Faith and Life by B. B. Warfield Review
Some of the greatest theologians of the modern era came out of old Princeton, and one of the greatest of them was Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield (1851–1921). This is my review of his book Faith and Life.
What the book is
Warfield kept up the Princeton tradition of Sunday afternoon conferences with the seminary students, where they explored the deep things of Christian faith and life, which is where the title comes from. This book collects some of those addresses.
That gives it an unusual shape. The chapters are short, around ten pages each, but they aren't light. You could call them "sermonettes," except they're as deep and biblical as any sermon. Each one is built on a single text of Scripture, so you can read one in a sitting and take it all in. It works as a devotional or as serious theological reading. Some of the richest chapters for me were on Romans 8 and Ephesians.
When I first opened it, with no preface or introduction to explain what these were, I was confused. I wish I had known the background first. Now you do.
A few things I marked
My copy is marked all the way through, so here are just a few:
- We depend on God, not God on us, and it's good to remember that the Lord omnipotent reigns over all, not only part of our lives.
- Even in the turmoil of war and trouble, God is at work, and even the wrath of man will be turned to His praise.
- For our sakes Christ died and rose again; because He died for us, we shall live with Him. Can there be a stronger motive than that?
- Christianity is God's work in this age, and whatever task He gives us in His "husbandry" is His work. I find that freeing: your ordinary job and the errands you run are not distractions from serving God.
Warfield's chapter on "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" also gives a hopeful picture of Christ's kingdom spreading through the world. Whatever your view of the end times, it will make you think harder about what we're asking for when we pray "Thy kingdom come."
Do I recommend it?
Yes. I don't know another book quite like it. It gives real insight into what it means to have faith, with its struggles and its joys. It has sometimes gone out of print, so check the publisher's page for availability.
Soli Deo Gloria!
