Book Review: The Great Exchange

My Sin for His Righteousness by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington.

I mentioned back in November that I’d be reviewing this book soon. When I made that foolish statement, I didn’t anticipate that The Great Exchange is not a book suitable for skimming. It is, instead, packed full of goodies, requiring that I make frequent stops for digesting as I made my way through. So here we are, three months later, and I’m finally finished up with reading and moving on to reviewing.

In The Great Exchange, Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington show us what the apostles taught in scripture about the atonement, patterning their work after George Smeaton’s The Apostles Docrine of the Atonement, a classic study written more than 130 years ago. There are two sections in this book: a first section summing up the teaching of the apostles on Christ’s atonement and placing this teaching in it’s historical context; and the second—the bulk of the book—examining the apostle-authored texts dealing with Christ’s atonement, moving from Acts through Revelation.

The authors are firmly convinced that the message of the cross is central to true faith.

The message of the cross—the historical gospel of the God-man, Jesus Christ, who personally visited the earth, which was created through him, with the mission of redeeming his own people with his own infinitely precious, bloody, substitutionary death—has been and must remain the solitary basis and the singular foundation of the Christian faith and worldview.

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Sunday's Hymn: God's Righteousness

The rich theology and old-fashioned wording in this hymn makes it seem like an old hymn, but it was written in 2005.  It relates God’s righteousness to his justice and wrath and our propitiation.

In Righteous Glory Reigning

In righteous glory reigning, our God sits high enthroned,
His right and truth maintaining, His justice making known.
He stands above Time’s river, the worlds within His view,
His right hand will deliver to every man his due.

Before His bar no pleading excuses any flaw;
But wickedness exceeding ignites the flames of Law.
’Mid Sinai’s sounding thunder the verdict has been read:
All men, in awestruck wonder, fall down before Him, dead.

Such wrath, beyond all telling! Can it be turned aside?
Is there a strong, safe dwelling where Hell can be denied?
Can holy, perfect righteousness forgive and reconcile?
Can God, though angered, still bless the wicked and the vile?

Yes, yes, my soul has found out! There is a mercy sure!
A sovereign grace to sound out—a love both true and pure!
The flesh of God is given to meet the Law’s demands,
And now I am forgiven, while Christ in Heaven stands!

With that propitiation, God and His saints embrace!
That perfect expiation has saved His chosen race!
Now mercy kisses justice; now Truth and Love join hands,
Now Him in Whom our trust is: The Christ, our surety stands!

—-Neil Barham

More on God’s righteousness:

• God’s Righteousness
  

 Other hymns, worship songs, etc. posted today:

• Jesus, The Truth and Power Divine at joythruChrist
• The Collect for Quinquagesima at Magic Statistics
• The Holy Spirit, Lord, Alone at The Happy Wonderer
• Lord’s Day 5, 2008 at The Thirsty Theologian
  
• To Thee, O Lord, I Fly at Hiraeth
  
• I Stand Amazed in the Presence at Seasoning of the Heart
• The Heaven’s Declare Thy Glory, Lord at Whatever Things…

Have you posted a hymn this Sunday and I missed it? Let me know by leaving a link in the comments or by emailing me at the address in the sidebar and I’ll add your post to the list.

Themes and Things

I’m still stuck on last month’s theme (which was weather, for those of you who are not paying attention) and here’s why.

A short list of good things during this cold spell

• Today’s temperature is better than yesterday morning when it was -44C, so I’m hopeful that the trend is upward.
• Youngest son has discovered that chopping wood at -40 is a manly endeavor, so I never have to nag or worry about my split wood supply.
• The dog consolidates all her daily outdoor bathroom trips into one quick one. That’s a plus unless that one quick one is at 4AM.
  
• When the temp hits -30, I  become much more satisfied with my home. It’s old, the floors are worn, I need new furniture, especially in the living room, but, you know, it’s a really cozy place when it’s cold outside.
• I brought a camping-style cot up from the basement, set it up in front of the fireplace with sheets, pillows and a blanket, and it has become the household’s favorite spot for lounging. If there isn’t a person on it, then you’ll probably find a cat or dog there.

That brings me to the subject of next month’s theme. It’s dogs—pet dogs, wild dogs, anything in any way related to the canine species. Once again, I’m inviting your participation. If you post anything dog related, send me the link and I’ll link back to you in the regular round ups of dog related posts, which will be on Tuesdays and Fridays of each week in February Here’s your chance to dote on your pets in your blog and not feel guilty or foolish, because, after all, you’re just being a good sport and helping Rebecca out, right?

 

A few ways you might participate: 

• Post a photo or video of your dog.
• Tell us a doggy story.
  
• Write a piece about a childhood pet dog.
  
• Explain why you chose the pet dog you did.
  
• Say why you’d never in a million years have a pet dog.
• Search YouTube for humourous dog video and embed it.
  
• Rant about dog blogging and how stupid it is.
• Research dingoes or any other wild dog and inform us.
  
• Scan pictures from the bad dog calendar you got for Christmas and post them.
• Instruct us on the proper way to clip doggy toenails.
• Compose a poem on the delights of puppy breath.
• Share your home made dog treat recipe.
  

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. You’ll find my email address by clicking Contact under the photo in the sidebar. Send me a link to a dog-related post by next Tuesday morning and you’ll be linked in the first dog post round up of this month.