For the benefit of our visitors to the Engedi web site, we are pleased to recommend enthusiastically a list of outstanding books for your ongoing study of Biblical theology. All of these books are “tried and true” for faithfulness to the Word and for excellent presentation. They are books that have proven to be highly helpful and beneficial in study, and also they have really been a blessing to read; thus, we commend them to your use.

I pass on this list of books with brief comments with a sense of inadequacy, for I know I have omitted many works that should be included. Of course, there are others that visitors to our web site would immediately miss and wonder why they were excluded. Certainly, Dr. Sproul has written many other works, all of which would be valuable for the literate Christian public. I could have included the many excellent works of Gordon Clark, one of the foremost theologians of our day. Most of the writers listed have written other good books, and some well-known and highly competent authors are not included at all. I regret that this bibliography is only a brief suggested reading list, but these are books on my shelves that have been valuable in my studies and a great blessing in my life. In reality, I feel I have laid myself bare to the world by revealing my own literary diet, but yet these are books that I know would be highly valuable and relevant to our visitors. I would also note that many of my books may be outdated and superseded by later editions, and some may be entirely out of print. I would suggest pursuit of author and book rather than particular publisher or edition. I pray God’s blessings on all of you as you pursue your own understanding of truth and explore the glorious doctrines of God’s grace, and may all that you do, all that we all do, be done only to the glory of our gracious God and Father.

Augustine of Hippo. Confessions. Tr. Edward Bouverie Pusey. New York: Book of the Month Club, 1996 (originally written in early fourth century). One of the most moving and compelling autobiographies ever written, St. Augustine details his journey to faith in the form of a prayer. He includes his own rebellion against Christ, his futile search for meaning in Manichaeism and Neo-Platonism, his intellectual acceptance of Christianity from reading Paul, and his dramatic conversion.

Baxter, Richard. The Reformed Pastor. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust (Puritan Paperbacks), 1997 (originally published 1656). A valuable manual for any pastor who would like to be true to his calling; one of the great contributions of Puritan scholarship.

Bayly, Lewis. The Practice of Piety: A Puritan Devotional Manual. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1997. Bayly, a great Puritan scholar, subtitled his work “Directing a Christian How to Walk that He May Please God.” It is a valuable insight into everyday Puritan life in the pursuit of holiness, but, more than that, it offers some very practical guides to pious Christian living for those of us in the twenty-first century.

Bennett, Arthur, ed. The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995. An inspiring devotional book that takes one into the very heart and soul of Puritan piety and worship.

Berkhof, Louis. Summary of Christian Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1938. Long used as a textbook in systematic theology classes, this succinct work is valuable for setting forth the essential doctrines of the Christian faith.

Boettner, Loraine. The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1932. The classic exposition on this subject, and many would say the definitive work. It is also a careful and thorough analysis of the topic. This is the book Joni Erickson Tada said changed her life and enabled her to deal with her permanent disability.

Bonar, Horatius. The Everlasting Righteousness or, How Shall Man be Just with God? Edinburgh: Hobbs, NM: The Trinity Foundation, 1994 (first published 1874). Written by the man who established the Free Kirk of Scotland to preserve the truth of the gospel in the face of rising liberalism in Scotland, this work develops the Biblical basis for the atonement of Christ and a concise but adequate analysis of the entire subject.

Bridges, Jerry. The Discipline of Grace: God’s role and Our role in the Pursuit of Holiness. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1994. In this work Bridges integrates the responsibility of God (covered in detail in the work below), and the grace of God (the topic of his book Transforming Grace), providing us with a complete picture of the basis, responsibility, and means of pursuing personal holiness.

Bridges, Jerry. The Pursuit of Holiness. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1991. The first of Jerry Bridge’s studies on holiness, this short book is an excellent study in Biblical teaching on personal sanctification.

Bridges, Jerry. Trusting God Even When Life Hurts. Colorado Springs: Navpress, 1988. A wonderful study of the place of suffering in our lives under the reign of a sovereign God, written by a humble brother who has known personal suffering himself. An excellent book for anyone experiencing adversity in his/her life and perhaps questioning God.

