Contending for Our All: Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ in the Lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen

<p>Athanasius. John Owen. J. Gresham Machen.</p> <p><br> </p> <p>Each of these men stood for the truth of God's Word in the face<br> of opposition-all out of a deep love for Christ and a desire for<br> people to know God in his fullness. Popularity was not a concern,<br> and they took no joy in controversy for argument's sake. However,<br> these men were willing to suffer for the sake of guarding the<br> sanctity of the gospel. Many threats, years of exile, deaths of<br> loved ones, opposition from friends and authorities, sickness and<br> pain-none of these setbacks could keep these three from maintaining<br> their efforts for the furthering of Christ's Kingdom or quench<br> their zeal for Christ himself.</p> <p><br> </p> <p>In his fourth book of The Swans Are Not Silent series,<br> <em>Contending for Our All</em>, John Piper has given us<br> biographies of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen-bishop,<br> pastor, and seminary founder. In the life of each one, personal<br> holiness was emphasized publicly and privately despite suffering.<br> They were true soldiers for the sake of the cross, and each man<br> offers life lessons for Christians today.</p> <p><br> <b>Athanasius</b><br> </p> <p>The deity of Christ and all its worth consumed Athanasius. He<br> devoted his life to defending it. The great adversary was the Arian<br> heresy. Athanasius would be banished by the emperor five times. He<br> was contending for his all-the essential, life-giving truth of<br> Christ and his gospel.</p> <p><br> <b>John Owen</b><br> </p> <p>Communion with Christ was the focus of John Owen's vast<br> intellect and expansive heart. He battled Christ-belittling errors<br> of the mind and heart with passion and skill. Going deeper in the<br> understanding of Christ was for him the key to going deeper in<br> fellowship with him.</p> <p><br> <b>J. Gresham Machen</b><br> </p> <p>Representing Christ in all his fullness with all of Scripture<br> drove J. Gresham Machen. He saw in the liberal Christianity of the<br> early twentieth century another religion. His exposure of its<br> subtleties and his emphasis on the facts of history are<br> astonishingly relevant for our time in the early twenty-first<br> century.</p> <p><br> <b>The Swans Are Not Silent</b><br> </p> <p>When Augustine handed over the leadership of his church in A.D.<br> 426, his successor was so overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy that<br> he declared, "The swan is silent," fearing the spiritual giant's<br> voice would be lost to time. But for 1,600 years Augustine has not<br> been silent-and neither have those who faithfully trumpeted the<br> cause of Christ after him. Their lives have inspired every<br> generation of believers and should compel us to a greater passion<br> for God.</p> <p><br> <br> </p>

Author(s): John Piper  

ISBN 10: 1433517884
ISBN 13: 9781433517884
Publication: 1/20/2006