Book Review: In Christ Alone

Click in image to purchase from Monergism BooksLiving the Gospel Centered Life by Sinclair Ferguson.

Since you’re reading this review here on my blog, there’s a good chance you like reading blog posts. As I read In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson, I kept thinking that the feel of the book was a bit bloggish, but in the best way—like a blog set up to focus on the blessings of life in Christ.

This book is a collection of short essays which started as articles written for Eternity Magazine and Tabletalk over the course of twenty years. There are fifty short chapters, none longer than four pages, grouped in six sections. The topics of the sections are

• the incarnation
• the different aspects of Christ’s work on our behalf
• the ministry of the Spirit
• the privileges of grace
• the expression of the gospel in our lives
• the faithful life.

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My Desktop Photo 47: Ogilvie Mountains

Photo by Andrew Stark
(click for larger view)

What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others?

All transgressions of the law of God are not equally heinous; but some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.[1]

Sins receive their aggravations,

1. From the persons offending:[1] if they be of riper age,[2] greater experience or grace,[3] eminent for profession,[4] gifts,[5] place,[6] office,[7] guides to others,[8] and whose example is likely to be followed by others.[9]

2. From the parties offended:[10] if immediately against God,[11] his attributes,[12] and worship;[13] against Christ, and his grace;[14] the Holy Spirit,[15] his witness,[16] and workings;[17] against superiors, men of eminency,[18] and such as we stand especially related and engaged unto;[19] against any of the saints,[20] particularly weak brethren,[21] the souls of them, or any other,[22] and the common good of all or many.[23]

3. From the nature and quality of the offense:[24] if it be against the express letter of the law,[25] break many commandments, contain in it many sins:[26] if not only conceived in the heart, but breaks forth in words and actions,[27] scandalize others,[28] and admit of no reparation:[29] if against means,[30] mercies,[31] judgments,[32] light of nature,[33] conviction of conscience,[34] public or private admonition,[35] censures of the church,[36] civil punishments;[37] and our prayers, purposes, promises,[38] vows,[39] covenants,[40] and engagements to God or men:[41] if done deliberately,[42] wilfully,[43] presumptuously,[44] impudently,[45] boastingly,[46] maliciously,[47] frequently,[48] obstinately,[49] with delight,[50] continuance,[51] or relapsing after repentance.[52]

4. From circumstances of time [53] and place:[54] if on the Lord’s day,[55] or other times of divine worship;[56] or immediately before [57] or after these,[58] or other helps to prevent or remedy such miscarriages:[59] if in public, or in the presence of others, who are thereby likely to be provoked or defiled.[60]

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