Bunyan, John. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. Ed. W.R. Owens. London: Penguin Books, 1987. Growing out of Bunyan’s own trials involving his imprisonment, the book accounts his own understanding of God’s grace to him in his sin and how he found peace. A valuable book for anyone undergoing suffering, as well as for all Christians taking their salvation and Christian journey seriously.

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim’s Progress. New Kensington, PA: Whitaker House, 1981. A true Christian classic, this work has thrilled, convicted, and informed Christians through the years as they follow Christian in his journey to the cross. A must read for all Christians!

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. Ed. John T. McNeill, John Baillie, Henry P Van Dusen, tr. Ford Lewis Battles. Library of Christian Classics, Vols. XX & XXI. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960 (originally written 1536-1559). Calvin’s systematic theology ranks as perhaps the most complete theological treatise ever written as he deals Biblically with every major doctrine beginning with the knowledge of God, continuing with God’s revelation in scripture and the means of salvation through grace. Amazingly easy to read and understand, Calvin’s work remains as the premier exposition of the scope of the Christian faith.

Calvin, John. New Testament Commentaries. Tr. William B. Johnston. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000 (first published in French 1561 and in English 1605). Calvin gives a readable and true-to-the-text explanation of the New Testament, excepting the book of Revelation. His comments are often brief but always worth consulting.

Calvin, John. On the Necessity of Reforming the Church. Audubon, NJ: Old Paths Publications, 1994 (originally published 1544). The only one of Calvin’s work not written in response, but a work little known today. Although written against the background of the Rome’s corruptions of the church, it still has great relevance and importance today.

Carson, D.A. Exegetical Fallacies. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996. A study of the bases for mistakes in interpreting scripture: word-study, grammatical, logical, presuppositional, and historical fallacies. This book would be for the serious Bible student who wants to understand where people often err and reach fallacious conclusions.

Chadwick, Owen. The Reformation. London: Penguin Books, 1990. Among many histories of the Reformation that could be recommended is this succinct edition by the competent church historian and Regius Professor of Modern history at Cambridge University.

Edwards, Jonathan. The Freedom of the Will. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications, 1996, taken from the Thomas Nelson edition in London of 1845. One of the most profound works from the person often regarded as the greatest scholar America ever produced, the renowned preacher and professor of the College of New Jersey, later Princeton University, Jonathan Edwards. Edwards shows the Biblical view of the freedom of man’s will: that man always has the freedom to choose according to his desires. An excellent companion work to Luther’s Bondage of the Will.

Greschat, Martin. Martin Bucer: A Reformer and His Times. Translated: Stephen E. Buckwalter. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. The first English biography of the great reformer from Strasbourg since 1931. Buckwalter has provided an excellent translation of this accurate and readable biography originally appearing in German in 1999.

Hendriksen, William. More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1967. A reliable commentary on the book of Revelation in that the interpretation is in line with established and clear doctrine of truth as enunciated elsewhere in Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments.

Henry, Matthew. A Method for Prayer with Scripture Expressions and Directions for Daily Communion with God. Ed. And rev. by J. Ligon Duncan III. Greenville, SC: Reformed Academic Press, 1994. This devotional work from the pen of the great Puritan commentator is best summarized in the words of his contemporary, the great hymn-writer Isaac Watts: “Mr. Henry’s Method of Prayer is a judicious collection of Scriptures proper to the several parts of that Duty… (which book I would recommend to all Christians).”

Hindmarsh, D. Bruce. John Newton and the English Evangelical Tradition. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1996. A study of the contributions of Newton, author of so many hymns including “Amazing Grace”, to the development of the evangelical church in England.

Horton, Michael. Putting Amazing Back into Grace: Embracing the Heart of the Gospel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002. A thrilling read for any Christian, it is especially valuable for those initially beginning the journey in grace and confronting the doctrines of God’s sovereignty.

Kelly, Douglas F. If God Already Knows, Why Pray? Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, Ltd., 1996. An excellent analysis of the reason for and the effect of prayer, especially important in view of the question contained in the title.

Lawrence, James David. Martin Bucer and the Reformed Faith: The Unsung Hero of the Reformation (currently under consideration for publication). The thesis of this work is that Bucer was in a very real sense the father of Reformed theology.

Lightfoot, J.B. Ed. J.R. Harmer. The Apostolic Fathers. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1956. A succinct summation of the primary writings of the Fathers.

Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. Great Doctrines of the Bible. Wheaton, Il: Crossway Books, 1996. Published in three volumes (I: “God the Father, God the Son,” II: “God the Holy Spirit,” and III: “The Church and the Last Things,” this series is one of the most significant written by the great theologian and preacher. Lloyd-Jones encapsulates the divine plan of redemption in eloquent style.

Luther, Martin. Table Talk. Ed. Thomas S. Kepler, tr. William Hazlitt. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995. Said to have originated from notes taken down by Luther’s son when he overheard conversations involving his father and the leaders of the Protestant movement around the kitchen table in their Wittenberg home, it was originally translated by Captain Henry Bell in 1646. It contains interesting quips and comments by Luther on a variety of subjects which have been arranged topically in this edition. Fascinating and valuable reading!

Luther, Martin. The Bondage of the Will. Tr. James I. Packer and O.R. Johnston. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993. The one book that Luther wrote of which he said that he would not change a word, it was his response to Erasmus’ Diatribe on Free Will. Luther boldly sets forth the Biblical teaching on the debilitating sin of man requiring divine grace for salvation, showing that the will of man is so affected by sin that he would never on his own choose Christ. A powerful work!

MacArthur, John, Jr. Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World. Wheaton, Il: Crossway Books, 1993. MacArthur begins with the apostasy of Spurgeon’s day, what he called the “down grade,” and shows how it has re-appeared today in modern pragmatism. MacArthur is scathing in his exposure of the dangers that pragmatism presents to the gospel and the church; very relevant.

MacArthur, John, Jr. Saved Without a Doubt. Wheaton, Il: Victor Books, 1992. In true MacArthur style, a forceful, Biblical, and compelling defense of the absolute eternal security of the true believer in Christ.

Murray, John. Redemption Accomplished and Applied. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955. A short but extremely valuable summation of God’s scheme of redemption by the illustrious Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. It is a book that every Christian should have, for it gives a Biblical summation of our redemption accomplished through the eternal purpose of the Father and the propitiation of the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit.

Murray, John. The Imputation of Adam’s Sin. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., (originally published by Eerdmans in 1959). A brief and succinct exposition of the Biblical doctrine that is so necessary to understand the essentiality of the atonement, but often so difficult for people to accept.

Owen. John. The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989. With an introduction by J.I. Packer that is one of the best statements of Reformed theology ever written and worth the price of the book in itself, this work by the great Puritan scholar John Owen is indeed the definitive work on the atonement. Not only does it lay to rest every argument raised against definite atonement, it is a work that no scholar with the contrary view has ever attempted to answer or refute.

Packer, J.I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1961. In obvious response to the implied question, “If God is sovereign, why preach the gospel?” Packer capably analyzes the subject of sovereignty, man’s responsibility, and the place and necessity of evangelism I God’s eternal purpose and its outworking in our lives.

Packer, J.I. Knowing God. Downer’s Grove, Il: Intervarsity Press, 1973. One of the great Christian classics, acclaimed by scholars throughout the evangelical world. Packer sets forth who God is, the importance of knowing Him, and the result of such a relationship. It is a book to be read again and again.

Pink, Arthur W. The Attributes of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1975. A short work in which the respected author A.W. Pink summarizes the various attributes of God’s character.

Pink, Arthur W. The Sovereignty of God. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984. A classic work on God’s sovereignty. Pink is straightforward, Biblical, and convincing. He shows both the clear Scriptural teaching on the subject and its logical implications.

Piper, John. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Piper revises the first question of the Westminster Larger Catechism to suggest that the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever, and holds forth the thesis that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. He provides abundant scriptural support for the concept of desiring, longing after, and delighting in God. A compelling book that holds the readers attention to the end and challenges us to deep thinking and consideration about our relationship to God.

Piper, John. The Pleasures of God: Meditations on God’s Delight in Being God. Sistera, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2000. Piper’s sequel to Desiring God, the work focuses on God’s delight in Himself which under girds our delight in Him. Both of Piper’s books are highly significant and refreshing to read.

Ramm, Bernard, The Christian View of Science and Scripture. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968. A very helpful book in coming to terms with the apparent contradictions between science and theology. Ramm shows the necessity of achieving harmony and then proceeds to deal with the specific areas of concern in the various divisions of science.

