Book Review: The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism

     I'm a Calvinist.  To some this is offensive, to me this is just a view of salvation that shows the beauty of God's mercy and grace.  I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ.  I agree with John Calvin, perhaps the best expositor of scripture of all time, on his view of how a person becomes saved.  In this book, "The Five Dilemmas of Calvinism"  the author (Craig R. Brown) looks at the main questions people ask in regards to calvinism.  Steve Lawson, in regard to Calvinism, says "This is not hard to understand, this is hard to swallow".  It took me a while to accept these teachings, I had to spend many hours digging, and questioning.  I had to truly seek God as to what HE says in Scripture, rather than what my feelings and desires would want to be true.  

Readability: A+

     This book is very easy to read and is a very quick read.  I think I read it in about two days (for me that is very quick!).  There is about 125 pages to the book and they are full of scripture and explanation of those passages.

Scriptural Depth and Explanation: A-

     An "A-" because the scriptural depth is incredible, but the explanation is lacking in some areas.  The book is mainly scripture, which is strong when a person is making a case for a doctrine, but at times there is a lack of explanation for every scripture used.  

Practicality: A

     This book is practical because most people who have wrestled over the view of Calvinism have asked all these questions that the book is based around.  To make it more practical the author could have given ways to share the information with others.

Content: A+

     All the questions I will list are answered in this book:

• What is the historical basis for Calvinism?
• What are the differences between Calvinism and Arminianism, and what does the Bible teach?
• If God is in complete control of everything, to the point of predetermining all human actions, how can man be held accountable for what he does?
• If we are saved by grace and not by works, why should we do anything good?
• What purpose do good works serve?
• Are there rewards in heaven for what we do here on earth?
• If God has predetermined everything that comes to pass, why should we spend valuable time in prayer or evangelism?
• If God is both sovereign and good, how can evil things happen in the world?
• If people are born totally depraved, as Calvinism says, where do babies go when they die?

He asks these questions, then gives a short summary, and then backs up all his points with scripture.  It is very clear and easy to understand.  

Recommendation:

If you are a Calvinist then read this to help clarify when you get questioned.  If you are not a Calvinist read this to see some truths in regards.  If a person wants to get an even bigger picture in a much deeper, harder to understand book then you should check out "Chosen for Life" by Sam Storms.