Book Review: Spectacular Sins

     John Piper put out a book near Christmas of 2008.  The title of the book was "Spectacular Sins and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ".  This is a book that takes a look of how sin is used/allowed by God for His ultimate purpose, even though it may be terrible at the time it happens.  It is a book that challenges us to view things, with God, in light of eternity.  

Readability: A

     As with any Piper book if you are a excited about growing in your knowledge of God He will please you.  It is always good to keep a Bible or a Bible dictionary near by if you are a new believer though.  I enjoy his writing style.  He typically poses questions and then uses scripture and insight to answer them, it makes it flow well.  

Scriptural Depth and Explanation: A

     This is a book that takes examples of sin in scripture and shows them for what they truly are in light of eternity.  The scriptural depth is not as deep as some of Piper's books, but still very good and the explanations as always are enlightening.  

Practicality: B

     This is not a book written to be practical.  It is a book that shows how God is ruler and controller over all, even things that seem terrible.  The application of this book would be worship.  I read this book and thought "Wow, God is so good I can do nothing else to apply this but to worship His awesomeness."  That is the application, not 12 steps, not a journey to being better, but truths that brought me to a place of worship.  

Content: A

     Piper looks at several sins in Scripture and then shows how they served the ultimate purpose of glorifying God.  These Spectacular Sins were:

• The Fall of Satan
• Adam's Disobedience
• The Tower of Babel
• The Selling of Joseph into Slavery
• The Sin of the Murder of Christ

The book also touches on the fact that all things, even evil and sinful things, were created by Jesus and through Jesus.  It is a great book!

Recommendation:

     If you have questions in regard to sin and suffering, and how they could exist to glorify God this is the book for you.  It is a quick 106 pages full of beautiful truth that points to the glory that God gets through all things forever.