What's So Great about the Doctrines of Grace?

In What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace?, the Rev. Richard D. Rick Phillips shows that the doctrines of grace, those theological tenets more popularly known as the five points of Calvinism, are comforting, faith-strengthening, and humbling teachings. In six short chapters, Rev. Phillips demonstrates conclusively from Scripture that this view of salvation exalts God and makes plain His great love for man, which drove Him to do all that was necessary to redeem a people for Himself. In his opening chapter, Rev. Phillips cites the calling of Isaiah the prophet to show that a proper understanding of the sovereignty of God leads to a willingness to serve, a humble obedience to God s commands, a holy boldness, and a firm reliance on sovereign, saving grace. Then, over the next five chapters, he deals with the five doctrines of grace one by one-total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints providing thorough explanations, answering objections, and showing how the doctrines advance Christian living. What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace? is a compact, highly readable treasure chest of scriptural wisdom.

About the Author :
Rev. Richard D. Phillips is senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, S.C., having served previously as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Coral Springs/Margate, Florida, and as minister of preaching at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. He serves on the council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and as chairman of the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan, a master of business administration degree at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, and a master of divinity degree at Westminster Theological Seminary. Prior to entering the ministry, he commanded tank units as an officer in the U.S. Army and later served as an assistant professor of leadership at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Rev. Phillips is the author of numerous books, including Hebrews (part of the Reformed Expository Commentary series) and Holding Hands, Holding Hearts: Recovering a Biblical View of Christian Dating, co-written with his wife, Sharon.

Review :
Rick Phillips has an unbounded love for the doctrines of grace and writes about them with an enviable simplicity and clarity. Here is persuasive exposition of biblical teaching that captures the thrill of knowing a sovereign God. 'What's So Great about the Doctrines of Grace?' Never loses sight of the grace to which these doctrines point. This is a wonderful book to read, study, lend, and give away. --Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson: Senior minister, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia SCThe heart of the gospel is contained in the doctrines of grace. To understand these truths is to understand the height, depth, breadth, and length of the saving grace of God for sinners. Richard Phillips has done an outstanding job of capturing the heartbeat of these precious truths. Prepare your heart to be greatly blessed as this pastor and author guides you into a greater appreciation of the sovereign grace of God. --Dr. Steven J. Lawson: Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship Baptist Church, Mobile, Ala.Richard 'Rick' Phillips has done it again! In summarizing the doctrines of grace in this book, he brings us into the arena of historic Calvinism, which, as C.H. Spurgeon said, 'is the Gospel and nothing else.' But what we have here is more than just a re-telling of the doctrines themselves; it is an account of why these truths matter in the church of the twenty-first century. Its enthusiasm is infectious, its urgency compelling, and its logic irrefutable. --Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas: Professor of systematic and practical theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Minister of teaching, First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, Miss.