I found myself nodding and agreeing and saying 'yes', 'yes' as I read through this book. An excellent resource. It is simple, but not simplistic. It doesn't dumb down anything. It uses the proper word for things, and explains them in a simple way. It is well written. It is modern. It is fun, in the sense that it is 'human'. It is clearly born from many conversations and many years answering questions from smart kids asking good questions at Youth Group.

My suggestion is that it could and should have gone further in chapter 4. There is more to be said on Romans 9 than Scott has said. Scott could have expounded Romans 9:17-24 (he did do 9:8-16). So he has dealt with 'he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy'. But he does not deal with the much harder and more challenging concept 'and he hardens whom he wants to harden'.

Romans 9:19-24 suggests that there is another purpose in God's punishing some sinners justly for their sin. It is that it makes known to the objects of God's mercy the riches of his glory. It serves God's glory to punish some justly while showing others mercy. And this is made known to the objects of his mercy. So, from the vantage point of heaven, the elect as they apprehend that there are some just like them being justly punished for their sins, all the more glorify God, because they know that it is exactly what they deserve, and what they would have been enduring, but for the grace of God which brought them to faith in Christ Jesus. I know it is a 'what if' in verses 22, 23. But it seems that it is the last step in Paul's theodicy, and the book needs to make it to be complete.

It would also be helpful to use the potter and clay analogy, which emphasises God's rights to do what he wants.

All in all, a very good and helpful book, which I will be passing around in my church.

In Christ
Matt Olliffe (Posted on 30/07/10)