*I was provided a copy of this book for review purposes, all opinions are my own* I LOVE to read. I can usually slam through a book pretty quick and remember a lot of details. Recently, Family Christian reached out to me about reviewing Newton On The Christian Life and I jumped at the chance. I am a big fan of religious books because I really feel like you grow in your walk when you read them. As I started this book, I realized this wasn’t going to be one of those easy reads, and I admit I am still not through with it and my review was due a little over a week ago. Yes, it’s that deep!
You might know John Newton as the man who gave us the song that has been sung in churches for decades, “Amazing Grace”, but there is so much more to John Newton that the song that is so loved by so many. What you might not know is that this man, before turning to a life of Christ completely, lived a life of slave trading. As he turned his life around and then fought to end slave trading, he started writing on a daily basis to help others fix their eyes on Christ just as he had.
Newton went from a man, living in sin, to someone who helped others fix their eyes on Christ. In Newton On The Christian Life, we get a glimpse of who Newton was through his theology as Reinke shares what he learned through Newton’s letters. With a total of 14 chapters, you will dig deep into who Newton was and what he believed. One of the more fascinating discussions in the book, for me, was the seven types of Christians with character flaws.
The chapter on Gospel Simplicity was one of my favorite chapters. Summed up best by one of the sentences in the chapter, that says “A life of gospel simplicity is a life focused on Christ and his all-sufficiency, a life in which we are aware of our sin and lostness, and confident of what Christ has done on our behalf.” The deep yet easy to follow doctrine is just one of the ways Newton helps show others how to live a Christian life.
Newton on The Christian Life is definitely a very deep read, I find myself reading and re-reading chapters to really delve into who Newton was and what his teachings were. I am definitely enjoying the read and really look forward to finishing the book. If you are going to pick up this book, you will want to set aside the time to really get into it, because as I said, it’s not just one of those speed through books. You will want to take your time reading Newton on The Christian Life.
About Newton on The Christian Life:
John Newton is best known as the slave trader turned hymn writer who penned the most popular English hymn in history: “Amazing Grace.” However, many Christians are less familiar with the decades he spent in relative obscurity, laboring as a “spiritual doctor” while pastoring small parishes in England. In the latest addition to Crossway’s growing Theologians on the Christian Life series, Tony Reinke introduces modern readers to Newton’s pastoral wisdom by leading them through the many sermons, hymns, and–most importantly–letters that he wrote over the course of his life. Considered by many to be one of the greatest letter writers of all time, Newton has valuable insights to offer modern Christians, especially when it comes to fusing together sound doctrine, lived experience, and godly practice.
Toni Patton
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This sounds like a very good book to read. I would like to find out what is the seven types of Christians with character flaws. I would love to read this book!