punishment, no matter the intent, if their were not how could the concept of justice still apply?  There is a payment for our sin, Jesus Christ.  Whether intentional or not, lets call sin what it is; SIN.

Christ be glorified

 

The textbook

I just meet a Muslim who told me that he believes the old world  religions (Islam, Christianity, ext.) was for us when we did not have science.  This is a weird thing because most Muslim people will in most cases be a Muslim for life.  I asked him about evolution because he was talking about it allot.  He said if I wanted to know the truth I should get a text book because all the other stuff is just jargon and has no meaning to it.  It was an interesting conversation, but he was right about the text book.

 

Not the evolution text book of course, but when you want to know the truth it is best to not just ask a stranger or look it up on Wikipedia.  It is best to go to the source.  That source is the Bible!

 

2 Tim 3:16-17

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work

 

This is the one book that there is no lies or deceit! There are over 2,500 whole or fragmentary copies of the scripture that we posses for translation in order to make sure we do not mistake teaching or doctrine.  When someone says, “the Bible is like the telephone game, one person says something and by the end its something completely different.”  This is an ignorant statement.  There are so many biblical texts and pagan texts that confirm the things that happened in the Bible (For example they just found an inscription from Pilate the one who illegally tried Jesus).  It is the oldest and most reliable book we have, and its also Gods word.

I’m not saying to not read books about the Bible or blogs or papers, these are good tools, just not the place to start.  Start at the absolute truth, the WORD of GOD.

IT IS THE TEXTBOOK!!! Lets read it and learn God’s truths, not the worlds truths.

 

Christ be glorified