Peter SmytheIntelligent Holy Ghost Christianity

Here’s a short post for the holiday.

These days whenever I pick up a Christian book, I immediately turn to the back to find a scripture index in the back. A scripture index basically lists all of the scriptures that the author refers to in the book. When I find the scripture index, I look up some familiar verses and then turn to the page references to see exactly what the author has to say about them. This is one quick way to see if a book is worth the price.

One book that I picked up at the store recently was Wayne Grudem’s Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith. Mr. Grudem is a popular professor at Phoenix Seminary and an editor of the ESV translation. Bible Doctrine is supposed to give you a firm grasp on “seven key topics” including The Doctrine of Man and The Doctrine of Christ. The back cover states, “this book is marked by its clarity, its strong scriptural emphasis, its thoroughness in scope and detail.” When you look to the scripture index, you won’t find any references to these scriptures:

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5.17, NASB)

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5.21, NASB)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us - for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3.13, 14, NASB)

For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. (Galatians 6.15, NASB)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10.10, NASB)

This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. (1 John 2.25, NASB)

How can a book claim to teach us the Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith and completely skip over these?