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Christ of the Covenants. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1980. An excellent explanation and exposition of Biblical covenants to help one understand that God indeed deals with His people by and through covenants. Robertson shows well the integration of God’s covenants in Jesus Christ.

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Israel of God: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 2000. A sequel to the above work by Robertson focusing particularly on God’s covenant with Israel and the implications and continuance of that covenant today. His analysis of Paul’s comments in Romans 11 is especially valuable.

Ryle, J.C. Five English Reformers. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1999. Inspiring short biography of five great English reformers martyred under Queen Mary, including Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley.

Schaeffer, Francis A. The Church at the End of the Twentieth Century. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1994. Written by one of the greatest Christian historians and philosophers of our age, the late Francis Schaeffer, this work is his analysis of the spiritual condition of Christianity at the close of the last century. His prediction for the welfare of the church is grim, and thus the work is worthy of the reading and consideration of all concerned Christians.

Sproul, R.C. The Holiness of God. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1998. The most thorough and illustrative treatment of this vital and neglected topic. This is the work that established Sproul as an acclaimed author in the evangelical world. No other writer has ever approached this subject with the specificity and depth that Sproul has. Also highly recommended is what may be considered a companion work and equally valuable: Chosen by God.

Sproul, R.C., Jr, ed. After Darkness, Light: Distinctives of Reformed Theology, Essays in Honor of R.C. Sproul. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 2003. Written as a festschrift in honor of Dr. Sproul’s work and edited by his son, the book contains essays by several significant and well known scholars on the principal bases of Reformed theology: the five solas and the five “points.”

Spurgeon, Charles. The Treasury of David. McLean, VA: MacDonald Publishing Company, n.d. This three volume set comprising Spurgeon’s commentary on the book of Psalms is an exposition of grace as well as an interpretation of the Psalms, and it is a thrilling and delightful experience to consult Spurgeon and his insights into Scripture.

Steele, David N. and Thomas, Curtis C. The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, Documented . Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing Co., 1963. A cogent definition and defense of Reformed theology set against a fair treatment of opposing doctrines in the Arminian tradition. It provides one with abundant Biblical passages in support of the distinctives of the Reformed faith.

The Heidelberg Catechism. Cleveland, OH: United Church Press, 1962. Originally published in 1563, the work of two young German scholars: Zacharias Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus, it was composed to provide a confession that would be acceptable to both Lutherans and Reformed Christians in Germany, perhaps re-uniting two branches of Protestantism that were threatening further religious division in Germany. It has since become a confession accepted by Reformed Christians throughout the world, known for beauty of expression of the great truths of the faith (Engedi offers a study series on cd based on the Heidelberg Catechism under the title of Christ: Our Comfort).

The Westminster Confession of Faith. Glascow: Free Presbyterian Publications, 1997. Called the queen of evangelical confessions, the Westminster standards have proven to be a reliable and Biblical guide to systematic theology. Copies may be obtained, of course, from a variety of publishers. The confession was drawn up at Westminster Abbey, Jerusalem Chapel, in the seventeenth century as a creedal statement for the Reformed Church of England. It exists in complete form in three parts: the confession of faith itself, the catechism (larger and smaller), and the Directory of Public Worship.

Warfield, Benjamin B. The Plan of Salvation. Written by the esteemed scholar of Princeton University, this work concisely examines God’s true plan of salvation, contrasting it with various errant views. It is an excellent work to have for one to familiarize himself with the various interpretations of redemption seen in light of Biblical truth.

Watson, Thomas. The Doctrine of Repentance. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust (Puritan Paperbacks), 1987 (originally published 1668). The great Puritan scholar Thomas Watson examines in depth the Biblical doctrine of repentance. A short book, easy to read.

Wright, D.F. ed. Martin Bucer: Reforming Church and Community. Cambridge: University Press, 2002. A valuable collection of essays by reputable Bucer scholars on Bucer’s attempts to create a true Christian community.

Wright, R.K. McGregor. No Place for Sovereignty: What’s Wrong with Freewill Theism? Downers Grove, Il: Intervarsity Press, 1984. An excellent critique of the freewill position approached historically. The author shows not only the inconsistencies of this interpretation, but that its logical conclusion leads to atheism. It provides also an excellent critique of the open theism position.